On 23 March, 1534, Parliament passed the Act of Succession, vesting the succession of the English Crown in the children
of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
This act, effectively, set Princess Elizabeth first in line for
the throne, declaring Princess Mary a bastard. It was also proclaimed that
subjects, if commanded, were to swear an oath to recognizing this Act as well as the King's supremacy.
People who refused to take the oath, including Sir Thomas More,
were charged with treason.
This Act was overridden by the Act of Succession, 1536, which made the children of
Jane Seymour first in line for the throne, declaring
the King's previous marriages unlawful, and both princesses illegitimate.
Full Text of the First Act of Succession, 1534
Article Citation:
Jokinen, Anniina. “The Act of Succession, 1534.” Luminarium.
11 June 2002. [Date when you accessed the page].
<https://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/firstsuccession.htm>
Other Local Resources:
- Gardiner's Letter to Cromwell on the Oath of Succession, 1534
- From Burnet's History of the Reformation: More and Fisher Refuse the Oath
- Cranmer's Letter to Cromwell regarding Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fisher
The Oath of Allegiance, 1534 - National Archives, UK
|
to 16th-century Renaissance English Literature |
Site ©1996-2023 Anniina Jokinen. All rights reserved.
This page was created on June 11, 2002. Last updated February 26, 2023.