The Rambling Historian: British Literature: The Renaissance

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The Renaissance in the European sense generally spans from 1300 to 1600, but for British literature, the Renaissance Period is set based on the Tudor Dynasty.

Henry VII is the first Tudor on the throne of England. He ascended to the throne after thirty years of civil war known as The War of the Roses, which was the battle to decided which family would rule England-- the Yorks or the Lancasters. Henry Tudor, of the Lancastrian family, met Richard III of York at Bosworth. Richard III was killed and Henry Tudor became Henry VII, crowned at Westminster Abbey. To smooth things over with the Yorks, he married Elizabeth York.
Henry VIII married his brother's widow, Catherine of Aragon. Mary was their daughter.
Wolsey was made papal legate, second in power to Henry VIII.
Pope Leo X (a Medici) conferred the title of "Defender of the Faith" upon Henry VIII for his book Assertio September Sacramentorum (Defense of the Seven Sacraments) which affirmed the supremacy of the Pope.
Henry VIII appeals to the Pope Clement VII (also a Medici) for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon (although they had been married more than a few years and had Mary) on the grounds that she was his brother's widow. He wanted to be free to marry Ann Boleyn.
Unable to arrange a divorce, Wolsey is stripped of his offices and died before facing charges of treason.
Thomas Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury) declares the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon invalid.
Act of Supremacy: Henry VIII declares himself the head of the Church of England, separating from the Pope and the Catholic Church.
Edward VI, died at fifteen.
Mary I (Catholic), daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, becomes queen, becoming known as Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants..
Cranmer was burnt for heresy in his ruling against Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon's marriage.
Elizabeth I, half sister of Mary I. Her parents were Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. The Catholics of Britain believed Elizabeth was illegitimate since her parents' marriage was not recognized by the Pope. Many wanted Mary Stuart, who was Catholic, on the throne instead.
The Book of Common Prayer was the only legal form of worship in the Church of England.
Mary Stuart was Mary I of Scotland, first cousin to Elizabeth I, and abdicated the throne of Scotland to her one year old son, James (the VI of the Scotland and to become James I of England after the death of Elizabeth I, uniting both the Scottish and English crowns). An uprising in 1567 had Mary seeking safety with Elizabeth, but instead was imprisoned for 18.5 years before she was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I. Mary was beheaded in 1587.
The Spanish Armada was hoping to overthrow Elizabeth I as she was Protestant and Spain was Catholic. This was an undeclared Anglo-Spanish war, 1585-1604.