SESSION 1 Britain and the Wider World in Tudor Times Overview The wider world The Tudors ruled Britain during a fascinating and fast-changing century. There was a shift in the distribution of power and wealth from the East to Europe, setting in place the pattern of Western supremacy that we still see today. This change in power involved a destructive clash of cultures and wars. The voyages and exploits of European explorers like Christopher Columbus, fall within the Tudor period. The clashes of culture and belief between these European adventurers and the inhabitants of the lands they went to provide rich material for citizenship education. This was also the century of the great religious split in the Christian Church, where new Protestant beliefs challenged the authority of the Pope and the practices of the Catholic Church. Both Europe and Britain saw fierce conflict between the Protestant reformers and the power of the traditional Church. The Catholic vs Protestant struggle continued throughout the 16th century and well beyond. During the period a radical Protestant movement emerged - the Puritans. In England the Tudor dynasty ruled England for 118 years, from 1485 to 1603. It was dominated by the long reigns of Henry VIII (38 years) and Elizabeth (45 years). There were numerous plots and rebellions against the Tudors, but no civil war, unlike the previous and subsequent centuries. The Tudor period was heavily influenced by the European Renaissance (rebirth), it was a time of widening horizons, of adventuring, of scientific and technological development, of artistic flowering, and of thrusting entrepreneurs. It was also a dangerous time, as the fall of powerful figures demonstrates (e.g. Wolseley, Cranmer, Anne Boleyn, Essex). Tudor society was hierarchical, with steep divides between men and women, and rich and poor. Some classes, like the gentry, expanded and grew wealthy, building houses of stone and brick with glass in the windows. The poor became poorer, partly because of the loss of common land after the enclosure of medieval fields - thousands roamed the country as vagrants. During the century the population rose, as did violent crime. By 1603 England was stable, prosperous and influential. It had become a largely Protestant, and very nationalistic, country.
TRUE OR FALSE?
During this period religious split happened during this period. The Catholic vs Protestant struggle do not continued throughout the 16th century The Tudor period was influenced by the European Renaissance. Tudor society was hierarchical. In 1603 England was a prosperous country.
SEEK A SYNONIM!
Inhabitants Split Period Struggle Prosperous
____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
BRIEF CHALLENGE! Can you explain the main ideas of the text in 4 sentences?
SESSION 2 HENRY VIII This man is one of the most famous character in English history. Henry VIII was born on June 28,1491, the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. He was styled the Duke of York. Henry VII, his father, loved entertainers and the court attracted acrobats, jesters, magicians and musicians. Prince Henry enjoyed music and grew up to be an accomplished musician. At the age of ten he could play many instruments, including the fife, harp, viola and drums. He could speak French, Latin, Spanish well. As a young man he was highly intelligent, handsome, extremely athletic. In his youth Henry was a brilliant horseman and a superb shot with a bow and arrow. Henry’s older brother Arthur married a Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon, when he was 15. Prince Arthur danced at his wedding and seemed to be in good health, but within a few months he was dead. Some historians think Arthur had tuberculosis or plague. Young Henry was now heir to the throne. The Tudor family came to power after the Wars of Roses. These were civil wars between the houses of York (white rose) and Lancaster (red rose), both of whom claimed the throne. Memories of the horrors of these wars were still alive when Henry VIII, who was just the second Tudor king, crowned. In 1509 Henry VII died of tuberculosis and his son became King Henry VIII. He was only 17. He received little training for his future role as a king, and would rely heavily on his counselors in early years of his reign. Although most people today think of Henry VIII as a fat tyrant, but history remembers Henry in much the same way as Piero Pasqualigo, a Venetian ambassador: “…he is in every respect a most accomplished prince.”
Henry’s interest in foreign policy was focused on Western Europe which was a shifting pattern of alliances centered round the kings of Spain, France and the Holy roman Emperor. (Henry was related by marriage to all three: his wife Catherine was Ferdinand of Aragon’s daughter, his sister Mary married King Louis XII of France in 1514 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was Catherine’s nephew). Henry VIII built the first modern navy and increased its size from 5 to 53 ships (including the “MARY ROSE” remains of which lie in the Portsmouth Naval Museum). The second half of Henry’s reign was dominated by two very important issues for the later history of England and the monarchy: the succession and the Protestant Reformation, which led to the formation of the Church of England. But today King Henry VIII is remembered for just one thing – well, six things. Six wives, to be exact! The one thing Henry VIII was not good at… was having sons. He married six different women to try and produce a male heir to the throne, but his only son from these marriages died when he was just 14 years old. However, his two daughters both became queens of England. So if he had only lived long enough, he might not have been so worried
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
Who was the older brother of Henry VIII? How many times did he get married? Who led the formation of the Church of England? Who was his first wife? Where was Catherine from?
