Ethan Walker
Anti-Catholic sentiment has been present in the United Kingdom for centuries, with a long history of persecution and violence directed towards Catholics. This sentiment can be traced back to the English Reformation under King Henry VIII, who broke away from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England with himself as its head. The Act of Supremacy of 1534 declared the English crown as the supreme head of the Church in England, replacing the Pope and criminalising any acts of allegiance to the latter. This marked the beginning of religious tensions in England, with Catholics facing harsh penal laws and persecution under successive monarchs. The English Civil War in the 17th century saw Catholics loyal to the crown, yet they were once again on the losing side as Parliament prevailed. The Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689 resulted in the overthrow of King James II, who favoured Catholics, and his replacement by a Protestant. Anti-Catholic sentiment has persisted in the UK, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with sectarian killings and attacks perpetrated by Protestant gangs targeting Catholics. The Catholic Question became a contentious issue in British politics, with debates surrounding Catholic Emancipation and their right to hold public office and vote. While some efforts were made to defuse tensions and extend religious toleration, anti-Catholicism has been deeply entrenched in British society and continues to shape political and social relations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for anti-Catholic sentiment in England | Kings wanted to assert authority over the Pope, and establish control over their 'national church' |
| The Pope claimed both spiritual and political power over followers | |
| The Catholic Church denied Henry VIII's request for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon | |
| The Spanish were Catholics, and Spain and England were not on good terms | |
| The Catholic Church sold "get out of purgatory" pledges to raise money | |
| Catholic emancipation | The move to end restrictions in Britain on Roman Catholics holding public office |
| Catholics were granted the right to vote in the 1790s | |
| The Act of Settlement, 1701: Any member of the British royal family who joins the Catholic Church must renounce the throne | |
| The Succession to the Crown Act, 2013: Members can marry a Roman Catholic without incurring the ban | |
| Penal laws against Catholics | Catholics were subordinated until the 1780s |
| Catholics were dispossessed of their lands, which were given to Anglican and Nonconformist Protestant settlers from Britain | |
| Catholics were subjected to harsh penalties and persecution | |
| Anti-Catholic riots | The Gordon Riots of 1780: A violent anti-Catholic riot in London against the Papists Act 1778 |
| The Popery Act: An oath imposed, declaring loyalty to the sovereign and abjuration of certain Catholic doctrines | |
| The Shankill Butchers: A Protestant gang that tortured and murdered an estimated 30 Catholics between 1972 and 1982 | |
| The Glenanne gang: An alliance of Ulster loyalists who attacked Catholics and Irish nationalists in the 1970s |
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What You'll Learn
The English Reformation
Henry VIII summoned the Reformation Parliament in 1529, which passed laws abolishing papal authority in England and declared him the head of the Church of England. This was a continuation of centuries-long power struggles between kings and the Catholic Church, with the king seeking to establish control over the 'national church'. The English Reformation, therefore, began as a political affair rather than a theological dispute. Despite Henry's initial resistance to Protestant ideas, he relied on Protestants to support and implement his religious agenda.
The consequences of the English Reformation were far-reaching. It led to the dissolution of monasteries, the abolition of Mass, the use of English in religious services and the Bible, and a shift away from decorative and elaborate Catholic elements in churches and services. The majority of people accepted these changes, either due to wealth gained from the simplified Church or out of deference to the authorities. However, there were also objections from Catholics and more radical Protestants, who established their own churches, such as the Puritans.
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The Act of Settlement
Over the centuries, anti-Catholic sentiment intensified, with the Gaelic clan system being destroyed under Elizabeth I and James I, resulting in the dispossession of many Catholics and the appropriation of their lands. Harsh penal laws were enacted against the practice of Catholicism, and Catholics were subordinated until the 1780s. The Catholic Emancipation movement sought to end restrictions on Roman Catholics holding public office, but it sparked sectarian tensions and debates about loyalty to the Pope versus the British crown.
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Catholic Emancipation
The process of Catholic Emancipation began in the late 18th century, with the first Relief Act passed in 1778, which allowed Roman Catholics in Britain to acquire real property, such as land. Similar legislation was enacted in Ireland in 1774, 1778, and 1782. The Act of Settlement 1701 and the Bill of Rights 1689, however, still required the monarch of the United Kingdom to not be a Catholic. The Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1791 allowed the free practice of Catholicism in Britain, but with substantial restrictions to make it less visible. The 1793 Relief Act in Ireland extended the right to vote to Catholics, but only those with a certain property qualification.
The issue of Catholic Emancipation became a highly contentious political issue, known as the "Catholic Question". It divided political parties, with some treating it as a constitutional issue and others as a matter of religious principle. The increasing number of Irish Catholics serving in the British army also led to the army granting freedom of worship to Catholic soldiers in 1811. The charismatic Irish lawyer and orator, Daniel O'Connell, played a crucial role in the Catholic Emancipation movement. In 1823, he established the Catholic Association, mobilizing the Irish Catholic peasantry and middle class to agitate for full emancipation. By 1828, the British government faced the threat of a nationwide rebellion in Ireland if concessions were not made. O'Connell's election to Parliament in 1828, despite being unable to take his seat due to his Catholicism, forced the issue.
