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PROTESTANTS HANG CAT
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PROTESTANTS HANG CAT
A cat is hanged by protestants in Cheapside, London, to symbolise the Roman Catholic church Date: 8 April 1554
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Media ID 23031068
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1554 Cheapside Hang Hanged Offenders Protestants Symbolise
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This haunting image captures the intense religious tensions that gripped Tudor England during the reign of Queen Mary I, also known as Bloody Mary for her ruthless persecution of Protestants. The scene depicted in this print, dated 8 April 1554, shows a crowd gathered in Cheapside, London, as a Protestant mob hangs a cat in a symbolic act of defiance against the Roman Catholic Church. The cat, a common household pet and an innocent bystander in this drama, was used as a substitute for a human offender, likely a Catholic priest or sympathizer, who would have faced a much more gruesome fate. The use of an animal in place of a human was a common tactic during this period of religious unrest, as it allowed the Protestants to express their anger and fear without directly harming a human life. The law during this time permitted the death penalty for those who refused to renounce their Protestant faith, and the streets of London were filled with fear and uncertainty. The Protestant Reformation, which had gained momentum during the reign of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I, was being aggressively rolled back under Mary's rule. This print serves as a poignant reminder of the intense religious and political turmoil that marked this period in English history. The image of the hanging cat, though disturbing, is a powerful symbol of the determination and resilience of the Protestant faith in the face of persecution. The print also underscores the importance of religious freedom and the dangers of religious intolerance, themes that remain relevant in our contemporary world.
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