English Reformation

The story is a wee bit more complicated than the writer says--local kings once had the power to specify bishops(*) (per Gregory of Tours), and Henry's first marriage couldn't be annulled without blowups in Spain--but it makes an interesting story. Another little nit: I don't recall being taught that the English Reformation was popularly supported, as I gather Selwood was. The gist I was taught was that it just happened thanks to Henry wanting sons, and everything worked out well in the end under Elizabeth.(**) Our elementary textbooks didn't go into the roles of the barons or of Cromwell; I learned those later.

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(*) Bad then, bad under Henry, bad now...

(**) A little like the attitude of 1066 And All That