Genealogy Timeline1500 - 15991500 John SPENCER [C] was born around 1500 or a few years of that year. John is the first ancestor we can find that leads to the Four Spencer Brothers (William, Thomas, Michael & Jared) who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s. 1509 Henry Tudor, duke of York, crowned Henry VIII of England -- On 23 June, Henry Tudor was crowned King of England. He had married his brother's widow, Katherine of Aaragon, on 11 June. She was the daughter of Ferdinand of Aaragon and Isabella of Castile, the 'Catholic Kings' of Spain. 1517 Martin Luther Challenges the Church -- Martin Luther, a professor of theology, was driven to publish his views against the selling of indulgences, among other things, by nailing his call for reforms to the Wittenberg Cathedral door. Thus began the Protestant Reformation. 1525 Bible Translated into English -- William Tyndale translated the New Testament into English. He must have the books printed in Germany and smuggle them into England. This is the first time English speaking people -- non-clerics -- can read the Bible for themselves. 1530 Michael SPENCER [B, John-C] born about 1530 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. 1534 Church of England Separates from Rome -- King Henry VIII of England requested a divorce from Katherine of Aragon because he doubted she could provide a male heir because 1) she was his brother's widow and 2) he had a crush on Anne Boleyn. The Pope, oddly enough, refused and Henry asked Parliament to make him head of the Church of England so he could get his way. Since the King was the head of the church, the official state sanctioned religion had just changed on the people of England. The religion will change as the crown passes back and forth between Catholics and Protestants over the next one hundred years or so, causing grief and pain among the kingdom as nobles and common folk try to determine how to do business or lead normal lives (without being persecuted for being out of favor now). 1536 Anne Boleyn only lasts until 1536 before Henry VIII tires of her and has her executed. 1542 Mary, Future Queen of Scotland, Born -- "Mary, Queen of Scots" is a famous phrase that catches the imagination of medieval England and the struggle for power. Mary was born 8 Dec 1542 and crowned Queen six days later when her father, James V died. In 1543 a marriage between Mary and Edward, son of Henry VIII of England, was arranged; the prospective groom was but six years old at the time. This marriage, however, never took place and she married the Dauphin of France in 1558. 1543 Nicholas Copernicus Proves the World Revolves Around the Sun! -- Copernicus proves the world revolves around the sun rather than the other way around. He dies that same year. Gerard SPENCER [B, John-C] born about 1543 (possibly) at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. Married Ellen WHYSTON and had the following children: Richard, Agnes, Joan, and an unnamed girl. 1550 The Little Ice Age, which began anywhere between 1250 and 1550, began to visibly expand the glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere. This cool period lasts until the mid-19th century (c1850) and impacts nations and culture. Europe experienced much colder winters, which damaged many grain crops and forced our ancestors to make changes to their choice of crops just to survive. Prior to this point, climatologists indicated variable (unpredictable) weather between 1300 and 1550 and a definite wamer period before that. [Source: NASA Earth Observatory] By 1550, however, the little ice age had definitely begun. 1555 Michael SPENCER [B, John-C], now 25, married Agnes LIMER / LYMER 20 Jan 1555 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. Children: John (1557-?), Michael (1558-1560), and Anne (1560-?). 1557 John SPENCER [Michael-B, John-C] born to Agnes LIMER 1557 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. His children included: Daniel SPENCER married Sarah AUDLEY 28 Dec 1626 at Holwell, England; Francis SPENCER whose children included Thomas, Susan, Elizabeth and Agnes. 1558 John SPENCER [C], died 1558 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. This family will lose several members over the next few years, probably the result of a common illness or weather pattern. Michael SPENCER [Michael-B, John-C] born 1558 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England Agnes LIMER. He dies in 1560. 1560 John SPENCER [John-C] s/o John SPENCER [D] and Anne MERRILL died 21 Apr 1560 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. Anne (MERRILL) SPENCER w/o John SPENCER [D] died in 1560 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. A memorial was added to the parish register for her generosity to the church and community. Michael SPENCER (Michael-B, John-C) died 1560 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. Anne SPENCER (Michael-B, John-C) born 1560 to Michael & Agnes (LIMER) SPENCER at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. 1561 Agnes (LIMER) SPENCER, wife of Michael-B, died in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. 1562 Religious Wars in France -- Conflict between Roman Catholics, who (usually) enjoy the support of the king, and the Protestant Huguenots begin. 1563 Michael SPENCER [B], widower, married Elizabeth _____. Michael is s/o John SPENCER and Anne MERRILL. Children included: Joan (1564-?); Alice (1566-?); Catharine (1567-?) married _____ BLAND and had children Sarah and Anne; Thomas (1571-1631); Gerard (1576-before 1646) married Alice WHITBREAD; and Richard (1580-1646). 1565 New Writing Tool -- About 1560 graphite was discovered near Barrowdale in England. The year 1565 marks (pun intended) the first record of a new writing device call a 'pencil'. Early pencils consisted of a piece of graphite inserted into a wood shaft. 1676 Gerard SPENCER [A, Michael-B, John-C] born at Stotfold, Bedforshire, England. 1678 Alice WHITBREAD, daughter of John WHITBREAD and Eleanor _____, born about 1578 at Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire, England. 1582 Pope Gregory XIII Correct Calendar Error -- The calendar used for centuries by European countries had been established by Julius Caesar. The Julian Calendar had replaced the older, and unpredictable, Roman Calendar. An error in the rules controlling the Julian Calendar found the Vernal Equinox slipping out of the month of March. Gregory's advisors came up with a solution, which we use today and call the Gregorian Calendar. In 1582 Gregory declared that Thursday, October 4th would be followed by Friday, October 15th to put the Vernal Equinox back where it belonged. Many Protestant controlled lands ignored the Papal order while many in Catholic countries were certain the Pope had just stolen 11 days from their lives. England did not adopt the Gregorian Calendar until 1752. 1588 Spanish Armada Defeated -- The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English marked not only England's rise as a true sea power but also a change in how ships were used in war. The old view saw the navy as a mobile platform for the infantry. It had been that way since the Greeks rise to power many centuries before. The English, however, saw the ship as a weapon itself. The English ships were better armed with cannon and were more maneuverable than the Spanish ships. The English also made use of the "line ahead" formation (each ship sailing in a column toward the enemy instead of in a row) to maximize the amount of time the enemy were under fire by the cannon.
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