Could the Reformation have been successfully reversed by Queen Mary I in England had she lived longer

Current version: 02 Nov 2009 | 15:00 | Londo

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No, because... The Counter Reformation

The reasoning for not bringing in the Jesuits and other instruments of the Counter Reformation in Europe was largely practical, for Example it would take time to train English speaking Jesuits. Mary and Pole also believed it would not be necessary, they saw heresy as a minority problem that a few burnings would solve. They anticipated more conversions and fewer burnings that actually occurred but were proven correct that real protestantism was still in the minority, if a larger one than they expected.[1]

  1. ^ Haigh, English Reformations, p.224

 

Mary did not bring in the full counter reformation machinery that was in future to convert Protestant Hungary, Bohemia and several German statelets. Cardinal Pole rejected St Ignatius Loyola's offer of Jesuit assistance. Mary miscalculated by burning popular parsons, ultimately the Marian regime burnt 280 people, creating many martyrs and entrenching rather than exterminating resistance. Ultimately they wanted converts not martyrs, only two people avoided burning by conversion.[1]

  1. ^ Haigh, English Reformations pp.230-1