2.1.4

Religious Change Under Mary I

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Religious Change Under Mary I

Mary I restored Papal supremacy and Catholicism to England. The speed and ease of the transition back to Catholicism suggests this was welcomed.

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Papal supremacy

  • Heresy laws were restored in 1554 by the Act of Repeal.
    • Denying the papal supremacy was a heresy punishable by death. -The Act of Supremacy was passed in 1555.
    • This meant Papal supremacy over the English Church was restored.
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Persecution

  • Following the heresy laws, Mary I persecuted Protestants.
  • For example, Archbishop Cranmer was arrested.
  • 284 Protestants were executed.
  • Protestants who were burned at the stake soon became martyrs.
  • This is why Mary I was given the nickname, 'Bloody Mary'.
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Response to Mary I's religious policy

  • It is difficult to establish what people thought of Mary I restoring Catholicism.
  • The speed with which Mary I restored Catholicism suggests many supported her.
  • Towards the end of her reign, persecutions of Protestants were in decline. This could suggest that Mary was successful in her policies.
  • Unfortunately, her untimely death meant she did not have enough time to consolidate her Catholic rule.

Jump to other topics

1Monarch & Government

2Religious Changes

3State Control & Popular Resistance

4Economic, Social & Cultural Change

5Historical Interpretations

5.1Significance of Threats to National Security

5.2Court Politics

5.3Elizabeth & Parliament

5.4Social Distress in the 1590s

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