How the Tudor dynasty shaped modern Britain
Building the house of Tudor
The Tudor era saw unprecedented upheaval in England. Between them the five
Tudor kings and queens introduced huge changes that are still with us today.
The years between the crowning of Henry VII in 1485 and the death of Elizabeth I in 1603
saw the old religious order swept away, the establishment of the American colonies, the
foundation of the Royal Navy and the power of Europe challenged.
1485
Henry VII seizes the throne
Henry Tudor is crowned King of England on the battlefield at Bosworth after his army
defeats and kills Richard III.
Henry VII presents himself as the unifier of the warring Lancaster and York dynasties –
symbolised by his adoption of the red and white Tudor Rose. His reign brings 85 years of
civil war to an end. He marries Elizabeth, daughter of the Yorkist king Edward IV. Within a
year they have a son, Arthur, later followed by another, Henry.
1502 - 1503
Peace treaty with Scotland
Henry wants to keep his kingdom secure and creates several foreign alliances to try to
avoid wars.
He arranges the marriage of his 13-year-old daughter Margaret to James IV to secure
peace between England and Scotland. Although the peace doesn't last, the couple's great-
grandson, James I of England and VI of Scotland, will unite the crowns of Scotland and
England 100 years later.
1509
Henry VIII is crowned king
The 17-year-old Henry succeeds to the throne on the death of his father, Henry VII. His
older brother Arthur had died seven years earlier.
The Pope gives a special dispensation for the young king to marry his late brother’s wife
Catherine of Aragon. Three years later Henry invades France in pursuit of an ancient claim
to the throne. He is aided and abetted by his advisor Thomas Wolsey, who he appoints
Lord Chancellor in 1514.
1512
The Royal Mail is founded
Henry VIII orders the creation of the first national postal service for royal mail.
Called 'The King’s Posts', it was devised by Sir Brian Tuke and commanded all towns to
have a fresh horse available for anyone carrying mail from the Tudor Court. This royal mail
system was opened to the general public in 1635 by King Charles I - the start of the postal
system we use today.
1534-1539
Church of England is created
Henry requests an annulment of his marriage with Catherine from the Pope in order to
marry Anne Boleyn. The request is refused.
In response, Henry breaks from the authority of the Pope and is declared head of the
English Church by Parliament. To cancel out the power of the Catholic church in England,
he dissolves over 800 monasteries and transfers their wealth and lands transferred to the
crown. Years of discord between Protestants and Catholics follow.
1545
Mary Rose sinks but Royal Navy flourishes
Henry VIII is keen to build up his fledgling navy from the 15 ships he inherits. By 1540 the
navy has 45.
He also builds the first naval dock at Portsmouth and establishes the Navy Board to run
the service. Many of the ships, like Henry's flagship the Mary Rose, are fitted with the
latest guns. Henry's ships can now now stand up against those of the French and Spanish
navies. In 1545, the Mary Rose sinks while leading an attack against a French invasion
fleet.
1547
England becomes Protestant under Edward VI
Henry dies and his son Edward, aged nine, becomes king. Edward's uncle Edward
Seymour seizes power by establishing himself as protector.
In order to make England a truly Protestant state, the Book of Common Prayer is
introduced and religious imagery in churches is destroyed. Seymour is arrested and later
executed after he fails to solve England's near bankruptcy. The king dies aged fifteen,
never ruling in his own right. The cause of his death is not certain.
1553
Mary I is crowned queen
Edward's half-sister Mary takes the throne, after a power struggle with Edward's advisers
who want his cousin Lady Jane Grey to be queen.
At first Mary I enjoys widespread popular support. But many oppose her decision to marry
Catholic Phillip II of Spain and reconcile with Rome. She attempts to take England back to
Catholicism. During her reign nearly 300 Protestants are burned for refusing to reconvert,
earning her the nickname 'Bloody Mary'.
1558
Elizabeth I’s long reign begins
When Mary dies, her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn, becomes
queen.
Elizabeth returns England to Protestantism, but she does not enforce strict religious
conformity and declares she does not want to 'make windows into men's souls'. Elizabeth
chooses never to marry as she wants England free from the influence of foreign princes
and the dissent and infighting a marriage to a fellow countryman might bring.
1571
Royal Exchange sees trade flourish
Sir Thomas Gresham, known as the father of English banking, sets up the Royal
Exchange – the first purpose-built centre for trading stocks in London.
