## Learning Outcomes

- Explain why Henry VIII broke with the Church of Rome and what the Act of Supremacy did
- Identify how religious policy changed under Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I
- Recall key dates: 1534, 1547, 1553, 1559, 1560, and 1588
- Understand the difference between the Church of England and the Church of Scotland after the Reformation

## Life in the UK Test Syllabus

For the Life in the UK Test, you are expected to understand Tudor religious change and the Reformation, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Know that Henry VIII broke away from the Church of Rome and that the monarch became head of the Church in England
- Understand that Edward VI promoted Protestant reforms and introduced the Book of Common Prayer
- Know that Mary I tried to restore Catholicism and persecuted Protestants (earning the nickname “Bloody Mary”)
- Explain how Elizabeth I re-established the Church of England and aimed for stability by balancing Catholic and Protestant views
- Know that the Scottish Parliament abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland in 1560 and made Catholic services illegal
- Recall that the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 strengthened Elizabeth I’s position and Protestant England

## Test Your Knowledge

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. What did the Act of Supremacy (1534) change about religion in England?
2. Which Tudor monarch introduced the Book of Common Prayer?
3. Why was Mary I called “Bloody Mary”?
4. How did Elizabeth I try to reduce religious conflict in England?
5. What happened in Scotland in 1560 regarding the Pope and Catholic services?

## Introduction

The Tudor period (1485–1603) included major religious change that shaped the modern UK. In a few generations, England moved from being a Catholic country under the Pope to having a national Protestant church under the monarch, then briefly returned to Catholicism, and finally settled on a Protestant direction under Elizabeth I.

Understanding these changes matters for the Life in the UK Test because the Reformation affected government, loyalty to the monarch, relations with Europe (especially Spain), and tension between different religious groups in England, Scotland, and Ireland.

> **Key Term: Reformation**
> The process in the 1500s in which England and Scotland broke with the authority of the Pope in Rome and moved towards Protestant forms of Christianity, creating new national churches.

The Reformation was not a single event but a series of developments spread over several reigns. It involved changes to who controlled the Church, how people worshipped, and what beliefs were officially approved. These religious shifts also influenced art, education, foreign policy, and later conflicts such as the English Civil War, so understanding the Tudor foundations helps explain later chapters of British history.

### Henry VIII and the break with Rome

Henry VIII became king in 1509 and ruled until 1547. He is remembered both for his six marriages and for changing the relationship between England and the Catholic Church in Rome.

Henry VIII’s break with Rome was linked to power and authority. In Catholic Europe, the Pope was the highest authority in the Church. In England, Henry and Parliament changed this so that the English Crown controlled the Church in England.

A key moment was the law passed in 1534.

> **Key Term: Act of Supremacy (1534)**
> An Act of Parliament that made Henry VIII the Supreme Head of the Church of England and ended the Pope’s authority in England.

This was not just a religious change; it was also a political change. It tied religious obedience to loyalty to the monarch. Refusing to accept the monarch’s authority over the Church could be treated as a serious crime.

Henry’s religious policy can confuse candidates because the English church did not immediately become fully Protestant. Henry rejected papal control, but many Catholic-style beliefs and church practices continued during his reign.

One of Henry’s most dramatic actions was the closing of monasteries.

> **Key Term: Dissolution of the Monasteries**
> The policy under Henry VIII (mainly 1536–1541) of closing monasteries and taking their land and wealth into Crown control, later often sold or given to nobles and gentry.

The monasteries had been important local institutions. They provided help for the poor, supported travellers, and played a role in education and basic care. Their closure caused anger in some areas, especially in the north of England, and contributed to protest and rebellion.

> **Test Tip:** Separate “breaking with Rome” from “becoming Protestant”. For Henry VIII, the key exam idea is royal control of the Church, not that England instantly changed all beliefs and services.

Henry also used Parliament more frequently than many earlier kings, passing laws that confirmed his authority over the Church and his control of former church lands. This helped strengthen the tradition that major religious and political changes were made through Acts of Parliament, a pattern that continued later in British history. Some people welcomed the chance to gain land and power from former church property, while others felt that a familiar religious world was being dismantled too quickly.

### Edward VI and Mary I: rapid swings in religion

When Henry VIII died in 1547, he was succeeded by his son Edward VI. Edward was a committed Protestant and reigned from 1547 to 1553. During his reign, Protestant reforms moved faster and changed what people experienced in church.

A major reform was the introduction of an official prayer book for services.

> **Key Term: Book of Common Prayer**
> A Protestant prayer book introduced under Edward VI for services in the Church of England; later versions continued under Elizabeth I and are still used in some churches today.

The Book of Common Prayer mattered because it changed how services were conducted and what people heard in church. It helped create a more uniform pattern of worship across the country, with services and prayers set out in a standard form.

Under Edward, some traditional images and decorations were removed from churches, and English was used more widely instead of Latin. These changes made the Protestant character of the Church of England clearer, especially in comparison with Catholic countries in Europe that kept Latin services and more traditional ceremonies.

Edward VI died young in 1553 at the age of 15, after ruling for just over six years. His half-sister Mary I became queen. Mary ruled from 1553 to 1558 and was strongly Catholic. She attempted to reverse Protestant reforms and restore Catholicism.

