The Great Schism: When England Split from Rome

In 1534, Henry VIII broke with Rome, a rupture that would reshape England's church, politics, and identity. This episode follows the Act of Supremacy and its turbulent aftermath: the dissolution of the monasteries, the Pilgrimage of Grace, and the quiet resistance of figures like Thomas More and John Fisher. We explore how Henry's desperate need for a male heir against the backdrop of European power plays led to a national church under royal control. With Thomas Cranmer's cautious reforms and the printing press spreading the English Bible, the break was both sudden and slow-burning. Lucas and Luna trace the threads from the king's 'Great Matter' to the execution of More, the surrender of the last abbeys, and the lasting imprint on English identity. It's a story of conscience, coercion, and the birth of the Church of England—one that still echoes in modern Britain. #HenryVIII #ActOfSupremacy #EnglishReformation #ThomasCranmer #ThomasMore #DissolutionOfTheMonasteries #PilgrimageOfGrace #ChurchOfEngland #TudorEngland #16thCentury #ReligiousHistory #BritishHistory #EuropeanHistory #RoyalSupremacy #AnneBoleyn #ThomasCromwell #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo