Mary I - Society

What were 5 Economic Problems that England experienced throughout Mary I’s reign?

• Population Growth

• Inflation

• Drop in value of wages

• Bad harvests

• Sweating Sickness

What Epidemic was ongoing throughout Mary I’s reign?

Sweating sickness - form of influenza which swept through the country in 1557 and 1558

Why was the Sweating Sickness Epidemic such a problem during Mary I’s reign?

• death toll was worst of the century - possibly worse since the Black Death

• 1 in 10 people were killed by the disease & death rate doubled

• population fell from 5% between 1556 & 1561 as a result of death from famine and illness

When did Bad Harvests occur during Mary I’s reign?

1555 & 1556

What were the effects of the Bad Harvests (1555 & 1556) which occurred during Mary I’s reign?

brought severe food shortages & strain on wages for the poor

• harvest of 1556 was the worst of the century!

What was the impact of population rise and inflation during Mary I’s reign?

rapid population increases = increase in demand (particularly for food and produce)

What was a cause of inflation that was still being felt by Mary I’s reign?

debasement of coinage

What was there a drop of value of during Mary I’s reign?

rural labourers - around 40% more in comparison to earlier years

Did Mary I attempt to support the poor?

Yes

How did Mary I attempt to help the poor?

• poor relief introduced - licenced beggars to display badges

• laws introduced against grain hoarders during the time of famine

• strong encouragement to convert land used to graze animals into lands to produce food

• 1557 - Mary experimented in Yorkshire with JP’s taking on the role of Overseers of the Poor

Was there an agricultural revolution in the early 16th century?

No

• crop production decreased during Mary’s reign - poor harvests

• methods & crops remained largely the same

• BUT Mary did put measures in place to stop grain hording because of famine during 1555 & 1556

What happened with Royal Finances during Mary I’s reign?

Expenditure at court rose at first

• cut by 1557 - modest surplus in the Exchequer from ordinary revenue

How much did Mary I receive for selling off Crown Lands?

£5000 per annum in 1554 & £8000 per annum in 1557

• made sense in short term, but not in the long term

How did Mary I improve Financial Administration?

Exchequer expanded & took over the Court of First Fruits and Tenths

• set up to deal with funds previously gone to the Pope & Court of Augmentations (set up to deal with the income from new monastic land)

What did Mary I have plans for which were only brought by Elizabeth’s reign?

recoinage - to ease inflation

Did Custom duties increasing during Mary I’s reign?

increased substantially from £29,000 to £83,000 - new Book of rates set out new levels of export tax on a wider range of products

Did Mary I use Attainders during her reign?

Yes - against some nobles & gentry

• Duke of Northumberland & Sir Thomas Wyatt - £20,000 per annum & 18,000 in cash & plate

How much debt did Mary I inherit?

£185,000

How much did Mary I’s inherited debt rise to?

£300,000 - pay for war against France

What Rebellion occurred during Mary I’s reign?

Western Rebellion

When did the Western Rebellion occur?

1554

Why did the Western Rebellion occur?

• fear of England becoming Catholic again

• opposition to Mary’s Marriage

When did the Western Rebellion occur?

1554

Why did the Western Rebellion occur?

• fear of England becoming re-Catholicised

• Marriage between Mary and Phillip of Spain

What was the plan behind the Wyatt Rebellion?

• remove Mary

• instate Elizabeth as Queen

• arrange Elizabeth to marry Edward Courtenay (man Mary rejected as her husband)

According tothe plan, where were three rebellions to take place for the Wyatt Rebellion?

Midlands, West Country & Kent - at the same time

• Government would not know which to put down first and each would blossom as a result of their localised success and attract more supporters among the common people

Who led the Wyatt Rebellion?

Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Peter Carew & Duke of Suffolk

According to the plan, how were the French going to support the Wyatt Rebellion?

French Navy would blockade the English Channel with 80 ships

• Habsburgs would be unable to help Mary

Who was informed of the Wyatt Rebellion before it even began?

Gardner - by imperial ambassador Simon Renard

Were all 3 sections of the Wyatt Rebellions successful?

No - Uprisings in Midlands and the West Country were a failure

• few people gave Carew and the Duke of Suffolk the support they needed to succeed

• loyalty to the Queen took precedence over concerns about her marriage

Out of the 3 sections of the Wyatt Rebellions, which was successful?

Wyatt succeeded in raising an army in Kent - 4000 men

• proximity to London greatly worried the government

Who led a force to confront the rebels in Kent during the Western Rebellion?

Duke of Norfolk

Why was the Duke of Norfolk unsuccessful in stopping the rebels in Kent during the Western Rebellion?

collapsed when 500 government troops deserted to the cause

• remaining force retreated back to London

Why was Wyatt delaying advancements to London significant during the Wyatt Rebellion?

gave the city time to organise its defences

Why were the Wyatt Rebels unable to cross the River Thames near the Tower?

bridges had been deliberately damaged to stop this

Unable to cross the River Thames, where did the Wyatt Rebels now march?

marched to southeast of London (Hyde Park Corner) and made for the city

• planned to get in via Ludgate (gate heavily fortified)

How did the Wyatt Rebels get caught?

had to move up narrow streets - left men open to being trapped by armed Londoners loyal to Mary

What was the immediate aftermath of the Wyatt Rebellion?

• Wyatt send to the Tower of London - followed by other noblemen who were caught

• Rebels not killed were arrested - so many that authorities had nowhere to put them; had to use local churches

How did Mary I want to deal with the Wyatt Rebels?

harshly - advisors did not share this view

• suggested leniency - demonstrate her true Christian nature & would raise her eyes in the status of the people

Which two leaders were executed for treason?

• Sir Thomas Wyatt

• Duke of Suffolk

How many Wyatt Rebels were executed?

around 90

Who were executed, although they had no direct involvement in the Wyatt Rebellion?

Lady Jane Grey & her husband Guildford Dudley

• both imprisoned since attempt to put Lady Jane on the throne

• could no longer risk anyone rallying to Lady Jane’s cause (especially due to her father’s involvement as the Duke of Suffolk)

What did Mary I’s government try to get Wyatt to admit?

tortured to admit that Princess Elizabeth was involved in the rebellion

• refused - made it clear on the scaffold before his execution that she was innocent of any involvement

What happened when Government officials tried to contradict Wyatt’s proclamation of Elizabeth’s innocence?

people fathered at Tower Hill angered by this - final words of a condemned man was always seen as being truthful

What happened to Elizabeth after the Wyatt Rebellion?

briefly imprisoned in the Tower but quickly released

Why did the Wyatt Rebellion fail?

• started in the worst month in terms of weather: January

• Wyatt’s route into London was fraught with difficulties

• Required all uprisings to succeed

• secrecy was a major issue