1534 · London, England
English Reformation and Act of Supremacy
Henry VIII broke with Rome because the pope would not annul his marriage, making himself head of the English church and launching decades of religious upheaval.
Henry VIII did not start out as a Protestant. In 1521, he had written a defense of the seven sacraments against Luther, and the pope rewarded him with the title "Defender of the Faith." But by the late 1520s, Henry wanted out of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, who had not produced a male heir. Pope Clement VII refused to annul the marriage, partly on theological grounds and partly because Catherine's nephew, Emperor Charles V, had troops in Italy and the pope could not afford to offend him. Henry's response was blunt. In 1534, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, declaring the king the supreme head of the Church of England. Monasteries were dissolved and their wealth seized. Those who refused to accept the new order were killed, including Thomas More and John Fisher, both now canonized saints. The English Reformation was not driven by theology the way Luther's was. It was driven by a king's marital problems and a power grab. What followed was a century of religious whiplash as England swung between Protestantism and Catholicism with each new monarch, and Catholics became a persecuted minority in their own country for the next three hundred years.
Why it matters
Severed England from papal authority, established the Church of England, and began centuries of Catholic persecution in Britain and Ireland.
What Happened
After Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII pushed Parliament to pass the Act of Supremacy in 1534, making the English monarch the supreme head of the church in England. The monasteries were dissolved between 1536 and 1541, and their vast properties were seized and redistributed. Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor, and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, were beheaded for refusing to accept the king's supremacy. Hundreds of monks and priests were imprisoned or killed.
Why It Still Matters
The English Reformation created the Anglican Communion, now one of the world's largest Christian bodies. It also launched centuries of anti-Catholic law in England and Ireland, the effects of which shaped the history of the British Empire and, by extension, the United States. Thomas More and John Fisher are venerated as martyrs who chose conscience over survival. The question they faced, whether the state can command religious allegiance — remains live in many parts of the world.