Defender Of The Faith (Noun)
Meaning
A title that Leo X bestowed on Henry VIII and later withdrew; parliament restored the title and it has been used by English sovereigns ever since.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The title Defender of the Faith was originally bestowed upon Henry VIII by Pope Leo X for his writing against Martin Luther, but was later withdrawn due to disagreements with the Catholic Church.
- In 1521, Henry VIII was given the title Defender of the Faith for his stance against Protestantism, which was later taken away when England broke away from Rome.
- The English Crown still uses the title Defender of the Faith to this day, reminding its citizens of the historical separation between England and the Catholic Church.
- When Henry VIII initially received the title Defender of the Faith, it symbolized his allegiance to the Catholic Church, but he would later use it to justify his establishment of the Church of England.
- Parliament restored the Defender of the Faith title to Henry VIII's son, Edward VI, signifying England's permanent separation from Catholicism.