-
Elizabeth’s accession in 1558 was universally met with expectations of change in religion. Catholics dreaded the renewal of schism from Rome, while Protestants eagerly anticipated the continuation of reforms begun under Henry VIII and Edward VI.
-
The Elizabethan Settlement of religion achieved in the 1559 Parliament left many loose ends. Elizabeth, as supreme governor of the church attempted to prevent Parliament from passing or even discussing further religious measures despite a very widely perceived need for ongoing reformation. As a...
-
Religion was central to the political identities of politicians in the 1690s and early 1700s. In part this was because of the Church of England’s difficulties with the Revolution of 1688-9. Having developed firm views on the unlawfulness of resistance to kings, some of its clergy found it...
-
The Interregnum of 1649-60 had seen the dismantling of the authority of the Church in England. The attempt to recreate it after the Restoration, and what was seen as the infiltration of Roman Catholics into the highest levels of government, were among the most divisive issues in English politics.
-
The sixth of our articles for Parliament Week, 2012. Dr Paul Seaward discusses parliament's attempts to persuade their monarch, Elizabeth I, that Mary, Queen of Scots, should be executed for treason in 1586.
-
Fast sermons were preached to Parliament by prominent clergymen on pre-arranged occasions. They provided opportunities to promote unity, galvanise Members into action and steer them towards particular policies. Usually published by request and with official authority, they also reflected...
