Sunday, March 31, 2013

OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!


The wars of religion during the 16th century were no laughing matter...the English (not to mention the rest of Europe) took their faith rather seriously. It was a stressful period in history for the religious world; were you to be loyal to the monarchy or to the church, and were you ready to give your life for your beliefs? Cast your mind back into the centuries and imagine a life driven by religion, where every aspect of your day was infused with your beliefs in some way. Imagine a life wondering if the scaffold was waiting for you around the next corner. The wars of religion continued to torment the country of England for centuries as intolerance ran rapid and civil war bubbled over. From the dark days of "Bloody Mary" to the "tolerance" of her sister Queen Elizabeth, the evolution of religion in England shaped the country's future.

Queen Mary got the ball rolling in 1555 on a lovely, brisk winter day by burning a priest at the stake who was of the Protestant faith. He was charged with heresy and executed for all to see, sending home a message that Christianity was to be the ruling religion and all others were not be practiced. As onlookers watched the flames engulf the priest, one is inclined to think that they thought back to the times of her dear father, King Henry VIII, who invoked the same form of execution. It was made clear that no one was truly safe. Mary had her own sister imprisoned in the Tower of London on suspicion of leading an uprising in hopes of becoming the new Protestant Queen. Queen Mary's disgruntled feelings toward Elizabeth and the subject of faith stemmed from the circumstances under which the Church of England broke from Rome. She saw the church's break as merely an act of getting rid of her mother, Katherine of Aragon, by her father so he could proceed with Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn. So, really it's no surprise why Mary harbored bad feelings towards her Protestant sister and was set on implementing her vision of what England should become. Mary proceeded to return the church back to Roman jurisdiction, while executing hundreds of Protestants under the revived Heresy Acts. Now, maybe it's just me, but does anyone else think she could have benefited from a therapist? Girl had daddy issues.

Elizabeth Tudor

Enough of Mary, let's turn our minds forward to the reign of Queen Elizabeth who was determined not to replay the bloody days of her not-as-nice-looking sister (so sorry Mary, but it's true). Elizabeth understood the need for balance in a world that needed little excuse to start a civil war. I'm not one to brag about myself, but you best believe I will brag out about "Good Queen Bess."Up until the 16th century religious tolerance was hard to come by and even unwelcome to an extent. Like I said before, people were serious about their beliefs and those who practiced an opposing faith were often times given the cold shoulder. The Catholic peeps ran together, while the Puritan posse embraced...well, themselves (and I don't mean to speak for everyone here). Elizabeth only had to set her sights on France and the Netherlands to remind herself that taking the middle-ground was what worked in this instance. However, as much as I would like to say her plan for a tolerant society worked flawlessly I must confess that it did not, but the effort was to be applauded. To appease the Catholics and radical puritans she searched for a Protestant answer, but the Puritans called for extreme reform for which she was not prepared to give. Elizabeth became the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Act of Uniformity passed in 1558, requiring attendance at church and the use of an adapted version of the 1552 Book of Common Prayer. Although, Elizabeth learned a thing or two from her sister: What not to do. She repealed the Act of Heresy laws and punishments for not attending church did not include having your head sliced off. Necks could breath again.

The wars of religion raged on into the 19th century, but it seemed a step forward had been taken in regards to tolerance. To those who fell under the religious oppression of 16th century England, I'm terribly sorry, but you are remembered.

Further Reading: Those who would like to know more about the topic I recommend reading, Heretic Queen: Queen Elizabeth I and the Wars of Religion, by Susan Ronald. Not boring in the least, I promise.

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