The English Reformation was a colossal occurrence in 16th-century English history when the Church of England severed its ties with the Roman Catholic Church. The break with Rome was not a singular event but a series of political, religious, and social occurrences over the course of decades. The English Reformation brought about profound and lasting changes in English society, politics, and religion. The most central to all these changes were the moves made by King Henry VIII, the personal desires of whom had an essential contribution in the Roman Break.

The root causes of the English Reformation were based both on religious tensions and political issues present then. Among the most significant reasons was the want for a male offspring by King Henry VIII. Henry wed Catherine of Aragon in 1509, but the union only yielded one surviving child, a daughter named Mary. Henry grew more and more frustrated with Catherine's failure to give him a son due to his fears about the future of the Tudor dynasty. Henry felt that God was punishing him for marrying his brother's widow and therefore wanted his marriage annulled. But Pope Clement VII refused to grant the annulment, at least in part because Catherine was the aunt of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and a man of immense power over the Pope. This refusal would end up being a definitive break between Henry and the Roman Catholic Church.

While this was happening, widespread dissatisfaction with the Catholic Church swept across Europe, fueled by the rise of Renaissance humanism, which called for reform in the Church. Corruption within the clergy and the sale of indulgences were denounced by many. Protestant ideology, particularly that espoused by Martin Luther, was also becoming popular across Europe. Luther's critical assessment of the Catholic Church's practice and doctrine was appealing to numerous individuals, including those in England. Protestant philosophy and a desire for reform in England facilitated the groundwork for Henry's strong actions.

Faced with the Pope's refusal to annul his marriage, Henry VIII initiated actions that would eventually lead to the establishment of an autonomous Church of England. In 1534, the Parliament of England passed the Act of Supremacy, declaring Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. The act abolished the jurisdiction of the Pope over the English Church, establishing its independence from Rome. Both political and personal reasons were behind Henry's move to try to produce an heir with second wife Anne Boleyn, whom he wed soon after having his marriage to Catherine annulled. In addition to the Act of Supremacy, Henry VIII also had the monasteries dissolved between 1536 and 1541. This was a religious and economic choice, since Henry took over the wealth and property of the monasteries, which augmented royal revenues. The dissolution of monasteries also eroded the power of the Catholic Church in England.

Initially, Henry VIII did not seek radical religious reforms. Even though he repudiated the power of the Pope, he left the bulk of the conventional Catholic ceremonies within the Church of England. The religious landscape of England began transforming dramatically under Henry's son, Edward VI. Edward, who took the throne in 1547, had Protestant advisors under his influence, and under him more radical Protestant reforms were adopted. The Book of Common Prayer (1549) was printed, standardizing Church of England worship in English, and many of the Catholic traditions were abolished, including adoration of saints and the doctrine of transubstantiation. When Elizabeth I ascended to the throne in 1558, following the death of her sister, Mary I, who had attempted to reinstate Catholicism in England, she sought to restore stability to the state of religion.

Elizabeth created the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, seeking a middle ground between Catholicism and Protestantism. The settlement retained most of the Catholic practices of worship but eliminated papal authority, incorporating Protestant theology, particularly regarding the question of salvation and the authority of the Bible. This religious settlement tranquilized the English religious landscape for decades to come. The English Reformation had far-reaching consequences, not only for religion but also for the structure of English society and politics.

It marked the beginning of the emergence of a specifically English identity, one no longer under the authority of the Pope in Rome. The Reformation also witnessed the establishment of the Anglican Church, which has remained the state church of England to this day. The religious upheaval caused by the Reformation led to severe social unrest, as Protestants and Catholics clashed over the destiny of English religious life. The struggles between these two religious factions also created political consequences, as the king's control over the Church made him more dominant over the state. This concentration of power within the monarchy served to lay the groundwork for future conflicts between the monarchy and Parliament, most famously during the English Civil War of the 17th century. In summary, the English Reformation was a multifaceted and complex process that transformed the religious, political, and cultural life of England.

Started in the desire by Henry VIII to have a son, the Reformation finally took on life and became the greater movement it came to transform English history. It resulted in the formation of the Church of England, made Protestantism sweep across England, and formed the distinctive English national identity independent from the papacy. Its influence is still being felt in England today, and its legacy still has an impact on English political and religious life.