The decisive turning point came with a change in public opinion in Britain, with several House of Commons elections expressing majority support for Catholic Emancipation. The Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel, initially opposed to emancipation, changed their positions due to fears of civil strife in Ireland. Together, they carried the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, also known as the Catholic Emancipation Act, in Parliament. This act removed many of the remaining substantial restrictions on Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom, admitting them to Parliament and most public offices. The Universities Tests Act of 1871, which opened universities to Roman Catholics, marked the virtual completion of Catholic Emancipation in the United Kingdom.
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Penal laws and persecution
The history of the United Kingdom is marked by anti-Catholic sentiment and persecution, which continues to the present day, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The English Reformation, initiated by King Henry VIII, marked the beginning of religious tensions in England. Henry VIII's desire for a male heir led him to seek an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which the Catholic Church denied. In response, Henry VIII separated from the Catholic Church, establishing the Church of England with himself as its head. This act challenged the Catholic Church's authority and sparked a broader backlash against the institution across Europe. Henry VIII's actions also had significant implications for Ireland, bringing it under direct English control and setting the stage for future persecution of Irish Catholics.
The Act of Supremacy in 1534 further exacerbated tensions by declaring the English crown as "the only supreme head on earth of the Church in England," supplanting the Pope's authority. Any act of allegiance to the Pope was considered treasonous, as it conflicted with the English crown's assertion of both spiritual and political power. The Scottish Reformation, led by John Knox, followed suit, abolishing Catholic ecclesiastical structures and rendering Catholic practice illegal in Scotland.
The reign of Queen Mary I saw a temporary reversion to Catholicism, but this ended with her death, as Queen Elizabeth I implemented policies to suppress Catholicism, viewing it as a threat to the Protestant establishment. The Gaelic clan system was destroyed under Elizabeth I and her successor, James I, leading to the appropriation of land and the dispossession of many Catholics in Ireland.
The 17th century witnessed continued religious conflict, with the English Civil War positioning Catholics as loyal to the crown, which had previously persecuted them. Despite Charles II's desire to alleviate the injustices faced by Catholics, he faced opposition from an intransigent Parliament. The Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689 resulted in the overthrow of King James II, who favoured the Catholics, and his replacement by a Dutch Protestant. This event fuelled anti-Catholic sentiment, with the Stuart dynasty's plots to invade Britain supported by France, a predominantly Catholic country.
The 18th century saw the enactment of penal laws against Catholics, restricting their religious practices and dispossessing them of property. The Papists Act of 1778, intended to reduce official discrimination against British Catholics, sparked the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots in 1780, demonstrating the intense opposition faced by Catholics.
Into the 19th century, Catholic Emancipation became a contentious issue in British politics, raising questions about the loyalty of Catholics due to their fealty to the Pope. The 20th century continued to witness sectarian violence, particularly during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, where gangs like the Shankill Butchers perpetrated brutal attacks on Catholics for their religious affiliation.
Overall, the history of the United Kingdom is marked by penal laws and persecution targeting Catholics, shaping religious tensions and national identities that continue to resonate today.
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Sectarian violence
Catholics in the United Kingdom, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, have faced persecution and discrimination over the centuries. Under the 1701 Act of Settlement, any member of the British royal family who joins the Catholic Church must renounce the throne. Ireland's Catholic majority was subjected to persecution and dispossession of their lands, which were given to Anglican and Nonconformist Protestant settlers from Britain. The Gaelic clan system was also destroyed by the governments of Elizabeth I and James I, further subjugating the native Irish Catholics.
During the 17th century, religious conflict afflicted Restoration England, with a series of Acts enforcing harsh penalties on those who refused to be members of the Church of England. Catholics were viewed with suspicion and considered a potential threat to the Protestant establishment. This sentiment was not unique to England, as the Catholic Church faced a broader backlash across Europe, with kings asserting their authority over the pope.
Anti-Catholic sentiment intensified during the Anglo-French conflicts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as a sense of "defensive unity" against a "Catholic French 'other''" helped forge a strong British national identity rooted in Protestantism. This period also witnessed the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 in London, sparked by the Papists Act, which aimed to reduce discrimination against British Catholics. However, the riots resulted in widespread looting and violence, with hundreds of rioters killed by the Army.
In the 19th century, the issue of Catholic Emancipation, or the move to end restrictions on Roman Catholics holding public office in Britain, became a highly contentious political question. It sparked debates about loyalty and membership in the political nation, as Catholics owed fealty to the Pope, a foreign prince. While some British statesmen recognized the need for change, others vehemently opposed Catholic Emancipation, entrenching sectarian divisions.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics were persecuted and subjected to violence. They were also discriminated against and excluded from public office and land ownership. This sentiment also led to events like the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots in 1780 and the Holy Cross dispute in 2001.
The English Reformation under King Henry VIII, the Scottish Reformation led by John Knox, and the Glorious Revolution of 1688–1689, which overthrew the Catholic King James II, all contributed to anti-Catholic sentiment in the United Kingdom. Geopolitical issues, such as conflicts with Catholic countries like Spain, and the desire of monarchs to establish control over the church, also played a role.
Ireland's Catholic majority was subjected to persecution and dispossession of land, which intensified under Elizabeth I and James I. This created tension between Ireland and Britain, with the ruling Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland feeling betrayed by the Act of Union and excluded from the commercial benefits of the British Empire.
