The War of the Roses and Tudor History

The War of the Roses

• A dynastic conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster.
• The conflict ended with the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
• Richard of York, symbolized by a white rose, was defeated and killed by Henry Tudor of the House of Lancaster, symbolized by a red rose.
• Henry's victory marked the beginning of the Tudor era in England.

Henry VII

• Became king as Henry VII after the Battle of Bosworth Field.
• Married Elizabeth of York to unite the feuding families of York and Lancaster.

Henry VIII

• Succeeded his father, Henry VII to the throne.
• Married Catherine of Aragon and had a daughter, Mary.
• Attempted to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, but the Pope refused.
• Secreted married Anne Boleyn after the Pope's refusal, who gave birth to Elizabeth.
• The annulment and marriage to Anne Boleyn led to the break with Rome.

The Act of Supremacy

• Confirmed Henry VIII as the supreme head of the Church of England in 1534.
• Separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.
• Henry suppressed religious orders and confiscated their property.

Succession Guaranteed

• Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, gave birth to Elizabeth.
• Henry accused Anne of adultery, incest, and treason.
• Anne was executed in the Tower of London in 1536.
• Henry VIII married Jane Seymour, who bore his only male heir, Edward.

The Short Reign of Edward VI

• Henry VIII was succeeded by his son, Edward VI, at the age of nine.
• Edward VI died in 1553.

Bloody Mary

• Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon, was proclaimed queen in 1553.
• A devout Catholic, Mary attempted to restore Roman Catholicism to England.
• Mary's persecution of Protestants earned her the nickname "Bloody Mary".

The Puritans

• Mary's persecution caused a shift in religious thought.
• Protestants fled to Protestant cities like Geneva and Basel, influenced by John Calvin.
• These Protestants formed a Calvinistic group known as the Puritans.
• Puritans wanted to purify the Church of England and remove all traces of Roman Catholic practices.

Elizabeth I

• Succeeded her half-sister, Mary, in 1558.
• Promoted the Second Act of Supremacy, re-establishing the Anglican Church.
• Elizabeth's approach to reform was known as the "middle way" due to its balanced approach between Protestantism and Catholicism.

Foreign Policy

• Elizabeth I was known as the "Virgin Queen".
• Elizabeth received many marriage proposals, including from Philip II of Spain.
• She refused all proposals to avoid offending either Protestants or Catholics and to maintain her country's independence.

A Formidable Rival, Mary Queen of Scots

• Mary Stuart claimed the throne of England due to her descent from Henry VII.
• Mary became Queen of Scotland and, after facing challenges, fled to England seeking the protection of Elizabeth.
• Mary's claim to the throne presented a threat to Elizabeth's rule.
• Elizabeth eventually ordered Mary's execution in 1587.

Trade and Empire

• Sir Walter Raleigh established a colony on the east coast of North America in 1584.
• The colony was named "Virginia" in honor of Queen Elizabeth.
• Raleigh's act marked the beginning of a period of British imperial expansion.

England and Spain

• Queen Elizabeth's refusal to marry Philip II of Spain strained relations between England and Spain.
• Elizabeth's support for Protestant rebellions in the Netherlands aggravated relations.
• Spain saw England as a threat to its dominance in the New World.
• The Spanish Armada, a Spanish naval expedition aimed at invading England, was defeated in 1588, marking a major victory for England.

The Golden Age of Drama

• The English Renaissance was a golden age for English literature.
• Drama and poetry, particularly sonnets, flourished.
• The sonnet, a 14-line poetic composition, was popularized by Italian poet Petrarch.
• Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, and William Shakespeare were key figures in the Elizabethan era.

Test your knowledge on the War of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty. This quiz covers key figures and events, including Henry VII and Henry VIII's reigns and the significant changes in the Church of England. Dive into the history that shaped England in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.