Mary persecuted Protestants, and many were punished, including by execution. Because of this, she became known as “Bloody Mary”.

Mary also sought closer ties with Catholic Spain through her marriage to Philip II of Spain. This alliance worried some of her subjects, who feared too much Spanish influence in England and a loss of independence. Several leading Protestants fled abroad during Mary’s reign, creating exile communities that would later support Protestant causes when they returned under Elizabeth.

Mary died after a short reign. The next monarch was her half-sister Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

> **Test Tip:** A common question pattern is to match monarchs to religious direction. Memorise the sequence: Henry VIII (break with Rome), Edward VI (Protestant changes), Mary I (Catholic restoration), Elizabeth I (Protestant settlement and stability).

### Elizabeth I: a stable Protestant settlement and the Spanish Armada

Elizabeth I ruled from 1558 to 1603. She was Protestant and restored the Church of England as the official church in England. Her approach aimed to keep order and avoid major internal conflict.

Elizabeth’s religious policy is often described as a “middle way” because she tried to reduce division between Catholics and more extreme Protestants. The state required people to take part in the Church of England, and there were laws controlling the form of services and prayers. However, Elizabeth was less focused on forcing people to explain what they privately believed. The priority was outward conformity and political loyalty.

This balancing approach helped Elizabeth avoid the kind of civil conflict seen in some other European countries at the time. It also supported her popularity, especially after a major military threat was defeated.

In 1588, England defeated the Spanish Armada, a large Spanish fleet sent to invade England. Spain was a leading Catholic power in Europe, and the Armada’s mission included restoring Catholicism. The defeat was therefore seen as both a national success and a victory for Protestant England under Elizabeth.

The Armada’s failure had several long-term effects. It protected England from foreign invasion at a crucial stage, encouraged a sense of national pride, and confirmed Elizabeth’s authority. It also made it harder for Catholic powers to overthrow the English Protestant settlement by force, even though religious tension and plots did not entirely disappear.

Elizabeth is remembered as one of the most popular monarchs in English history. For the test, the key point is that she restored Protestant rule, made the Church of England official again, and maintained internal stability compared with the sharp changes under Edward and Mary.

### Scotland: the Reformation and Mary, Queen of Scots

Religious change did not happen in exactly the same way across Britain. Scotland was also influenced by Protestant ideas, but the outcome was different from England.

In 1560, the predominantly Protestant Scottish Parliament abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland. Roman Catholic religious services became illegal. A Protestant Church of Scotland was established with an elected leadership. Unlike the Church of England, it was not a state church under the monarch in the same way.

> **Key Term: Church of Scotland**
> Scotland’s national Protestant church, established after the Scottish Parliament ended papal authority in 1560; it has an elected leadership and is not a state church in the same way as the Church of England.

A major figure in this period is Mary Stuart, also called Mary, Queen of Scots. She was Catholic and became queen as a baby (only a week old) after her father died. She spent much of her childhood in France and returned to Scotland later, when Scotland had strong Protestant influence.

Mary became involved in power struggles in Scotland. After her husband was murdered, Mary was suspected of involvement and fled to England. She gave her throne to her Protestant son, James VI of Scotland.

Mary was Elizabeth I’s cousin and hoped for support in England. Elizabeth saw Mary as a possible threat to the English throne and kept her prisoner for 20 years. Mary was eventually executed after being accused of plotting against Elizabeth.

These events link religion and politics: Mary’s Catholicism and her claim to the English throne made her a danger in Elizabeth’s eyes, especially in a period of tension between Protestant England and Catholic powers abroad.

The Scottish Reformation also affected later history. James VI of Scotland, Mary’s son, later became James I of England in 1603, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland. By then, both kingdoms had strong Protestant identities, but their churches were organised differently. These differences helped shape later debates about royal power, parliamentary authority, and the rights of different churches within the UK.

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- The Reformation changed religion and politics by reducing papal authority and increasing national control of churches
- Henry VIII ruled 1509–1547 and broke away from the Church of Rome
- The Act of Supremacy (1534) made Henry VIII Supreme Head of the Church of England
- The Dissolution of the Monasteries (mainly 1536–1541) transferred church land and wealth to the Crown and new owners
- Edward VI (1547–1553) promoted Protestant reform and introduced the Book of Common Prayer
- Mary I (1553–1558) restored Catholic influence and persecuted Protestants, leading to the nickname “Bloody Mary”
- Elizabeth I (1558–1603) re-established the Church of England and reduced internal conflict by enforcing outward conformity
- In 1588, England defeated the Spanish Armada sent by Spain to invade and restore Catholicism
- In 1560, the Scottish Parliament abolished the Pope’s authority in Scotland and Catholic services became illegal
- The Church of Scotland developed with elected leadership and was not a state church like the Church of England
- Mary, Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart) was Catholic, was imprisoned for 20 years in England, and was executed for plotting against Elizabeth I

## Key Terms and Concepts

- Reformation
- Act of Supremacy (1534)
- Dissolution of the Monasteries
- Book of Common Prayer
- Church of Scotland


Medieval to Tudor - Tudors, Reformation, and religious change