The implementation of Protestantism during the sixteenth century resembled a modern day rollercoaster ride with lots of ups and downs, sharp corners, twists and turns. With many different rulers during the sixteenth century who had varying religious ideas the extent of the effects Protestantism had firstly in England and then the following effects in Wales very to each other. Something the rulers of the time, being the Tudors did not have to worry about was the loyalty of the Welsh people in the majority.

When Henry Tudor ascended the throne as Henry VII, the foundations of the great Welsh landed-estates had been laid, and much of the day-to-day affairs of the nation was controlled by its landed squires, many of whom had descended from English families and intermarried with their Welsh counterparts. In 1461, this control was exemplified and sanctified, as it were, by the appointment of William Herbert of Raglan in Southeast Wales, to Parliament as Baron Herbert, the first full-blooded Welshman to become part of the English aristocracy and the first in a long tradition that for centuries to come, would z

The Welsh people had now achieved full equality before the law with their English counterparts. The Act opened up opportunities for individual advancement in all walks of life, and Welshmen flocked to London to take full advantage of their chances. Although the document was one of the most important in the whole history of Wales, it was passed without consultation with the Welsh people; there was no agreement on a central Welsh authority or parliament, simply because such an authority did not exist. Its title is "An Act for Laws and Justices to be ministered in Wales in like form as it is in this realm." Its preamble states: "His Highness. . .of the singular love and favour that he bears towards his subjects of this said dominion of Wales, and intending to reduce them to the perfect order, notice and knowledge of the laws of this his Realm, and utterly to extirpate all and singular the sinister usage?s and customs differing from the same. . .hath. . .ordained, enacted and established that his said country or dominion of Wales shall stand and continue forever from henceforth incorporated, united and annexed to and with his Realm of England."

In effect it was not Protestantism that did not gain the support of the Welsh people directly but it was the Monarchs in control at the time who had the support of the Welsh. Like sheep the Welsh people seemed to follow and go along with most of the religious changes thrown at them from across the border.

Any change in Wales would have been slow and very gradual. It would not have been as radical as Northumberland?s changes implemented as a step to a more extreme form of Protestantism.

?The Act of Union offered no compromise? says Hywel Emmanuel, ?English law ?and none other? was to apply throughout Wales .?

From that time on, any differences between Wales and England, and between Welsh people and English people, could not be found in the political arena. It was the social and cultural differences of the Welsh, especially in the matter of their languag

Some topics in this essay:
England Welsh, , Laws Justices, England Wales, Laws King's, Pilgrimage Grace, Henry Vll, Protestantism Welsh, Act Union, Henry VII, welsh people, support welsh, sixteenth century, changes wales, religious changes, wales extent changes, act union, compared england, extent changes, dominion wales, tudor dynasty, extent changes wales,