Treaty of Cateau Cambresis
Elizabeth I cedes Calais to France for 8 yrs
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1559 in England — Page 2
Explore 107 historical events and records for England in 1559.
Historical records for England in 1559
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 107 unique records.
107Unique records
2 of 3Page
36Named events on this page
18Named people on this page
10Places on this page
April
Elizabethan Supremacy Restored
Parliament restores royal authority over the English Church and gives Elizabeth the title Supreme Governor rather than Supreme Head.
Supreme Governor Title Adopted
Elizabeth adopts the title Supreme Governor of the Church of England, framing royal ecclesiastical authority in language acceptable to a broader constituency.
May
Act of Supremacy Passed
Act of Supremacy restores the crown's authority over the Church of England
Act of Uniformity Passed
Act of Uniformity restores a revised English prayer book
Reform of Church Governance
Restores the anti-papal laws of Henry VIII
Supreme Governor Title
Elizabeth takes the title Supreme Governor rather than Supreme Head of the Church
Bonner Deprived for Refusing Settlement
Edmund Bonner is deprived of the bishopric of London after refusing the Elizabethan supremacy and uniformity settlement.
Elizabethan Act of Uniformity Passed
Parliament requires use of a revised Book of Common Prayer and establishes penalties for clergy or worshippers who reject the authorised service.
June
Prayer Book Restored
The revised Book of Common Prayer comes into use under Elizabeth
Revised Prayer Book Introduced
The revised prayer book becomes the standard liturgy of the Elizabethan Church, combining the 1552 structure with selected modifications.
July
Royal Injunctions
Royal Injunctions direct clergy and parishes to follow the new settlement
Royal Injunctions of 1559 Issued
Elizabeth's injunctions regulate preaching, images, clerical conduct and parish worship while enforcing the new religious settlement.
August
Visitations Ordered
Elizabeth's government orders church visitations to enforce religious conformity
December
Archbishop
Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
Consecrated after all the Marian Bishops had been removed from office
Consecration
Consecrated after all the Marian Bishops had been removed from office
Parker Consecrated Archbishop
Matthew Parker is consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury and begins rebuilding an episcopate committed to Elizabeth's religious settlement.
Lord Keeper Appointed
Bacon serves as Lord Keeper during the first year of Elizabeth's reign
Alliance Thomas Howard Norfolk, 3rd and Scots
The Privy Council instructs Norfolk to assist the Scots against the French
Invasion of Scotland
The Privy Council instructs Norfolk to assist the Scots against the French
Support for Scottish Protestants
Elizabeth's council moves toward aiding Scottish Protestants against French influence
Birth of Robert Rich
Birth of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick, 3rd Baron Rich, son of Robert Rich, 2nd Baron Rich and Elizabeth Baldry
Other events (month unknown)
Ambassador
Appointed Ambassador of France
Arrest of Nicholas Heath
Confined to the Tower of London for opposition to the Acts of Supremacy
Bishop
Appointed Bishop of London
Bishop
Appointed Bishop of Salisbury
Book of Common Prayer
Under Elizabeth I, a more permanent enforcement of the reformed Church of England was undertaken and the 1552 Book of Common Prayer is republished, scarcely altered, in 1559
Chancellor
Appointed Chancellor
Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer
Appointed Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer
Chief Justice
Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench
Chief Justice
Appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Household Office
Knollys strengthens his position in Elizabeth's household and council
Lord High Admiral
Appointed Lord High Admiral of England, 2nd term
Marriage
Marries Elizabeth Berkley
Member of Parliament
Elected Member of Parliament for Arundel
Oath of Supremacy Required from Clergy
Clergy and many officeholders are required to acknowledge Elizabeth's ecclesiastical supremacy as Supreme Governor.
Peerage
Created Baron Beauchamp, by Elizabeth I
Peerage
Created Earl of Hertford, by Elizabeth I
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.