Defender of the Faith

E2317

Defender of the Faith is a traditional honorific used by British monarchs signifying their role as the supreme governor and protector of the Church of England.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf honorific title
monarchical title
royal style
abbreviation F.D.
Fid. Def.
appearsOn British coinage
British medals
United Kingdom coins
associatedWith British constitutional monarchy
established church in England
componentOf full style of the British sovereign
confirmedBy English statute law
Parliament of England
confirmedFor English monarchs
country United Kingdom
grantedBy Pope Leo X
grantedTo Henry VIII of England
grantYear 1521
holder Charles III
Elizabeth II
George V
George VI
Victoria
jurisdiction England
United Kingdom
language Latin
legalStatus part of the royal style in the United Kingdom
originalForm Fidei Defensor
originalReason defence of the seven sacraments against Martin Luther
support of Roman Catholic doctrine
papalBull Pope Leo X bull of 1521
relatedConcept Supreme Governor of the Church of England
royal supremacy
religiousContext Anglicanism
Church of England
revocationReason English Reformation
Henry VIII break with Rome
revokedBy Pope Paul III
scopeOfFaith Christian faith as embodied in the Church of England
shortDescription traditional honorific of British monarchs signifying protection of the Church of England
signifiesRole protector of the Church of England
supreme governor of the Church of England
titleType hereditary royal title
religious title
usedBy British monarch
English monarch
usedIn coronation oaths
formal state documents
royal proclamations


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