Henry VI of England

Something is Rotten in England Something is always rotting in politics. Whether it was the middle ages or even now, there are always situations in politics that are too rotten or too taboo to talk about. The Elizabethan era, in particular, had plenty of betrayal, murder, and war. Shakespeare liked to place politics into his histories. Shakespeare’s play Henry IV Part 1 shows characters and events in a political view. During the first half of the play, Prince Hal is a joke throughout the…

Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon’s divorce is considered to be one of the greatest and most remembered of all time. During this time divorce was unheard of. Henry and Catherine were both devout Catholics, and divorce was not allowed by the Roman Catholic Church nor approved by the Pope. Henry VIII’s desire for a male heir, love for young Anne Boleyn, and strong belief in a biblical verse found in Leviticus drove him towards divorcing Catherine of Aragon which eventually led to the separation…

In shakespeare’s play Henry V, King Henry delivers his Saint Crispin’s day speech before he leads England into battle against the overpowering French army. King Henry V overhears some of the men in his army talking about their disadvantage in the battle. He calls the entire army’s attention before delivering his most famous speech which demonstrates his ability to make all of his men feel valued and equal, despite the fact that they come from various social classes. In the following three…

time, but his histories always contain relevant reminders to play attendees: history has and always will repeat itself. From the battlefields of England and France, all the way to Ancient Rome, leaders of the state will take any action necessary to protect the state, other than place themselves in harm’s way, as without them, no state exists. King Henry IV fascinated Shakespeare; the author tells the man’s achievements over the course…

the Magna Carta was written, and it is to be considered one of the most influential documents of all time. Numerous copies of it were spread throughout England so all people of power given fresh knowledge of the law of the land. The original writer of the Magna Carta was Archbishop Stephen Langton, and the document was signed by King John of England. The document was written essentially to control the power of the monarchy, with greater reason to control King John. The King wanted to rule with…

It's the mid 1500's. The French Court has just welcomed their new queen and king after the death of King Henry. Francis II and his new wife, Queen Mary of Scots, are thrust into leadership amidst the most tense moments in Protestant vs Catholic history. Reign, the hit television show aired on the CW in 2013, follows the story of Mary of Scotland as she faces challenge after challenge of love, friendship, death, and courtship, all while struggling to run not one, but two kingdoms in one of the…

move to reform the Church in England began with his desire to divorce Queen Catherine, who had not borne him any surviving male children. Henry wished to remarry with the young Anne Boleyn, but to do that he needed a dispensation from the Pope to declare the marriage with Catherine null and void. Since Henry had received a dispensation to marry Catherine in the first place–she had been his brother Arthur's widow, and therefore needed special permission to marry Henry–Pope Clement VII was not…

kings should no longer choose the Pope a crack occurred between the church and state. The early 11th century was when the Cluny Reform Movement started. After Emperor Henry III death, This movement tied into Pope Nicholas II declaring that a “body of high church officials and advisers, known as the College of Cardinals,…

begins in England during the reign of Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII. Mary was responsible for ordering the execution of hundreds of Protestants as heretics. On the opinion of her advisors, Mary has her half-sister Elizabeth questioned and locked in the tower of London on suspicion of heresy and plotting with Sir Thomas Wyatt. Mary soon dies as a result of a cancerous tumor and Elizabeth is crowned queen of England. Under the opinion of her advisors, Elizabeth goes to war with Scotland. England…

The Magna Carta is considered to be one or if not the most revolutionary documents ever written. The impact of the document has been seen throughout history and has change the way we have all lived. First written in 1215, 2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the King signing and sealing the document. The Magna Carta also known as The Great Charter has been recognized as one of the building blocks in the development of constitutional structures and democratic principles around the world. (BC Law…