16th-century England

16th-century England was a time of significant change and development, marked by the Tudor dynasty. Henry VIII’s reign (1509-1547) saw the English Reformation, breaking away from the Catholic Church to form the Church of England. This led to religious turmoil and the rise of Protestantism. Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII, attempted to restore Catholicism, while Elizabeth I later established a Protestant settlement. The period also experienced cultural flourishing, with figures like William Shakespeare and advances in exploration, trade, and the beginnings of the British Empire, setting the stage for England's growing influence in the world.