Mary I
Religious reform
- Saw reform under H8 as a sinful act that needed to be reversed
- Protestant church protected under statute law + many members of the political elite
unwilling to let go off gains from monastic land
- Reforms began cautiously
- First act of repeal - all religious laws passed in Edward’s reign repealed,
doctrine of H8 church restored, legal status of church upheld
- Relied on parliamentary legislation to reverse this all
- Second act of repeal - reinstated Pope as head of church
- More emphasis on training + supervision of parish priests
PROBLEMS WITH THE POPE:
- Nov 1554 - Cardinal Pole returned from exile to become legate + Archbishop of
Canterbury
- Arguments about church land between Pole + councillors
- New Pope suspicious of Cardinal Pole as he viewed him as a heretic -> dismissed
Pole as legate + appointed William Peto
- Mary trusted Pole as Archbishop of Canterbury so refused to acknowledge
Peto
BLOODY MARY:
- Heresy laws under H8 revived in Nov 1554 -> executions of Protestants began in Feb
1555
- 289 Protestant burnings
- Mary saw these as necessary to cleanse the country of protestantism -> led to
opposition to Catholic reforms as many victims were made public heroes (e.g.
Cranmer, 1556)
HUMANISM:
- Catholic church dissociated itself from humanism
- Pope Paul regarded Erasmus as a heretic -> Erasmus works placed on Catholic
index of prohibited books
Royal government + Parliament
SITUATION IN ENGLAND IN 1553:
- Succession treated favourably by English pop
- Mary’s popularity obscured many issued
- Religious problems -> divisions, quick religious change could cause
opposition
- Mary had not been raised to rule so had little political instinct -> had to rely on
those who had served Edward VI
Religious reform
- Saw reform under H8 as a sinful act that needed to be reversed
- Protestant church protected under statute law + many members of the political elite
unwilling to let go off gains from monastic land
- Reforms began cautiously
- First act of repeal - all religious laws passed in Edward’s reign repealed,
doctrine of H8 church restored, legal status of church upheld
- Relied on parliamentary legislation to reverse this all
- Second act of repeal - reinstated Pope as head of church
- More emphasis on training + supervision of parish priests
PROBLEMS WITH THE POPE:
- Nov 1554 - Cardinal Pole returned from exile to become legate + Archbishop of
Canterbury
- Arguments about church land between Pole + councillors
- New Pope suspicious of Cardinal Pole as he viewed him as a heretic -> dismissed
Pole as legate + appointed William Peto
- Mary trusted Pole as Archbishop of Canterbury so refused to acknowledge
Peto
BLOODY MARY:
- Heresy laws under H8 revived in Nov 1554 -> executions of Protestants began in Feb
1555
- 289 Protestant burnings
- Mary saw these as necessary to cleanse the country of protestantism -> led to
opposition to Catholic reforms as many victims were made public heroes (e.g.
Cranmer, 1556)
HUMANISM:
- Catholic church dissociated itself from humanism
- Pope Paul regarded Erasmus as a heretic -> Erasmus works placed on Catholic
index of prohibited books
Royal government + Parliament
SITUATION IN ENGLAND IN 1553:
- Succession treated favourably by English pop
- Mary’s popularity obscured many issued
- Religious problems -> divisions, quick religious change could cause
opposition
- Mary had not been raised to rule so had little political instinct -> had to rely on
those who had served Edward VI
