France and the Reformation Quiz

France and the Reformation

• Lutheran ideas reached France in the early 16th century.
• John Calvin and others promoted Protestant ideas.
• King Francis I suppressed Lutheran ideas.
• Calvin was arrested but escaped and fled to Switzerland.
• Calvin wrote the first edition of the Institutes in 1536 to defend French Protestants.
• French Protestants organized into a synod by 1559.
• French Protestants were known as Huguenots from 1560 onward.
• The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572 resulted in the deaths of thousands of Huguenots over two days.
• Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot leader, converted to Roman Catholicism in 1593 and ruled as Henry IV.
• The Edict of Nantes (1598) granted Huguenots religious tolerance as a minority.
• Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, leading to Huguenots fleeing to other countries.

The Reformation in Scotland

• Scotland aligned with France in the 14th century to resist English influence.
• The Roman Catholic Church was deemed immoral and corrupt.
• Patrick Hamilton introduced Lutheran ideas and was burned at the stake in 1528, followed by George Wishart in 1546.
• Wishart influenced John Knox, who later traveled to Geneva and was greatly influenced by John Calvin.
• Knox returned to Scotland in 1559, coinciding with Scottish nobles' covenanting for religious reform, leading to the end of French control over Scotland.
• The Scottish Parliament, under John Knox's guidance, initiated religious reform in 1560.
• The Church of Scotland was formally established in 1567, featuring presbyteries, synods, and a national assembly.
• Papal control was lost, the Mass was outlawed, and laws against heretics were repealed.

The English Reformation

• Key players in the English Reformation included:
  • Monarchs: Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary), Elizabeth I
  • Parliament
  • Lollards (followers of Wycliffe)
  • Humanists (Erasmus, Colet)
• The Reformation in England was marked by:
  • Changes dependent on the ruler’s preferences.
  • Fluctuations in progress.
  • Numerous martyrs, with estimates of 70,000 deaths during Henry VIII's reign and 300 during Mary Tudor's reign.
  • Theological statements by the Church backed by the government.
  • Bible translations into common language.
  • A stronger emphasis on political than theological elements.

Henry VIII (1491-1547)

• Henry VIII was known for his wide-ranging skills as a scholar, hunter, and sportsman.
• He initially defended the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, earning the title "Defender of the Faith" from Pope Leo.
• Henry married Catherine of Aragon, his brother's widow, to maintain England's relationship with Spain.
• Canon law prohibited marriage to one's brother's wife, but a special papal approval was granted due to Catherine's claim that her marriage to Arthur was not consummated.
• Catherine had difficulty bearing children and only had one surviving daughter, Mary.
• Seeking a male heir, Henry sought an annulment of his marriage, arguing that it was against canon law.
• The Pope refused as Catherine was the aunt of Emperor Charles V, who controlled Europe and the Papacy.
• Henry considered having a secret affair and an illegitimate male child but wanted a legitimate heir.
• Thomas Cranmer, advisor to Henry VIII, declared the marriage with Catherine invalid after consulting with scholars.
• England broke with Rome in 1534.

England's Break with Rome

• Parliament enacted laws prohibiting money transfers to Rome, invalidating Henry's marriage, and declaring him the "supreme Head of the Church of England."
• Thomas More, Henry's close friend and Chancellor of England, refused to recognize Henry's title as head of the Church.
• More was executed, famously stating, "The King's good servant, but God's first."
• Henry married Anne Boleyn, a mistress, who bore him Elizabeth. Anne was accused of adultery and executed.
• Henry then married Jane Seymour, who gave birth to Edward (VI).
• After Seymour's death, Henry married Anne of Cleves from Protestant Germany, seeking German support against Rome.
• He later divorced Anne of Cleves and executed the person who arranged the marriage due to lessening threats from other nations and Germany's focus on doctrine.
• Henry then married Catherine Howard, who was also beheaded.
• He finally married Catherine Parr, who outlived him.

