Religious turmoil has existed in England for centuries. A specific time in British history during which religious conflict reached its height was during the Tudor and Stuart dynasties from the late fifteenth century to the early eighteenth century. In fifteen seventeen Martin Luther opened the door for personal biblical interpretation through his defiance of the Roman Catholic Church in his ninety-five theses, which resulted in his banishment from the church by the Pope. Along with Luther's rebellion against, the church many countrymen (including many members of parliament) began to notice the poor education of their own Catholic clergymen. The Catholic Church in England was crying out for reform.

England officially changed their religion during Henry VIII's rule. This demanding monarch wanted a son, something his wife, Catherine of Aragon, could not provide for him. Upon learning of his wife's inability to bear children, he wanted a divorce, yet had difficulty gaining papal approval. To cater to his own interest, Henry VIII changed England's religion from Catholicism to Anglican, making himself the head of the church, giving him the authority to h

In 1558, Elizabeth I gained control of the throne. This queen favored political stability over religious stability and decided as the head of the Church of England, she would not harshly or strictly enforce one religion over another but rather choose the mid ground and let the countrymen decide which religion to lean toward. England's shift toward Protestant during Elizabeth's rule caused much turmoil between Scotland and France, which were both Catholic nations, and England. English Protestants, however, drove the French out of Scotland, allowing England to maintain its political power and religious beliefs. During the last years of Elizabeth's rule, extreme Protestant and radical devoted Catholic's began a heated internal religious struggle in England.

During the time of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, England underwent many turbulent internal changes, both religiously and politically. One reason for this is evident in the close relationship between religious belief and political maneuvers during this time in history. People felt strongly enough about their personal beliefs and religious freedom, that they organized to form political groups to preserve these beliefs. The influence of these religion-based groups in England during the late fifteenth century to the early eighteenth century served as a primary shaping force in the development of English society and government.

During Charles I's rule, (James I's successor), prosecution of Protestants forced an increasingly number of them out of England and to the Americas and Ireland, creating new colonies from which the English will eventually benefit economically. Turmoil built among English citizens over religious controversy, this turbulence eventually playing a large political role in prompting a civil war in Grea

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Approximate Word count = 1209
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)