Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
since 25 Feb 1570 · 456 years, ongoing · show in timeline

Rome 1570: In "Regnans in Excelsis" Pius V declares Elizabeth I excommunicated and deposed and releases her subjects from their oaths

In the bull "Regnans in Excelsis" of 25 February 1570 Pius V declared Queen Elizabeth I of England a heretic. She and her adherents were excommunicated, and she herself deprived of her pretended title to the crown. Nobles, subjects and people were forever absolved from their oath. Anyone who continued to obey her would fall under the same sentence.

Period
since 25 Feb 1570 (456 years, ongoing)
Report published
25 February 1570
Country
Vatican City, United Kingdom
Institutions
Holy See
Category
Persecution
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Pius V (Pope, issuer of the bull)
Elizabeth I (Queen of England)

What happened to the people

What happened to those affected?

  1. Under number 5, nobles, subjects and people are forever absolved from oaths to her. Those who continue to obey her orders and laws fall under the same excommunication.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online, Nr. 5
    „to be forever absolved from such an oath“
    Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), Nr. 5. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online, Nr. 5
    „Those who shall act to the contrary we include in the like sentence of excommunication.“
    Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), Nr. 5. Original

Background

Course of events

  1. Pius V, "out of the fullness of our apostolic power", declares Elizabeth a heretic and favourer of heretics and her adherents excommunicated. She is deprived of her pretended title to the crown and of all lordship.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online, Nr. 3
    „we do out of the fullness of our apostolic power declare the foresaid Elizabeth to be a heretic and favourer of heretics“
    Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), Nr. 3. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online, Nr. 4
    „her to be deprived of her pretended title to the aforesaid crown“
    Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), Nr. 4. Original

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

  1. The bull grounds papal power in the claim that God committed the Church, outside of which there is no salvation, to Peter and his successors as ruler over all peoples and kingdoms. Elizabeth is accused of forbidding the true religion, ejecting bishops, abolishing the mass and throwing Catholic clergy into prison.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online, Einleitung
    „Him alone He has made ruler over all peoples and kingdoms“
    Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), Einleitung. Original
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online, Nr. 2
    „has thrown the Catholic prelates and parsons into prison“
    Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), Nr. 2. Original

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Church document
    Heiliger Stuhl; Text bei Papal Encyclicals Online: Pius V, Regnans in Excelsis, 25. Februar 1570 (englische Übersetzung), 25 February 1570. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.