Acts of Supremacy in 1534

In 1534, a man named Henry VIII; the head of the Anglican Church came to his position by the Act of Supremacy. This act, which is to this day the legal method of Royal Supremacy in the United Kingdom today, led up to the establishment of the Protestant Reformation in England. Policies such as new taxes, expansion of royal power, dismantlement of the Catholic church, and the destruction of properties were influenced based on the views of Thomas Cromwell, who was the Lord High Chancellor, and Henry VIII, who was the head of the King’s Council. Many protests and riots were led as a result of the cruel actions of theses men. These various protests are now known as the Pilgrimage of Grace from October 1536 to February 1537. In England, as opposed to other areas, the effect of the Protestant Reformation was different. Instead of strengthening the church system, there was a lot of teachings that opposed the influence and activities of the clergy. A major factor that led to the destruction of the church system was the failure of the Lollardy movement that was led based on the teachings of John Wycliffe. Instead of crediting John Wycliffe for his historical work, the Lollardy taught that piety and good actions were based on the intentions of each man individually rather than a lesson taught through the church.

One specific document by Robert Aske, a man that gave a testimony prior to his execution in April 1537, shows how the Protestant Reformation failed to help the people in England. In this document, Robert Aske talks about how the monasteries originally were helpful places and were willing to help all in need with the help of god. After the Protestant Reformation, there was a strong lack of hospitality towards people that weren’t well known or poor. After the Protestant Reformation, the primary focus was making money on farms and taverns. The Act of Supremacy and rights of royalty also hurt the Protestant reformation and damaged the prosperity in the church. Basically all of the money that was obtained was given to the king and churches were taken down to make more room for land profits. The Protestant Reformation harmed the English land naturally also. As stated by Robert Aske, the clergymen at the monasteries often tended to the sea walls and bridges, yet when the Protestant Reformation took a toll on the Catholic Church, many areas were left unattended. This is a part of the reason why England fell apart slightly after the Protestant Reformation.