Mary I - Mary’s key religious reforms - RG2 Flashcards
Give some of the problems that Mary faced regarding the process of restoring the English Church to papal jurisdiction?
- Protestantism, although a minority faith, had attracted adherents in London and in other parts of the south
- The reformed Protestant Church of England was protected in statute law
- Many members of the political elite had benefited from the acquisition of monastic lands and had no desire to surrender them
What did Mary initially do to the most prominent members of the Protestant clergy?
Some of the most prominent Protestant clergy, including seven bishops, were deprived of their livings and, in some cases, imprisoned.
When did the legislative attack on Protestantism begin?
In October 1553, Mary’s first Parliament
What changes derived from Mary’s first Parliament in 1553?
- The religious laws passed during Edward’s reign were repealed
- The order of service as at the time of the death of Henry VIII was restored
- All married clergy could now be deprived of their livings
- The legal status of the Church of England was upheld
What was Mary’s dilemma regarding the use of Parliament to reverse the royal supremacy and return to Papal supremacy?
To reverse the royal supremacy would mean acknowledging that the original laws passed during Henry VIII’s reign were legally valid.
In other words, Mary would have to accept the superiority of statute law over divine law, precisely the opposite of her own fundamental belief.
When was the status of the Church finally resolved?
The status of the Church was not finally resolved until the meeting of Mary’s third parliament, which lasted from November 1554 to January 1554.
What was the significance of Pope Julius’ death in 1555?
He was succeeded by anti-Spanish Pope Paul IV, thus England was dragged into war in 1555 in support of Spain. Mary was effectively at war with the Papacy.