However stock brokers are not allowed inside the building because of their rude manners,
instead they operate from nearby coffee houses. Gresham helps persuade Elizabeth I's
parliament to legalise money-lending, which allows the Crown to raise loans from home
rather than abroad. Over time London takes over from Antwerp as the financial capital of
Europe.
1585
First English colony in America
England wants to compete with Spain and Portugal, whose American colonies generate
great wealth.
Sir Walter Raleigh sets up a colony of about 100 men on the east coast of North America,
which he names Virginia after Elizabeth I, ‘the Virgin Queen’. Although Raleigh's
settlement fails after a year it marks the start of an effort by England to colonise North
America. The first successful permanent settlement is founded in 1607.
1586 - 1587
Spymaster ensnares Mary, Queen of Scots
Queen Elizabeth I faces numerous plots against her and pays Sir Francis Walsingham to
set up a European network of spies across Europe.
He establishes England's first counter-intelligence network and a London school that
teaches cipher breaking and forgery. Elizabeth's Catholic cousin Mary, Queen of Scots is
in exile in England and poses a threat to Elizabeth. Mary is put under house arrest.
Walsingham is convinced she is plotting against the queen and implicates her in a plan to
depose Elizabeth. Mary is executed a year later.
1588
Defeat of Spanish Armada inspires England
Philip II of Spain launches a great fleet of ships, known as the Spanish Armada, to
overthrow Elizabeth and restore Catholicism to England.
The Armada of 130 ships sails up the English channel towards the Spanish Netherlands to
pick up troops for the invasion. However, they are engaged by the Royal Navy and driven
to the North Sea by strong winds. Only around half of them make it back to Spain. The
English celebrate their victory with a medal inscribed with the words 'God Blew and they
were Scattered'.
1601
Provisions for the poor
The dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII leaves many of the poorest without a
safety net. Poor laws are introduced to help.
The Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601 requires each parish to provide for the 'lame, impotent,
old and blind'. Overseers collect a regular amount from parishioners according to their
ability to pay. Over time this evolved into a more centralised system which is replaced by
the modern welfare state in the 20th Century.
1603
End of the Tudor dynasty
Elizabeth I dies aged 69. The Virgin Queen never married or had children.
James VI of Scotland was her closest royal relative as they were both direct descendants
of Henry VII. He is named King James I on the day of Elizabeth's death. One of Britain's
greatest and most influential dynasties finally reaches its conclusion.
The Tudors
The five sovereigns (six if Lady Jane Grey is included) of the Tudor dynasty are
among the most well-known figures in Royal history. Of Welsh origin, Henry VII
succeeded in ending the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and
York to found the highly successful Tudor house. Henry VII, his son Henry VIII and
his three children Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I ruled for 118 eventful years.
During this period, England developed into one of the leading European colonial
powers, with men such as Sir Walter Raleigh taking part in the conquest of the New
World. Nearer to home, campaigns in Ireland brought the country under strict English
control.
Culturally and socially, the Tudor period saw many changes. The Tudor court played
a prominent part in the cultural Renaissance taking place in Europe, nurturing all-
round individuals such as William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser and Cardinal
Wolsey.
The Tudor period also saw the turbulence of three changes of official religion,
resulting in the martyrdom of many innocent believers of both Protestantism and
Roman Catholicism. The fear of Roman Catholicism induced by the Reformation was
to last for several centuries and to play an influential role in the history of the
Succession.
The Tudors (1485- 1603) - Summary
Summary of the Tudor Kings and Queens in chronological order
Henry 7th, brought peace and economic stability to England after almost 150 years of
continuous wars. Of Welsh descent and from bastard Lancastrian birth, but faithfully and
lovingly married to the daughter of Edward 4th and hence a royal heiress, Elizabeth of
York. He supported world exploration west over the uncharted Atlantic Ocean to find
alternative routes to the riches in the East which were blocked by the Ottoman Muslims in
Turkey. Henry and Elizabeth of York produced two sons and two daughters. Both
daughters married and their lines produced two Queens, Lady Jane Grey-murdered by
Queen Mary and Mary Queen of Scots murdered by Elizabeth 1st. Mary Queen of Scots
son became King James 6th of Scotland and King James 1st of England.
Henry 8th, should be remembered for:
Initially preferring sport including hunting and jousting rather than ruling the country
Thinking he was a re-born Henry 5th he thought he could win back all the old English
territories in France and failed.
Murdering anybody who stood in his way. In all about 130 people including 2 of his 6
wives.
