The relationship between the English monarchy and the Catholic Church kept changing during the Renaissance and Reformation. In the medieval period, the Roman Catholic Church wielded more power than the English monarchy. However, things began to change after Henry VIII inherited the British throne. Henry VIII's opposition to the Catholic Church stemmed from the fact that the church refused to grant his divorce. Besides, Henry VIII wanted control of church property in England. Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church and declared himself head of the Church of England. In response to Henry VIII's defiance, the pope excommunicated him.
Henry VIII was succeeded by his son Edward VI, who strongly supported Protestant beliefs. He made changes to the laws of the Church of England and made England a completely Protestant country. However, Edward’s reign was short-lived. After his death, his sister Mary ascended to the throne. Mary I was staunchly Catholic and worked to undo the shift toward Protestantism in England.
Yet another major shift in the relationship between England and the Catholic Church occurred when Mary died and her sister Elizabeth I became the queen. Queen Elizabeth restored Protestantism in England and organized the Church of England by banning Catholic practices.
