William Laud

This engraving depicts William Laud (1573-1645), Archbishop of Canterbury, shown during his tenure as one of the most influential and controversial church leaders of the 17th century. The son of a Reading draper, Laud rose under the patronage of the Duke of Buckingham and was appointed Archbishop in 1633. A close ally of Charles I, he championed adherence to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England and opposed non-conforming Protestant groups such as Presbyterians and Puritans. His drive for religious uniformity helped fuel tensions leading to the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, with his efforts to suppress Presbyterianism in Scotland sparking conflict in 1639. Hostility from the Puritan-led Parliament led to his impeachment and imprisonment in 1641, and following the outbreak of the English Civil War, he was tried and executed in 1645.