Timeline of the English Reformation facts for kids

This is a timeline of the big changes that happened in England during the Protestant Reformation. It shows how England moved away from the Roman Catholic Church and formed its own Church of England. This period was full of important events, powerful kings and queens, and new ideas about religion.

The Start of Big Changes (Early 1500s)

The story of the English Reformation really begins with King Henry VIII. He ruled England and was married to Catherine of Aragon. They had a daughter, Mary, but Henry desperately wanted a son to take over the throne after him.

A King's Wish for a Son

• 1496: Catherine of Aragon was first promised to Henry's older brother, Arthur.
• 1501: Arthur and Catherine got married.
• 1502: Sadly, Arthur died just a few months later.
• 1503: Henry VII, the king at the time, thought about marrying Catherine himself but decided she should marry his younger son, Henry VIII.
• 1504: The Pope, Julius II, agreed to the marriage between Catherine and Henry.
• 1509, June 11: Henry VIII married Catherine.
• 1516, February 18: Their daughter, Princess Mary, was born.

New Ideas Across Europe

While Henry was worried about having a son, a huge religious movement was starting in Europe.

• 1517, October 31: In Germany, a monk named Martin Luther posted his "95 Theses" on a church door. This act is seen as the start of the wider Protestant Reformation. Luther questioned many Catholic Church teachings.
• 1521: At first, Henry VIII was a strong supporter of the Catholic Church. He even wrote a book against Luther's ideas! Pope Leo X gave him the special title "Defender of the Faith" for this.

Henry VIII Breaks with Rome (1520s-1530s)

Henry's desire for a male heir became a major problem. He believed his marriage to Catherine was not right in God's eyes because she had been married to his brother first. He wanted the Pope to cancel his marriage so he could marry someone else.

The King's "Great Matter"

• 1527: Henry VIII was sure he wanted to divorce Catherine.
• 1527, May: Catherine appealed directly to the Pope, Clement VII, asking him not to allow the divorce.
• 1529, June: A court was opened in England to discuss the divorce case.
• 1529, August 9: Thomas Wolsey, a powerful advisor to Henry, was removed from his position because he couldn't get the Pope to agree to the divorce.
• 1530, November: Wolsey died while traveling to London.

Laws That Changed Everything

Henry and his new advisors, like Thomas Cromwell, started making new laws that gave the King more power over the Church in England, instead of the Pope.

• 1531: Henry began to claim he was the supreme ruler in England, even over the Church.
• 1532, May: The "Submission of the Clergy" made sure that the Church in England needed the King's permission to make new laws.
• 1532, May 16: Thomas More, a very respected scholar and Henry's Lord Chancellor, resigned because he disagreed with the King's actions against the Pope.
• 1532, December: Anne Boleyn, whom Henry wanted to marry, became pregnant.
• 1533, January: Thomas Cranmer became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He supported Henry's divorce.
• 1533, January 25: Henry VIII secretly married Anne Boleyn.
• 1533, March: The "Statute in Restraint of Appeals" was passed. This law meant that people in England could no longer appeal to the Pope in Rome for legal decisions; all decisions had to be made in England.
• 1533, May: Archbishop Cranmer declared Henry's marriage to Catherine null and void.
• 1533, September: Princess Elizabeth (who would later become Queen Elizabeth I) was born to Henry and Anne.
• 1534, March: Pope Clement VII officially said that Henry's marriage to Catherine was still valid. This was a direct challenge to Henry.

The King Becomes Head of the Church

• 1534, November: The most important law, the Act of Supremacy, was passed. This law declared Henry VIII, not the Pope, to be the "Supreme Head of the Church of England." This was the official break with Rome.
• 1535: Henry added "of the Church of England in Earth, under Jesus Christ, Supreme Head" to his royal title.
• 1535, June 22: John Fisher, a bishop, was executed for refusing to accept Henry as the head of the Church.
• 1535, July 6: Thomas More was also executed for refusing to accept the Act of Supremacy.

