from 1509 (henry viii) to 1660 (restoration) · from 1509 (henry viii) to 1660 (restoration) the...
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The English Renaissance The English Renaissance Microcosm and MacrocosmMicrocosm and Macrocosm
From 1509 (Henry VIII)
to 1660 (Restoration)
The English RenaissanceThe English Renaissance
It developed later than in the rest of Europe
MAIN FEATURES:
Strong Protestant and Puritan basis
Reformation under the reign of Henry VIII
he broke with Rome and declared himself as the Supreme Head of the English Church
The English RenaissanceThe English Renaissance
It lacked the pagan serenity of the Italian Renaissance
It was less devoted to visual arts
New Learning / HumanismNew Learning / Humanism
Training in classical imitation
It was established in the two universities of Oxford and Cambridge
It encouraged confidence in the power of human reason to interpret Man and Nature
Literature: instrument of reason
Universal order
� From the medieval
background it inherited
a system of beliefs based
on a general conception
of order
� the universal order
chain cosmic dance
The Chain of BeingThe Chain of Being
The chain stretched from God to the
lowest of inanimate objects
First there is the inanimate class:
1. The elements
2. Liquids
3. Metals
Then there is the vegetative class
Then there is the animal class leading to man who has existence, life, feeling and understanding
Then the angels freed from attachment to lower faculties
The Cosmic Dance
�The universe was in a state of
music, of perpetual dance
�It was governed by the divine will
�Nature = God’s instrument
�The social hierarchy = product of Nature
Order and Unity
Order and unity =
natural rules for the state
The Sovereign = symbol
of stability and unity
New Discoveries
• New geographical discoveries
• New wealth
The old order of ideas was weakened
by new cultural influences
Nicolaus Copernicus created a new
model of the Solar System
the Sun at the centre of the
Universe, and the planets moving around it
Expansion
of markets
New Discoveries
The invention of the telescopeby G. Galilei proved that the Earth revolved around the sun
The Italian astronomer established the scientific method
study of the physical world by
sensory observation, experiment
and by mathematical measurement
The Royal Society 1662
Beginning of modern science: foundation of the Royal Society
To overcome the mysteries of all the works of nature
Elements that contributed to the development of the English character
•• PuritanismPuritanism hard working attitude
•• Civil War Civil War 17th century
settlement of Parliamentsettlement of Parliament
a guarantee that the Royal asbolutism should never be established in England
self-confidence: belief in progress
The TudorsThe Tudors
Henry VIII
• He made his monarchy supreme and turned England into a strong modern state
• Foreign policy: England’s trading position stronger
• Creation of a merchant fleet
• Increase in military strength
The ReformationThe Reformation
Religious revolution arising from a quarrel between Henry VIII and the Pope
Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon from whom he had a a daughter, Mary
Fallen in love with Anne Boleyn, he asked the Pope for a divorce
The Pope refused to declare the marriage invalid
The ReformationThe Reformation
Henry broke with Rome
he declared himself
“Supreme Head of the Church”
he dissolved the monasteries
social charities disappeared
Mary I (Bloody Mary)
Daughter of Henry VIII e Catherine of Aragon
She refused to comform to the new religion: she was a Catholic
She repealed anti-Catholic legislation
She persecuted 300 Protestants
Queen Elizabeth I
In 1558 she bacame queen of a divided nation (anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish)
She had a strong personality and a lively intelligence
She could speak French, Latin and Italian
She was a political genius
Queen Elizabeth I
The country needed order and harmony
Elizabeth brought unity and defeated English enemies
She ruled wisely through the Privy Council of 20 members (nobles and officials)
Her court was brilliant full of musicians, actors and poets
Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth was unmarried: she used to say that she was married to her people
“The Virgin Queen”
Spain was the main trade rival and
England’s enemy
Overseas trade expanded making England a commercial power
Sea-captains like Francis Drake were engaged in piracy captured Spanish ships that carried precious metals and slaves from America and Africa
In 1588 the war against Spain broke out
The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
Spanish ships were slow and heavy
English ships were lower and faster
The Spanish Armada was defeated
The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
Queen Elizabeth died in 1603
The Tudor line died
James VI of Scotland bacame the first Stuart king
James I Stuart (1603-1625)
He believed in the theory of the “divine right of kings”
As a monarch he was the representative of God on Earth
He summoned Parliament only to ask for money BUT its members refused to give money unless for war
James I Stuart (1603-1625)
Religion was the most urgent problem
Catholics were fined if they refused to attend the Church of England
The Puritans refused the rites and bishops of the Church of England
They had a high sense of duty and were against any form of entertainment
James I Stuart (1603-1625)
1603-1625
great progress overseas
peace with Spain
English colonial possessions in North America
The Pilgrim Fathers, religious dissenters, left England for America (1620)
The Civil War (1642)
Charles I (1625-1649) could not avoid confrontation with the Puritan party (middle class)
Social and political movement having the majority in Parliamnet
Puritans wanted a balance of power between king and Parliament
The Civil War (1642)
Charles I firmly believed he was king by divine right
clash with Parliament
in 1642 the Civil War broke out
Royalists Parliamentarians
(Cavaliers) (Roundheads)
The Civil War (1642)
Royalists Parliamentarians
(Cavaliers) (Roundheads)
lords the new gentry
The Church artisans
of England puritans
small landowners
The Civil War (1642)
• The king was made prisoner
• Cromwell took control of London
• The king was executed
• Monarchy was abolished
• The country was ruled as a
republic = Commonwealth
The Restoration Charles II (1660-1685)
• The king returned from his exile in France
• It was the most immoral court in English history
• The Englishmen were relieved by his return because they were oppressed by the strict rules of the Puritans
The Restoration Charles II (1660-1685)
Two great catastrophes hit England
the Great Fire outbreak of
of London bubonic plague
The Glorious RevolutionBloodless Revolution
Cooperation between
Crown and Parliament
William of Orange and his wife Mary became joint monarchs