Question for anyone good at history or from the UK

[MarchingDuck]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070803/en ... gioncanada

I did not know there was a law banning catholics from rule.

Who created this law and when? I can make assumptions based on times in history when catholics were targeted...but I did not know it went that far.

and i apologize if this is a horribly boring research based question...I was a hsitory major for 3 & 1/2 years...so I love this kinda stuff.

I just wonder why the royal family hasnt done away with this law, like many others have over time.

(and no this isnt a bash or praise catholics debate. Its a historical question that is aparently very relivant today!)

[Ski]

If it weren't for that little catch, Spain's Juan Carlos I would be about 500th in line to Britain's thone.

The "no Catholic" thing was established beginning with 1689's Bill of Rights, and was continued by 1701's Act of Settlement and the Act of Union of 1800.

[MarchingDuck]

If it weren't for that little catch, Spain's Juan Carlos I would be about 500th in line to Britain's thone.

The "no Catholic" thing was established beginning with 1689's Bill of Rights, and was continued by 1701's Act of Settlement and the Act of Union of 1800.

If its an over 200 year old rule why not abolish it? These are modern times of religious freedom.

[Paul]

The United Kingdom has a Protestant monarch. The Troubles of Northern Ireland / Republic of Ireland is a prime example of the opposition between Protestants and Catholics.

[Ixist]

Then there's the fact that the last Catholic to hold the throne (Mary I of England) executed hundereds of Protestants.

[Asthaloth]

If its an over 200 year old rule why not abolish it? These are modern times of religious freedom.

Because it's easier to ignore them and give stupid newspaper articles in the Sun something to whine about.

[MarchingDuck]

Then there's the fact that the last Catholic to hold the throne (Mary I of England) executed hundereds of Protestants.

I know that part. It was a massive movement spanning many countries at the time. I've taken many generalized European history courses, but non that focused exactly on one area (like the royal family itself, just random rulers from time to time).

& Paul, so is this law part of the reason for the Irish rift? (besides the independence movement & all the other reasons...because there are a few).

[Paul]

& Paul, so is this law part of the reason for the Irish rift? (besides the independence movement & all the other reasons...because there are a few).

No. The law is a direct result from the Irish rift.

The Irish rift stems from Henry VIII's inquisition of the Northern part of Ireland for the expansion of the United Kingdom, back in the 16th century.

Three wikipedia articles to read: Irish War of Independence, Irish Civil War and The Troubles.

[Asthaloth]

I personally feel that the bombing of Dublin during WW1 (Irish movement sided with Germany secretly, We discovered this a shelled the city -Thats a condensed version) was the main cause of modern problems, but it's been a while since I did the subject (Five years I think?) so I'm undeniably forgetting something.