Describe The Religious Pendillum From Henry VIII To Elizabeth

4 Pages 893 Words

Describe the religious pendulum from Henry VIII to Elizabeth

Kim Moreland

Arthur’s death meant that Henry now had a claim to the throne in 1509. Henry was announced as king at only 17 years of age. During this period England was in a time were people kept and carried out their own opinions about religion, this was as the previous king was no strong follower of religion. This however, was on the verge of changing now that Henry a strong Catholic was now in control.

Early into his reign Henry married his late brothers widow Catherine of Aragon, he was forced to carry out this action in order to keep in close relations with Spain. Henry was in need of a son, if he was to put his mind at rest that he would be able to pass on the responsibility of king to one of his offspring. Catherine fell pregnant but did not produce him a son, she gave birth to soon to be ‘bloody’ Mary. Henry applied for a divorce but was denied this as the catholic pope did not believe in divorces. Whilst still married to Catherine Henry fell in love with a young Anne Boleyn. Henry began referring to himself as Cesar and soon the Catholic churches were forced to give into his requirements and so Henry was divorced from Catherine and free to marry Anne Boleyn. England was now a catholic country and Henry was the keen leader in this reformation.

The pope was not seen as important as the King in England and so, this being a very big ego booster, Henry saw himself as the main leader of all the churches as well as the country.
Before Henry’s reign all bibles were written in Latin until one man William Tyndale translated it into English. These bibles were banned from all the churches but still, people kept trying to smuggle these bibles into the churches. Tyndale and his bible were seen as a threat to the churches and to Henry. Due to the new English bible people could now make their own decisions and opinions about the bible and priests were no longe...