Describe and compare his appearance
YOUNG
OLD
Debate: Do you think he was an intelligent man?
SESSION 3 Henry VIII’s wives:
CATHERINE of ARAGON (1485-1536) Catherine of Aragon, the first Queen of Henry VIII, was the youngest child of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile& Leon. She had an excellent and learned education and was married in 1501 to Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII, but she never lived with him as his wife. The Prince died in the following April at the age of 16 and Catherine was betrothed in 1503 to his brother Henry. She had long red-gold hair and blue eyes, and in her youth was considered pretty. Catherine was five years older and much more sedate than Henry. She was interested in politics and the King often turned to her for advice. In 1513 she ruled as regent while Henry was campaigning in France. It may surprise you to learn that Henry VIII was married to his wife for over 20 years and for a long time they were happy together. Although Catherine
was pregnant many times, only one of her children, Princess Mary, survived from their union. Later Mary become Queen of England before her half-sister Elizabeth. However Catherine had no sons so Henry divorced her to marry Anne Boleyn, a woman he had fallen in love with.
ANNE BOLEYN (1502-1536) Anne Boleyn, the second Queen of Henry VIII, was the daughter of an English diplomat Sir Thomas Boleyn, afterwards Earl of Wiltshire, and Lady Elizabeth Howard. Anne was thus the maternal niece of the Duke of Norfolk. She spent some years at the French Court, before 1522, when she first seems to have attracted the notice of King Henry. By 1525, however, the King was secretly courting her. In 1526 Henry began to pursue Anne openly. But she refused to become his mistress, saying “I would rather lose my life than my honesty.” Bewitched by Anne’s sparkling black eyes, long dark hair and vivacious personality, the King began scheming to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.. For years Henry struggled unsuccessfully to have his marriage annulled. In the end, determined to have his way, he broke free of the Catholic Church, established the Church of England, banished Catherine from court, had his first marriage declared invalid and married Anne Boleyn on 25 th January 1533. In September 1533 she gave birth to her only surviving child, Princess Elizabeth. The years of waiting had been hard on Anne. She was in her thirties, moody and sharp. Henry was already tired of her. Anne became hysterical after finding one of her maids of honor, Jane Seymour, sitting on the King’s knee. That period of time Anne was pregnant again. If she gave birth to a healthy son her position as queen be secure, but she had a miscarriage. The baby was lost and she was doomed. The Spanish ambassador wrote: “She has miscarried of her savior.” Anne Boleyn was arrested and charged with having affairs with five men, including her own brother, George. The charges were false, but Anne and all of the men were convicted and sentenced to death. She was beheaded on Tower Hill on 19thMay 1536. On 30th May 1536 King Henry VIII married his third wife.
JANE SEYMOUR (1505-1537) Born: 1505 at Wolf Hall, Savernake, Wilts Queen of England Died: 24th October at Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, Surrey Jane Seymour, the third Queen of Henry VIII, was the daughter of Sir Seymour of Wolf Hall and his wife, Margaret Wentworth. We find her as a maid of honor in the household of Queen Catherine and again in that of Queen Anne. It was not till 1535 that King Henry VIII began to pay her serious attention. He married her immediately after Anne’s death, in May 1536, and their only child, afterwards Edward VI, was born in October 1537. The Queen died from cold and improper diet twelve days after her delivery. For her alone of his Queens, Henry wore mourning. She seems to have been a gentle creature of good character and a popular Queen. She was interred at St.George’s Chapel, Windsor, and Henry afterwards buried at her side.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS -Why did Henry want to divorce Catherine?
-Why did Henry kill Anne?
-Did Jane Seymour give a son to Henry? What was his name?
DEBATE
-What do you think about the role of the women in this period?
