Grace Thompson
The English monarchy was Catholic until the reign of King Henry VIII, who changed England's national religion from Catholicism to Protestantism in the 16th century. This was due to the Catholic Church's refusal to allow him to annul his marriage, as well as his desire to have himself and the country as the people's first allegiance. The Act of Supremacy 1558 confirmed the independence of the Church of England from Roman Catholicism under the English monarch. King James II, a Roman Catholic, was deposed in 1688 due to his perceived despotism and assaults on the Church of England, with his Protestant daughter Mary II and her husband William III succeeding him. The Act of Settlement 1701 specifically excluded Catholics from the throne, though this law was partially changed in 2013 to eliminate the disqualification of the monarch marrying a Catholic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date when English monarchs became Catholic | Until 1066, English monarchs were Orthodox. |
| First Catholic Monarch | William I |
| Last Catholic Monarch | James II |
| Year of the last Catholic Monarch | 1685 |
| Year when the last Catholic Monarch was deposed | 1688 |
| Year when the Act of Settlement was passed | 1701 |
| Purpose of the Act of Settlement | To exclude Roman Catholics from the throne |
| Year when marriage to a Catholic was removed as a disqualification for the throne | 2013 |
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What You'll Learn
The English Reformation
The Act of Settlement of 1701 was intended to ensure the exclusion of a Roman Catholic monarch. Along with James II's perceived despotism, his religion was the main cause of the Glorious Revolution, and of the previous linked religious and succession problems which had been resolved by the joint monarchy of William III and Mary II.
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King Henry VIII
Henry's devotion to Catholicism was also typical of the era. He believed in purchasing papal indulgences to pardon sin and shorten time in Purgatory, and his prayer scroll, dating from 1485-1509, contains prayers in Latin and English, as well as illuminated images of martyred saints, St George slaying the dragon, and Christ's Passion.
However, Henry's desire to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, who had failed to produce a male heir, led to a decisive break with the Catholic Church. Henry's adviser Thomas Cromwell and clergyman Thomas Cranmer, both Protestants, argued that England's king should not be subject to the pope's jurisdiction. Eager to marry Anne Boleyn, Henry appointed Cranmer as the Archbishop of Canterbury, who then granted Henry a divorce from Catherine. In June 1533, Anne was crowned Queen, and in 1534, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, solidifying the break from the Catholic Church and making Henry the Supreme Head of the Church of England.
With Cranmer and Cromwell in positions of power, and Anne by his side, Henry began to adopt some Protestant teachings. The Bible was translated into English, and the Crown dissolved England's monasteries, redistributing their vast property. However, Henry's personal convictions remained conventionally pious, and he continued his devotions in Latin. He also tried to find a middle ground between the extremes of Catholicism and Lutheranism, following a policy of balance.
Henry's marital problems and desire for a male heir, therefore, played a crucial role in his break with the Catholic Church, leading to decades of conflict as England became a Protestant nation.
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King James II
James became King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII following the death of his elder brother, Charles II, in 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His reign is remembered for conflicts over religion, with his deposition ending a century of political and civil strife by confirming the primacy of the English Parliament over the Crown.
James's conversion to Catholicism was made public when he refused to comply with the new Test Act of 1673, which required all civil and military officials to take an oath denouncing certain practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, he chose to relinquish his post as Lord High Admiral. In 1673, he married Mary of Modena, a fifteen-year-old Italian princess, in a Roman Catholic ceremony.
The birth of James's son and heir, James Francis Edward Stuart, in 1688 raised the prospect of a Catholic dynasty, displacing his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William III, Prince of Orange, in the line of succession. This, along with James's perceived despotism, led to anti-Catholic riots in England and Scotland, and ultimately, his deposition in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
James fled to France, where he died in exile in 1701. His daughter Mary and her husband William III were crowned as joint monarchs of England.
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The Act of Settlement, 1701
The Act of Settlement of 1701 was an act of the Parliament of England that settled the succession of the English and Irish crowns to only Protestants. It was designed to secure the Protestant succession to the throne and strengthen the guarantees for ensuring a parliamentary system of government. The Act also reinforced the Bill of Rights, which had been established in 1689 and outlined the order of succession for Mary II's heirs.
The Act of Settlement provided that the throne would pass to Princess Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and her Protestant heirs. Sophia was a granddaughter of James VI and I and a niece of King Charles I. The Act excluded "forever" anyone who "is, are or shall be reconciled to or shall hold Communion with the See or Church of Rome or shall profess the Popish Religion or shall marry a Papist". Thus, those who were Roman Catholics, and those who married Roman Catholics, were barred from ascending the throne.
The Act of Settlement also further restricted the powers and prerogatives of the Crown. For example, parliamentary consent was required for the Sovereign to engage in war or leave the country, and judges were to hold office based on good conduct rather than at Royal pleasure, establishing judicial independence.
The Act of Settlement played a key role in the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Although England and Scotland had shared a monarch since 1603, they had remained separately governed countries. The Act catalysed the Union of England and Scotland and helped to ensure the exclusion of a Roman Catholic monarch.
While the Act of Settlement addressed religious and dynastic aspects of succession, it has been criticised for not removing the ban on Catholics sitting on the throne. In 2011, a Labour Member of Parliament, Keith Vaz, introduced a private member's bill that proposed amending the Act to remove the provisions relating to Roman Catholicism. The bill sought to change the primogeniture governing the line of succession to the British throne from male-preference to absolute cognatic. While some supported the proposed reforms, the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada responded that the issue was "not a priority for the government or for Canadians". The disqualification arising from marriage to a Roman Catholic was eventually removed by the Succession to the Crown Act in 2013.
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Catholic Monarchs Today
In the context of European history, the term "Catholic Monarchs" most often refers to King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, whose marriage in 1469 led to the unification of Spain. Pope Alexander VI officially bestowed the title of "Catholic King and Queen" upon them in 1494, recognising their defence of Catholicism within their realms. The Catholic Monarchs were the last effective representatives of the Trastámara dynasty in Aragon and Castile. They are known for their role in the Spanish Inquisition, forcing Jews to convert to Christianity or face exile, and for their New World discoveries, including the funding of Christopher Columbus' voyage to India.
Today, there are no Catholic monarchs in Europe, as most European countries with monarchies have official state religions that are variations of Christianity that separated from the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation. For example, the Church of England is the official religion of the United Kingdom, and the monarch is the supreme governor of the church. Similarly, the Church of Denmark is the state religion of Denmark, and the monarch is the supreme authority of that church.
While there are no Catholic monarchs in Europe, there are several Catholic royal houses throughout the continent. For example, the Princely Family of Liechtenstein is Catholic, with the current monarch, Prince Hans-Adams II, a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Similarly, the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg is Catholic, with the current monarch, Grand Duke Henri, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
In the United Kingdom, the Act of Settlement of 1701 prevents Catholics or those married to Catholics from ascending the throne. This law has been the subject of debate in recent years, with some arguing for the removal of this restriction. While the disqualification arising from marriage to a Roman Catholic was removed by the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, the monarch must still be in communion with the Church of England as the head of that church.
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Frequently asked questions
English monarchs were Catholic until the English Reformation in the 16th century when King Henry VIII changed England's national religion from Catholicism to Protestantism.
King Henry VIII wanted to annul his marriage, but Pope Clement VII refused. In response, the Reformation Parliament (1529-1536) passed laws abolishing papal authority in England and declared Henry to be the head of the Church of England.
James II was the last Catholic monarch of England to date. He ruled from 1685 until he was deposed in 1688.
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