Rethinking the Tudors: Monarchy, Society and Religion in England, 1485-1603
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| HIST2057 | History | 2 | 20 | Autumn UK, Spring UK |
- Code
- HIST2057
- School
- History
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK, Spring UK
Summary
The Tudor period was one of the most transformative in English history. It began on the battlefield, as Henry VII wrestled the crown from the hands of the much-maligned Richard III, and ended with the death of Elizabeth I, the first queen to successfully rule England without a male counterpart. The intervening period witnessed a break with the papacy that fundamentally altered the religious and political make-up of the realm, and saw royal authority become increasingly absolute under a monarchy who were now also the heads of the church. All this left England a fundamentally different place in 1603 than it had been in 1485. Given the attention the Tudors have received in popular culture, and in the school curriculum, there are few students of English history who know nothing of the period. Thus, this module aims to expand on and challenge this knowledge to bring to life a clearer picture of how monarchy, power and religion operated in sixteenth-century England. Topics include:
1. Introduction to the module and its themes.
2. Henry VII: Forging a Dynasty, 1485-1509.
3. Henry VIII (1): War and Peace, 1509-25.
4. Henry VIII (2): The ‘Great Cause’ and the Break from Rome, 1525-35.
5. Henry VIII (3): The Later years, 1535-47.
6. Edward VI: A Boy for a King, 1547-53.
7. Mary I: England’s Catholic Queen, 1553-58.
8. Elizabeth I (1): The Establishment of a (female) Regime.
9. Elizabeth I (2): A Warrior Queen.
10. Elizabeth I (3): The ‘Second Reign’.
11. Conclusions: Remembering the Tudors.
Target Students
Students must have taken HIST1001 or HIST1002. Also available to exchange students hosted by the Department of History.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks
Assessment
- 50% Presentation: Source based Presentation
- 50% Coursework 1: 2,500 word essay chosen from a list of pre-set topics
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
This module aims to: 1) Address student interest in early modern history, particularly the Tudors. No current second-year module focuses in detail on the Tudors. 2) Challenge students’ preconceptions of Tudor England, which has often been simplified and popularized. 3) Introduce students to the key events and themes of the period, which was so transformative in the history of England. 4) Offer students a natural follow-on from first year-year modules which focus on the early modern period, such as ‘From Reformation to Revolution’, as well as a pathway to similar third-year options/specials.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding of:
The key aspects of politics, monarchy and religion in the sixteenth century, especially within England.
A selection of primary texts in translation concerning the history of the Tudors.
The secondary literature concerning the subject, and the key debates and approaches that have emerged within this.
How the developments at this time affected the course of English history.
Intellectual skills. Students will:
Engage with key problems in interpreting the sources.
Assess and evaluate competing interpretations put forward by historians.
Construct coherent arguments about the subject matter.
Professional/practical skills. Student will learn to:
Analyse information and arguments from a range of primary and secondary source.
Plan, research and write a sustained piece of historical enquiry.
Use IT to access sources and complete assignments.
Transferable skills. Students will:
Work effectively with other students to research primary and secondary sources.
Manage large and often incomplete sets of data/information.
Develop oral and written communication skills.
Improve IT skills in word processing.