This course will look at the impact and legacy of the Tudor Dynasty that ruled England from 1485-1603. People on both sides of the Atlantic have been fascinated for centuries by the reign of the Tudors, especially Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. In the past few years, there has been renewed interest with new books, the Showtime series The Tudors, films and the recent 500th commemoration of Henry VIII’s accession as king. The Tudors ruled England for just under 200 years, yet they transformed the kingdom and left their mark on history. Scholars and the general public continue to be interested in and intrigued by the people, events and legendary stories from Tudor England that coincided with the Renaissance sweeping across Europe. We will look at how they impacted England and why they continue to fascinate us. We will study the leadership especially of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I and the English Reformation, including the return to Catholicism under Mary Tudor, the creation of a new Anglican Church under Elizabeth and the effects of that, including the Jesuit mission and attempts to re-Catholicize England in the late sixteenth century.