Changes during the English Reformation (1529-1539)

• English clergy were required to remain in England.
• Appeals of English Church matters to the Papal courts in Rome were prohibited.
• The Act of Supremacy (1534) was introduced, declaring Henry the "supreme head of the Church of England."
• Monasteries with incomes less than 200 pounds were closed in 1536, and their property was seized by the King.
• In 1539, larger monasteries were closed by Act of Parliament. The King retained some land and sold or gave the rest to wealthy families, ensuring their support.
• Although the Anglican Church remained doctrinally Catholic, Henry authorized the translation of the Bible into English (a revision of Tyndale and Coverdale).
• This translation was known as the Great Bible or the Chained Bible due to being chained to stands in churches.

Edward VI (1537-1553)

• Edward VI became King at the age of nine.
• His mother's brother, the Duke of Somerset, was appointed regent.
• The Duke promoted Protestant ideas and influenced Edward to introduce reforms.
• Changes made included:
  • Switching worship services from Latin to English.
  • Establishing the 42 Articles, the Anglican creed, by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury.
  • Allowing laity to take the cup in the Holy Communion.
  • Granting clergy the right to marry.
  • Banning images in churches.
  • Creating the Book of Common Prayer, largely written by Cranmer, for public worship.

Mary Tudor (1516-1558)

• Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) became Queen upon Edward VI's death.
• She sought to restore Roman Catholicism to England.
• Her marriage to Phillip of Spain was unhappy, and she had no children.
• Mary's persecution of Protestants earned her the title "Bloody Mary."
• She reintroduced clerical celibacy and other Catholic practices.
• Many clergymen lost their positions and became martyrs.
• Mary was said to be an unhappy person yearning for love.
• She was secluded for extended periods due to the annulment of her mother's marriage.
• Her strong desire to reinstate Catholicism stemmed from the threat that Protestantism would render her illegitimate.
• Elizabeth I became queen upon Mary's death due to illness.

Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)

• Cranmer was part of a group at Cambridge University interested in Luther's reforms.
• This group, dubbed "Little Germany," included William Tyndale, Robert Barnes, and Thomas Bilney, all figures in the English Reformation.
• Cranmer became an advisor to Henry VIII and later to Edward VI.
• He was respected by Henry but ultimately did as the King wished.
• Cranmer pleaded for those condemned by Henry, including Anne Boleyn and Thomas More.
• He was a key architect of the English Reformation, known for drafting the 42 Articles and the Book of Common Prayer.
• He implemented significant reforms under Edward VI, replacing the Catholic concept of transubstantiation with consubstantiation.
• He believed Christ was truly present in the Eucharist but differed from Luther's view.
• The English Reformation stalled after Edward's death, with Mary Tudor restoring Roman Catholicism.
• Cranmer witnessed Ridley and Latimer's execution in Oxford.
• He signed several recantations after being tempted with freedom but regained his courage in the face of death.
• Cranmer surprised everyone by refusing to recant his beliefs, denying Papal authority, and asserting that transubstantiation was false.
• He held his right hand, which had signed false declarations, into the flames until it was consumed during his execution.
• Cranmer is considered a leader of the true English Reformation.

Elizabeth I (1533-1603)

• Elizabeth I was born to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
• Her mother was beheaded for adultery when she (Elizabeth) was two.
• She received a quality education from Catherine Parr, Henry’s sixth wife.
• She became Queen after Mary Tudor’s death in 1558.
• Her 45-year reign is considered a golden age of English history.
• She was known for her wisdom, intelligence, and fluency in six languages.
• Elizabeth returned England to the Protestant faith.
• The Act of Supremacy (1559) declared her the "only supreme governor" in spiritual and temporal matters.
• She was excommunicated by the Pope in 1570.
• She worked closely with loyal administrators to establish control.
• She was close to her people and traveled on horseback 25 times around the country to connect with them.
• She executed her Catholic cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1587 after 19 years, when it was clear she was plotting her overthrow.
• In 1588, Philip II of Spain organized the Spanish Armada to combat England.
• Backed by the Pope, Philip aimed to restore Catholicism in England.
• She rallied her soldiers with speeches like, “I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king - and of a King of England too."
• Despite Spain’s larger navy, England defeated the Armada.
• Elizabeth remained unmarried and died in 1603, succeeded by Mary Queen of Scots’ son, James I (England)/VI (Scotland).