Appointing a religious crook, Cardinal Wolsey to run the country for him.
Creating the Church of England where he was in charge rather than the Pope in Rome.
But still following the religious doctrines from Rome not the new Protestant code of Luther
but introducing a Bible and Prayer Book in English giving illiterates the incentive to learn to
read.
Having six wives in an attempt to produce a son and heir or just because he fell in love with
a prettier one.
Being the founder of the British Navy with ships with guns (cannon) rather than ships
designed to capture other ships with boarding parties.
Introducing guns into to English army, initially along side archers.
Edward 6th, the only son of Henry 8th by his third wife Jane Seymour, was only 9 when
his father died and lived himself to only 15. As was customary in those times, any child
King was told what to do by a “Lord Protector” usually a close relation. In Edwards case it
was initially his maternal uncle Edward Seymour who was ambitious and of the new
Protestant religion. His ambition was not matched by an ability to rule sensibly but his
religious convictions were well supported by the young King himself and his court advisors
who included the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cramner and the Scottish Protestant
convert John Knox.
Edward was a very intelligent youngster and was given the best possible education by his
father who was nurturing him as the future King. Edward could fluently read Latin and
Greek at the age of seven and studied the writings of the Dutch Humanist Erasmus who
wrote in Latin and who had personally met with Henry 8th. Edward loved to argue in depth
with his theological advisors as they did with this young prodigy.
Edward should also be remembered for supporting a large number of the new secular
Grammar Schools which replaced the monasteries closed by his father. Many scholastic
establishments today are still called King Edward’s collage or school in recognition.
He died aged 15 after a long bout of TB and was determined to not let the English throne
return to a Roman Catholic. Under extreme pressure from his protector Robert Dudley, he
nominated his childhood playmate and cousin, a niece of Henry 8th, and Dudley’s daughter
in law, Lady Jane Grey.
Lady Jane Grey,
Following Edward all the other close contenders to the throne were girls. In order of linage,
with their ages in 1553, they were;
Mary daughter of Henry 8th and Spanish Katherine of Aragon, a devout Roman Catholic.
Age 37.
Elizabeth daughter of Henry 8th and English Anne Boleyn, a Protestant. Aged 20.
Mary, Queen of Scots, granddaughter of Henry 8th‘s sister Margaret who was married to
King James 4th of Scotland, a Catholic. Age 11
Jane Grey granddaughter of Henry 8th younger sister Mary whose daughter Francis married
Henry Grey. Aged 15
Henry 8th had specified that in the event of Edward dying early that firstly his daughter
Mary should reign and secondly is daughter Elizabeth, but Edward changed it on his
deathbed why?
Edward reigned as a minor and died a minor and hence he ruled under a Lord Protector.
Firstly his Uncle Edward Seymour and secondly the powerful and equally ambitious and
ruthless Robert Dudley Earl of Warwick and Northumberland. It was the ambitious Robert
Dudley who persuaded Edward to nominate the 15 year old Protestant Jane Grey as his
successor in-order to secure the Protestant line. Unfortunately for him he went one step too
far by marrying his son Guilford to the Lady Jane. Mary’s supporters saw through this
obvious plot and more than 10,000 of them fell upon Queen Jane, her husband Guilford
Dudley and his father Robert who was immediately executed. Queen Jane and Guilford
Dudley were sent to the Tower of London by Mary and six months later they both were
beheaded.
Poor Jane ruled for just 9 days.
Mary 1st,
Catholic Mary only reigned for six years and did nothing to keep the momentum of positive
change going as had Henry7th & 8th and Edward 6th. Nicknamed “Bloody Mary” because
of the large number of Protestant followers she murdered, the only thing Mary achieved
was to build into the English people a lasting fear and hatred of the Pope and the Roman
Catholic Church.
Elizabeth 1st.
Elizabeth should be best remembered for being
A successful woman in a man’s world
Proving for the first time that it was possible for a woman to rule a country as well as a
man.
Combining the Roman Catholic theologies with the new freer thinking Protestant ideas to
create the Church of England.
Supporting exploration and colonisation, the development of better ships, pirates and the
slave trade.
Her battles against the huge Spanish empire and their shipping with the help of her pirates
culminating in the defeat of the Spanish invading Armada.
She did not support the arts but the English Renaissance flourished under her with the likes
of Shakespeare.
For not marrying but using both her exceptional intelligence and her good looks to get
powerful men to do what she wanted.
