Tudors

The Tudors were a royal dynasty that ruled England from 1485 to 1603. They came to power after the Wars of the Roses when Henry VII defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field and married Elizabeth of York, uniting the rival houses and producing a stable line of succession.

Henry VII worked to centralize authority, reduce noble plotting, and restore royal finances. His diplomacy and careful governance laid the groundwork for a stronger Tudor state and helped end the civil conflict that had divided the realm.

Henry VIII, who reigned from 1509 to 1547, pursued dynastic and religious reforms that transformed English government and society. He broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England with royal supremacy in 1534, overseeing the Dissolution of the monasteries. His six marriages produced three children who survived infancy: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, each of whom would rule in succession.

Edward VI, ruling from 1547 to 1553 as a minor under regents, advanced Protestant reforms and strengthened the break with Rome. His early death led to a brief attempt to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne before Mary I’s accession.

Mary I, on the throne from 1553 to 1558, restored Roman Catholicism and married Philip II of Spain. Her efforts to reverse the Reformation included the Marian persecutions, which earned her the nickname Bloody Mary in later histories.

Elizabeth I, reigning from 1558 to 1603, settled the religious question with a moderate approach, promoted exploration and education, and presided over a cultural and maritime flowering. Her victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 reinforced England’s national standing and left a lasting legacy.

The Tudor era ended with Elizabeth’s death in 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I, inaugurating the Stuart dynasty. The Tudors left enduring legacies in politics, religion, and English national identity.