The English Reformation 1530 - 1570

By W.J. Sheils

Book Overview

The changes during the English Reformation reflected the desire of the Crown, government and landed classes to reduce the power and wealth of the late medieval Church. This book covers the background to the Reformation, the processes which brought about these major changes and the impact on the clergy and the general population.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 058235398X
• ISBN13: 9780582353985
• Release Date: March 1989
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Very good introduction to the reformation.

As a core text for my history degree, this book provided an excellent introduction to the English reformation. Shiels, an historian/lecturer with a particular interest in this era, has given a clear, concise background to the reformation; looking at the causes of it and the impact it had on the church and on the population. He takes the reader through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward, Mary and ends with the early reign of Elizabeth. We see that the reformation was already gathering momentum long before Henry decided he wanted a divorce. As would be expected from a book of this ilk, there are plenty of references which allows the reader to move onto further study should they so wish. At 128 pages you would be forgiven for thinking this book was too brief for serious study but in fact it packs a wealth of knowledge into its pages. The downside of this text is that it is, at times, a little too dry. This probably makes it unsuitable for the casual reader but, for the student it is an invaluable addition to the bookshelf.