SESSION 4 ANNE of CLEVES (1515-1557) After Jane Seymour’s death King Henry VIII was extremely unhappy. But an artist brought him back a portrait of Anne Cleves and Henry approved of it. Thus Anne arrived in England in December 1539. When she arrived the King was eager to see her that he raced to where she was staying and burst in upon her unannounced. He was shocked at her plainness and the impossibility of conversing with her. Anne didn’t speak English, didn’t know who this fat strange was, so she more or less ignored Henry. She was, in fact, a dull, domestic German lady. 1540. They never lived together as man and wife and the passive Anne was apparently well pleased when a vote of Convocation divorced them in the following July. She received a large jointure, which she continued to enjoy until her death. She figured in Royal state at the coronation of her step-daughter, Queen Mary. Anne remained in England and never remarried. Henry called her his sister. She outlived Henry and was certainly the most fortune of his wives. Anne of Cleves was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1557.
CATHERINE HOWARD (1520-1542) Catherine Howard, a cousin of Anne Boleyn, was the daughter of Lord Edmund and Joyce Culpepper. Her mother died when she was a little girl and Catherine was brought up to her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, in whose household, at Horsham (Norfolk) and then Lambeth (Surrey), she was carelessly looked after. In 1540 she was brought to Court, perhaps with the intention of captivating Henry. She was lively, pretty and kind. The King saw her as perfect, “a rose without a thorn”. She was secretly married to the King in July of that year. But Catherine had secrets, and soon the King knew them. Catherine Howard was beheaded in February 1542. Henry VIII was horrified and heartbroken, but he had not given up on matrimony. The following year he married his sixth and final wife.
CATHERINE PARR (1512-1548) She was twice married before her Royal wedding: the first time to Sir Edward Borough, who died in 1529, and the second time to Jone Neville, Lord Latimer, who died in 1543. Being sought in the third marriage by Sir Thomas Seymour, the brother of the late Queen Jane, she was about to accept his hand when King Henry VIII intervened and married her himself in July 1543. Henry was old and ill now, but he loved Catherine Parr in his own way. Legend had it that she was as much a nurse to him as a wife. She was good to his children and helped him to reconcile with Catherine Aragon’s daughter Mary. Henry VIII died on January 28,1547. Within months Catherine had married her old love, Thomas Seymour. But Seymour soon betrayed her by trying to seduce her stepdaughter, Henry’s daughter Princess Elizabeth. Catherine Parr died in childbirth at Sudeley Castle, in Gloucestershire in 1548.
WHO IS IT?:
Best friend of Henry VIII She nursed Henry VIII She was the most beautiful girl for Henry She was German She was cousin of Anne Boleyn Secretly married Henry She was beheaded She didn’t speak English Married her old love Died while giving birth
SESSION 5
Create a TIMELINE
1509-Henry VIII
1547-Edward VI
1553-Lady Jane Grey 1553-Mary I 1558 Elizabeth I
‘English Catholic’
Protestant
Protestant
Catholic
Protestant
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1536 – Dissolution of the monasteries (the closing down of Catholic monasteries) 1536 – The Pilgrimage of the Grace (Robert Aske marches south with Catholic rebels opposed to the religious changes) 1549 – Act of Uniformity (imposed a single standard form of Protestant worship across England) 1549- The Western and Kett’s rebellions (Catholic rebels opposed to religious changes) 1554 – Wyatt’s Rebellion (Protestant rebellion against Mary) 1556 – The burning of Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury for Henry VIII and Edward VI)
Can you identify whether these statements described Protestant or Catholic ideas about faith in Elizabethan times?
The Pope should be head of the church Bishops should be allowed to marry The images of saints or of Mary should not be worshipped Communion bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ Bible and sermons should be read in Latin Bread and wine should be given to everybody in the congregation during communion The sovereign should be head of the church Images and ornaments of saints and of Mary should decorate the church Communion bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (a process known as transubstantiation) Bibles and sermons should be read in English for everyone to understand
SESSION 6
CREATE A GLOGSTER about an interesting ERA of Britain history.
Some suggestions: Elizabethan Era Protestant Reformation Clacissicism Victorian Era Jacobean Era
Visit this simple:
Click here: http://mind1.edu.glogster.com/victorian-era/