The Protestant Reformation freed the English Crown to centralize imperial power

Evidence

England was shut out of the most lucrative parts of the New World by Spain, but it did lay claim to some Caribbean islands. The development of agrarian capitalism in England set it on a trajectory toward new forms of colonialism and global dominance. Also, unlike Spain which was still tied to the papacy in the early modern era, England broke with Rome in the early sixteenth century. The Protestant Reformation enabled the Crown to declare supreme authority and to reject the power of the Catholic Church and its representative clergy in Britain. The Tudor monarchy (1485–1603) also curtailed the military and political power of the nobility. As economic historian David McNally notes, these and other measures put it on track to becoming an empire that would rise to prominence. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 145 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

The Protestant Reformation enabled the Crown to declare supreme authority and to reject the power of the Catholic Church and its representative clergy in Britain. The Tudor monarchy (1485–1603) also curtailed the military and political power of the nobility. As economic historian David McNally notes, these and other measures put it on track to becoming an empire that would rise to prominence. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 145 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

Category: Causal Relationships

Related

• Britain’s break with Rome and curbed nobility enabled its imperial rise. (similarity 0.91)
• The Protestant Reformation enabled England’s centralized imperial rise (similarity 0.84)

Broader Connections

• The Protestant Reformation enabled England’s centralized imperial rise #corroborates (0.98) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 145
• Britain’s break with Rome and curbed nobility enabled its imperial rise. #corroborates (0.95) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 145