Who were the Tudors?
Henry VII was the first of a powerful line of Tudor monarchs who greatly strengthened England’s power in Europe and the rest of the world, Henry governed carefully, demanding high levels of taxes but at the same time spending widely. He abolished the private armies that had caused so many rebellions in the past, and he ordered the nobles who opposed him to be executed and confiscated their lands.
Henry was a clever diplomat, who persuaded the French to pay him not to fight them. When Henry VIII came to the throne, England was wealthy and powerful.
How did the Great Fire of London improve the city?
The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666, destroying more than 13,000 homes. At the time, most of the houses in London were built from timber. They were very close together and often leaned out across the streets to gain more space. The congested conditions were one reason for the rapid spread of the Black Death earlier, and for later outbreaks of plague and other diseases.
The Great Fire destroyed a huge area in what is now the City of London, the capital’s commercial heart. This cleared the way for planned reconstruction with stone and brick buildings, many of which survive today. Sir Christopher Wren built St Paul’s Cathedral and other surviving churches to replace those lost in the fire.
Why did England and Spain go to war?
The English were envious of Spain’s rich colonies in South and Central America. During the reign of Elizabeth I, the English raided Spanish ships carrying gold and silver to Spain. The angry Spanish rightly suspected that the English Crown supported these semi-official privateers.
The situation was made worse when an English army helped the Dutch, who were fighting against Spanish rule. In 1588 Philip of Spain sent the Spanish Armada to invade England. The Armada failed, but the war continued until 1604. Meanwhile, Spain’s power had declined because of the expense of war and the shortage of gold and silver from the colonies. Spain was also weakened by the expulsion of Moorish descendants who played a key role in Spain’s prosperity.
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