History – England in the Middle Ages

The course will cover the period from the deposition of Richard II in 1399 through to the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603. It was a time when England was convulsed by civil war and the widespread adoption of Protestantism, brought on by the collapse of Henry V’s empire in France and Henry VIII’s rejection of the authority of the Pope. It also saw the War of the Roses and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. 

During the course you will be looking at the twists and turns of these remarkable stories while trying to understand what was really going on. Was the War of the Roses simply a struggle for power amongst a thuggish elite or was something important at stake? How inevitable was the triumph of Protestantism under Queen Elizabeth or could the country have reverted back to Catholicism and become part and parcel of the great Spanish Empire under Queen Mary and her husband, Philip of Spain? 

Some of the most distinctive features of England developed at this time like its parliamentary system of government, rich theatrical life and the growth of sea-power in order to defend the country and win a slice of the profits from overseas trade. You will learn about the big names – like Thomas Cranmer and Mary, Queen of Scots – and those who might be less familiar like Sir John Oldcastle and Margery Kempe. Particular attention will be paid to the changes on the ground especially in our own area.