Before there was a

Renaissance

(in England)
 The Renaissance in Europe
 “Renaissance”
 “Re-birth”
 …….of what?
 The rebirth of classical knowledge, style and artistic
form
 Classical = Greek and Roman
 Why does it need to be re-born?
 During the Middle Ages, “barbarian” invasions disrupted much
of European politics, culture and economy
 Renaissance begins in Italy in 1400’s
 Spreads north and west across Europe
 BUT…not to England
 What’s taking England so
Long?
 Political Instability
 War of the Roses
 Yorks (White rose emblem)
 Lancasters (Red rose emblem)
 Tudor Dynasty begins

 Religious Turmoil
 Roman Catholics vs. Church of England Protestants
 Henry VIII

 Youngest son of Henry VII

 2nd in line for succession
 Brother of Arthur
 Not trained to be a King
 Pampered playboy
 Devout Roman Catholic
 Wrote book attacking Martin Luther
 Named “Defender of the Faith” by the Pope
 The Tudor Dynasty

 Prince Arthur becomes king

 Arthur marries Catherine of Aragon
 Daughter of King Ferdinand of Spain
 Devout Roman Catholic
 Arthur DIES!
 Prince Henry becomes King Henry VIII
 Petitions the Pope to annul Arthur and Catherine’s marriage
 Marries Catherine of Aragon (brother’s widow!)
Henry’s Quest for an
Heir
 Wife #1
 Catherine of Aragon
 Devoted wife
 Married for TWENTY years!
 Gave birth to only one child
 Mary
 At 43, too old for childbirth
 Refused to become a nun as Henry wanted
 Marriage annulled **
 Catherine dies of a broken heart four years later
 **Getting Rid of Catherine
 Henry asks Rome for help
 Pope gave special permission to marry Catherine
 Catholics don’t divorce (often or easily)
 Pope refuses to annul the marriage
 Henry breaks away from Rome
 Appoints new Archbishop of Canterbury
 Archbishop declares marriage “invalid”
 Pope excommunicates Henry
 Henry appoints himself “Supreme Head of Anglican Church”
 Forces all clergy and politicians to choose a side
 Begins confiscating church properties and assets

 Henry Intiates RELIGIOUS WAR

 Wife #2
 Anne Boleyn
 Lady-in-waiting for Catherine
 Refused to be a mistress
 Feisty and confident
 Convinced Henry to marry her immediately after
annulment
 Gives birth
 Elizabeth
 Still-born son
 Henry decides he’s cursed!
 Henry wants out…again
 Accused of treason (false charges)
 Beheaded on Tower Green
 Wife #3
 Jane Seymour
 Lady-in-waiting to Anne
 Mild and gentle temperament
 Considered Henry’s favorite wife
 Gave birth to his son
 Edward VI
 Died twelve days later

 Henry is buried beside her

 Wife #4
 Anne of Cleaves
 Henry married to gain favor
with Germany
 Asked for portrait of her before he would agree to marry
her
 Artist exaggerated her “beauty”
 Henry said she looked like a horse!

 Divorced her after six months

 Divorce was amicable
 Anne was only one of his wives who lived after he tired of a
marriage!
 Wife #5
 Katherine Howard
 Married Henry when she
was 19 and he was 50!
 Air-headed and immature
 Henry adored her
 She was (rightfully) accused of having multiple affairs =
treason
 She was be-headed on Tower Green
 Wife #6
 Kathryn Parr
 Henry’s “nurse”
 Outlived him
 Henry’s Dead:
Now What?

 Edward VI becomes King at age 9

 Raised strictly as a Protestant
 Regent rules in his stead
 Dies at 15
 Lady Jane Grey
 “The Nine Days Queen”
 Beheaded by Mary I (Henry’s Catholic daughter)
 Bloody Mary

 Mary I
 1st Queen Regent (Queen by birth)
 DEVOUTLY Catholic
 Reinstates Catholicism
 Drops “Supreme Head of Church” title
 Restores monastic properties
 Burns over 300 heretics (Protestants) in first three years of reign
 Alienates herself from English populace
 Marries King Phillip I of Spain
 Dies childless
 Passes throne to half-sister Elizabeth
 “Elizabeth Regina
Gloriana”
 Elizabeth I
 Political Strides
Religious tolerance
Increased revenue
Clever negotiations
 Cultural Strides
Poetry
 Sonnet (Elizabethan crossword puzzle)
 Elaborate
 Fourteen lines
 Iambic pentameter
 Spenserian, Shakespearean or Italian
rhyme scheme
 Pastoral poetry (idealistic; rural setting)
Cultural Strides cont’d
Drama
Entertainment vs. Education
Medieval plays =“morality” & “miracle”
Elizabethan =entertainment
(Marlowe &Shakespeare)
Fashion
Reflected “Great Chain of Being”
 The Great Chain of
Being
 The Courtier disdaineth the citizen;
The citizen the countryman;
the shoemaker the cobbler.
But unfortunate is the man who does
not have anyone he can look down
upon."
~ Tomas Nash, 1593
  God
Angels
Kings/Queens
Archbishops
Dukes/Duchesses
Bishops
Marquises/Marchionesses
Earls/Countesses
Viscounts/Viscountesses
Barons/Baronesses
Abbots/Deacons
Knights/Local Officials
Ladies-in-Waiting
Priests/Monks
Squires
Pages
Messengers
Merchants/Shopkeepers
Tradesmen
Yeomen Farmers
Soldiers/Town Watch
Household Servants
Tennant Farmers
Shephards/Herders
Beggars
Actors
Thieves/Pirates
Gypsies
Animals
Birds
Worms
Plants
Rocks
 Food
 Nobility
 Meat (especially deer, boar and rabbit)
 Sweets
 Spices

 Commoners
 Bread
 Vegetables/Fruits
 Dairy products
 Fun
 Nobility
 Falconry
 Jousting

 Commoners
 Archery
 Fashion

 “Sumptuary Laws”
Amount/type of cloth
Color
Embellishment (decorative and
utilitarian)
 James Stuart
 James I (and VI)
 I of England
 VI of Scotland
 Unites England and Scotland
 Creates “United Kingdom of Great
Britain”
 Authorizes “King James Bible”
 Abhors witchcraft