The Bible in English

During this time, there was a growing desire for people to read the Bible in their own language, English, rather than Latin.

• 1525: William Tyndale published his English translation of the New Testament in Germany. It was banned in England, but it was very important for future English Bibles.
• 1535: The Coverdale Bible, the first complete English translation of the Bible, was published.
• 1537: The Matthew Bible was produced.
• 1539: The Great Bible was published. This was the first English Bible officially allowed for use in churches across England.

Changes Under Henry's Children (Mid-1500s)

After Henry VIII died, his three children ruled one after another: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. Each of them had different ideas about religion, which led to more changes and sometimes conflict.

Edward VI: A Strong Protestant Push

Henry's only son, Edward VI, became king when he was just nine years old. He was a strong Protestant, and during his short reign, England moved even further away from Catholicism.

• 1547, January 28: Henry VIII died, and Edward VI became king. His advisors were mostly Protestants.
• 1549: The First Book of Common Prayer was introduced by Archbishop Cranmer. This book set out how church services should be held in English, making it the only legal way to worship publicly.
• 1549: The "Putting away of Books and Images Act" ordered the removal of old religious books and the destruction of images (like statues) in churches.
• 1549, June–August: Some people, especially in the West Country, rebelled against the new prayer book in what was called the Prayer Book Rebellion.
• 1552: A Second Book of Common Prayer was introduced, making services even more Protestant.

Mary I: Return to Catholicism

Edward VI died young, at age 15. His half-sister, Mary, became queen. She was a devout Catholic and wanted to bring England back to the Roman Catholic Church.

• 1553, July 6: Edward VI died.
• 1553, July 19: Princess Mary became Queen Mary I.
• 1553, December: The "First Statute of Repeal" cancelled all the religious laws passed under Edward VI.
• 1554, July 25: Mary married Prince Philip of Spain, a strong Catholic.
• 1554, November 30: Mary persuaded Parliament to ask the Pope to forgive England for leaving the Catholic Church. This officially brought England back under the Pope's authority.
• 1554, November: Laws were brought back that allowed the death penalty for people who denied Catholic beliefs. More than 300 Protestants were executed during Mary's reign, many by burning at the stake. This earned her the nickname "Bloody Mary."
• 1555, October 16: Former bishops Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were burned at the stake.
• 1556, March 21: Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who had helped Henry VIII and Edward VI, was also burned at the stake.

Elizabeth I: A Lasting Compromise

When Mary I died, her half-sister Elizabeth became queen. Elizabeth was a Protestant, but she wanted to find a middle way that most people in England could accept.

• 1558, November 17: Mary I died, and Elizabeth I became queen.
• 1559, January 15: Elizabeth was crowned.
• 1558-1559: Elizabeth created the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. This was a compromise that made England Protestant again but kept some traditions that Catholics were used to.
• 1559: The Act of Supremacy 1558 confirmed Elizabeth as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, ending the Pope's authority in England for good.
• 1559: The Act of Uniformity 1558 required everyone to attend services using a newly revised Book of Common Prayer.
• 1570, April 27: The Pope issued a special order, Regnans in Excelsis, declaring Elizabeth a heretic and telling Catholics not to obey her. This made the break between England and Rome final.
• 1588, August 8: The Spanish Armada, a huge fleet sent by Catholic Spain to invade England, was defeated. This was a major victory for Protestant England.

Later Developments (1600s)

The Reformation continued to shape England for many years, even after Elizabeth's reign.

• 1611: The King James Bible was first published. This became one of the most famous and widely used English translations of the Bible around the world.
• 1642: The English Civil War broke out. One of the main reasons for this war was disagreements about the Church of England, with some people thinking it was still too Catholic.
• 1649, January 30: King Charles I was executed after the Puritans (a group of strict Protestants) won the Civil War.
• 1660: The monarchy was restored with King Charles II.
• 1688: The Glorious Revolution further secured Protestant rule in England.

The English Reformation was a long and complex process, but it changed England forever, creating the Church of England and shaping its national identity.