Mary I (1553-1558) (Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon)
 1554: Wyatt’s Rebellion- Many citizens of Europe did not want Mary I to marry Philip of Spain. Mary I
found out about it and suppressed it, and killed about 90 conspirators
 1555: Restoration of Catholicism in England- About 300 people were burned at the stake for heresyspeaking out against the Catholic faith
 Main focus during her reign was foreign policy while domestic policy did not matter as much
Elizabeth I (1558-1603) (Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn)
 1587: Execution of Mary Queen of Scots- There were many plots to overthrow Elizabeth and place
Mary on the throne, so Elizabeth had her executed. Mary was a cousin of Elizabeth.
 1588: Spanish Armada- Philip II attempted to invade England and failed, partly because of his own
mismanagement and partly because of the defensive strategies of the English and Dutch.
 Main focus during her reign was domestic policy which foreign policy did not matter as much
James I (First Stuart- 1603-1625) (Son of Mary, Queen of Scots)
 1605: Gunpowder Plot- Guy Fawkes and Catholic dissidents attempt to blow up King and Parliamentthey are betrayed, arrested, and then executed
 1611: King James Bible- Had the Bible translated into English. Religious policies focused on supreme
authority of the crown and suppressed Catholics and Puritans who objected.
 Foreign policy focused on trying to maintain ties with Spain, which angered the English because
Spain was seen as the enemy and competitor of world trade.
Charles I (1625-1649) (Son of James I)
 1642: English Civil War Begins- Married a Catholic, did not allow for Parliament to meet for 11 years,
royal advisors were disliked. Charles believed in the divine right of kings and felt no one should tell
him what to do.
 1649: Execution of Charles I
Oliver Cromwell (1649-1660) (Called himself “Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland after
overthrowing Charles I)
Charles II (1660-1685) (Son of Charles II)
 1660: Restoration of Monarchy- Oliver Cromwell died and Charles II is brought back from hiding.
 1670: Secret Treaty of Dover- Charles II agrees to secretly declare himself a Catholic to Louis XIV in
order to get funding from France.
 1673: Test Act-Prevents Catholics from holding a political position.
 1679: Exclusion Bill- an attempt to keep James II, the Catholic brother of Charles II, from succeeding
the throne.
James II (1685-1688) (Brother of Charles II)
 1685: Attempts are made to overthrow James II and put Charles II illegitimate Protestant son on the
throne. These attempts all failed.
 1688: Declaration of Indulgence- suspends all laws against Catholics and “Non-Conformists” and
repeals the 1673 Test Act. Promotes his Catholic supporters in Parliament while purging those who
oppose him.
 1688: Catholic wife gives birth to a Catholic heir, who many refer to as “Old Pretender”, because some
believe that he is not the legitimate heir of James II
 1688: Glorious Revolution- William of Orange, the son-in-law of James II, overthrows James II with an
army of 20,000. James II flees to France and lives the rest of his life in exile.
William III and Mary II (1688-1702) (Mary II is the daughter of James II and is Protestant)
 1689: Bill of Rights passed by Parliament. Stipulation: no Catholic can succeed to the throne and
limits royal powers.
 1694: Mary II dies and William III rules alone.
 1701: Act of Settlement- establishes Hanoverian and Protestant succession to the throne.
 1701: William III forms alliance with Holland and Austria to prevent union of France and Spain.