The Tudors were a royal family of Welsh origin who ruled England and Ireland from 1485 to 1603. Their dynasty provided five monarchs: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, and the period of their rule is known as the Tudor era.
Tudor dynasty origins
The Tudor line rose from a Welsh noble family connected to Owen (Owain) Tudor, who served the English kings during the 15th century and supported the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses. The dynasty formally began when his grandson Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and became King Henry VII.
Who the Tudors ruled
Under the Tudors, the crown ruled the Kingdom of England and the Lordship (later Kingdom) of Ireland, and completed the legal union of England and Wales in the 16th century. Their reign lasted 118 years and ended with the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, after which the throne passed to the House of Stuart.
Key Tudor monarchs
- Henry VII: Founder of the dynasty, who secured the throne after the Wars of the Roses and stabilised royal authority.
- Henry VIII: Known for his six marriages and for initiating the English Reformation, which separated the Church of England from papal authority.
- Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I: Henry VIII’s children, whose successive reigns swung religious policy between Protestantism and Catholicism before Elizabeth’s long rule established a more stable Protestant settlement.
Tudor period significance
The Tudor era saw major religious change, including the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries, which reshaped English church and society. It was also a time of growing state power, overseas exploration, and the flowering of English culture, especially in the arts and literature during Elizabeth I’s reign.
Monarchs at a glance
Monarch| Reign dates| Notable for
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Henry VII| 1485–1509| Ending Wars of the Roses, founding Tudor dynasty.26
Henry VIII| 1509–1547| English Reformation, multiple marriages.28
Edward VI| 1547–1553| Advancing Protestant reforms.23
Mary I| 1553–1558| Restoring Catholicism, persecution of Protestants.23
Elizabeth I| 1558–1603| Long stable reign, cultural “Golden Age”.278
