Henry VIII,the Reign

Timeline 1517

Link to Quick Facts Timeline

Great Frost - Thames Frozen

With the river frozen there are no boats between London and Westminster

Riots in London - Evil May Day

1 May 1517
Many Londoners resented foreigners, especially the wealthy foreign merchants. According to Edward Hall, two weeks before the riot an inflammatory anti-foreigners speech was made on Easter Tuesday by a Dr Bell at St. Paul's Cross. He called on all Englishmen to cherish and defend themselves, and to hurt and grieve aliens for the common weal. Over the following two weeks there were various attacks on foreigners, and rumours spread that on the next May Day the city would rebel and would slay all aliens.

Pope Appoints a Salesman for Indulgences

Leo X appointed Johann ‘As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs’ Tetzel
Commissioner of Indulgences for all of Germany.

 The Ninety Five Theses

31 October 1517.
Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses, written in Latin, to the door of Wittenberg’s church.
His disputation alleged abuses of accepted Christian doctrine, including nepotism, simony, usury and pluralism, and the sale of indulgences.

Johann Tetzel ‘As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs’

Martin Luther

Previous Year

Next Year