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THE MAKING OF EUROPE / EARLY EUROPEAN HISTORY

From Hutton Webster's, Early European History (1917); edited for this on-line publication, by ELLOPOS

XXIV. THE REFORMATION AND THE RELIGIOUS WARS, 1517-1648 A.D.

Em. Macron, Rediscovering the Path to Europe

» Contents of this Chapter

Decline of the Papacy   * Heresies and Heretics   * Martin Luther and the Beginning of the Reformation in Germany, 1517-1522 A.D.   * Charles V and the Spread of the German Reformation, 1519-1556 A.D.   * The Reformation in Switzerland: Zwingli and Calvin   * The English Reformation, 1533-1558 A.D.   * The Protestant Sects   * The Catholic Counter Reformation   * Spain under Philip II, 1556-1598 A.D.   * Revolt of the Netherlands   * England under Elizabeth, 1558-1603 A.D.   * The Huguenot Wars in France   * The Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 A.D.

Page 19

THE ENGLISH REFORMATION, 1533-1658 A.D.

HENRY VIII, KING, 1509-1547 A.D.

The Reformation in Germany and Switzerland started as a national and popular movement; in England it began as the act of a despotic sovereign, Henry VIII. This second Tudor was handsome, athletic, finely educated, and very able, but he was also selfish, sensual, and cruel. His father had created a strong monarchy in England by humbling both Parliament and the nobles. When Henry VIII came to the throne, the only serious obstacle in the way of royal absolutism was the Roman Church.

 

HENRY'S EARLY LOYALTY TO THE PAPACY

Henry showed himself at first a devoted Catholic. He took an amateur's interest in theology and wrote with his own royal pen a book attacking Luther. The pope rewarded him with the title of "Defender of the Faith," a title which English sovereigns still bear. Henry at this time did not question the authority of the Papacy. He even made his chief adviser Cardinal Wolsey, the most conspicuous churchman in the kingdom.

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THE MAKING OF EUROPE / EARLY EUROPEAN HISTORY: Table of Contents

url: www.ellopos.net/politics/european-history/default.asp

IN PRINT

Cf. The Ancient Greece * The Ancient Rome
Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) * Western Medieval Europe * Renaissance in Italy