How can I re-direct Great Britain back to Catholicism in a post-reformation England?

Erebus · Dec 18, 2020

I, Mary the Magnificent, am the greatest and most successful queen in the British Empire. I grew up in luxury as a member of the valiant Tudor family. Unfortunately, Europe had taken a dark turn some time ago during the events of the Protestant Reformation, in which an arrogant heretic thought himself worthy to challenge the Pope's authority. My life would also soon be upended through the machinations of a vile creature in the guise of a woman, who would go down as the greatest homewrecker in recorded human history. This Great Whore, whose name I would not dignify with a mention, bewitched my father and put him under her spell. He separated from the Catholic Church, creating his own "Church of England", making himself the head and damning his people to hell. He then divorced my mother, locking her in a tower until her death, and threatened to have me executed for refusing to give up my faith. This evil bitch had entered my life and destroyed my family, convincing my father to commit triple treason against his house, his country, and his God.

Like Job from the bible, the Lord had allowed this calamity to fall upon me as a means to test my faith. I was rewarded when my father grew tired of this creature and had her beheaded, finally giving her the justice she so richly deserved. After secretly poisoning my father, I took the throne as the new ruler of England. I set out to exterminate the protestant filth that plagued my lands through a campaign of torture, burnings, and imprisonment. I even married a good and honest catholic monarch, Phillip 1 of Spain, a righteous ruler who hadn't forgotten his fealty to Rome. However necessary my acts were, they were not enough to remove the stains of my father's actions. I fear that by the 21st century, my country would not have turned back to the light and continue on the path to debauchery and sin.

How can I restore Catholicism as the rightful faith under the Pope's authority in this post separation and remove my father's legacy?

Chasejxyz · Dec 18, 2020

People don't change faiths easily. Throughout history, people have pretended to convert so they wouldn't be killed. Killing protestants won't make everyone un-Protestant, it'll just make people hate you. You are but one person and a p-o'd enough group of people would have no problem overthrowing their monarch. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, as they say.

You need to figure out what it was about Protestantism that made people support your father and change their religion. Maybe the needy like a Protestant kingdom better because people are using their money to help them instead of buying get-out-of-purgatory-free cards. Maybe women like divorce because it means they can escape their abusive husbands. Maybe the people like to be ruled by someone who is in their country and understands their issues instead of someone quite far away.

Or you could just do what The Church did in the good ol days, do a crusade, some of which almost didn't fail! Maybe you'll be able to make it work this time around.

pmmg · Dec 18, 2020

Become the Monarch, surround yourself with capable like minded people, decree a state religion, live a long time, and maybe it will become the new normal again. Would not hurt if you had an active twitter account.

skip.knox · Dec 19, 2020

First, live longer. Mary died too young.
Second, find a better mate. Philip commanded many resources, but he was a poor politician and made a lousy Englishman. When the Brits finally called in a foreigner, who was he? A Dutchman. Look closer to home. Maybe an Irishman. <wink>
Third, figure out the monastery problem. Daddy really messed you up on that one. Somehow you need to figure out how to return Church lands without utterly alienating the gentry.

I recommend you take a long look at English Recusancy for more depth on this. It's a fascinating but complex and baffling topic.

Of course, this being fantasy, you could always have recourse to the (non-existent) English Inquisition. Worked on the Cathars.

Mad Swede · Dec 19, 2020

Strangely, you don't need to do very much at all. The liturgy of the Anglican Church was and is very similar to that of the Roman Catholic Church, so there's no real change for most of the people out there in the country. For most people (who can't read) they'll only hear what others tell them so as long as the nobles and landed gentry support you it will be OK. (Historically, it was only after William and Mary came to power that the real changes got made in the Church of England and in the rest of the country.)

skip.knox · Dec 19, 2020

Wait. Secretly poisoned your father and then took the throne? What happened to Edward? And Lady Jane, for all that? Or is this a fantasy reworking?

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How can I re-direct Great Britain back to Catholicism in a post-reformation England?

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