The Dissolution of the Monasteries 1536-49

When were cromwell's reports into the state of the church

1535

when were the smaller monasteries closed and what classed as a small monastery

March 1536, all houses that had an income of less than £200

When were the larger religious houses dissolved

1539-40

Why were the monasteries being criticised (4 reasons)

their moral standards were coming under question

It was thought they preferred papal supremacy to royal supremacy

Dwindling numbers of monks and nuns

How many monks and nuns lived in how many religious houses

less than 10,000 occupied 800 houses and they had over 1/5 of the cultivated land in england

what was the general perception of monasteries at this point

they no longer commanded enough respect to justify the great wealth that they had, wolsey had closed 29 and nobody had opposed this

when and what was the comperta monastica

It was an investigation into the moral standards of monks and nuns done by cromwell's agents in 1535

why did cromwell choose the agents he did for the comperta monastica

because they were ambitious and supported his reformist agenda ,especially hating relics and pilgrimages

what were cromwell's agents instructed to record during the comperta monastica

whether the monasteries were complying with the oath of supremacy and to detail any alleged offences against the crown

what did the comperta monastica find

lurid tales of widespread immorality and sexual perversion, crum ensured he got signed confessions from monks and nuns admitting they had broken their vows of chastity

was the comperta monastica fair

No, the agents had been sent in to find evidence of corruption to fit cromwell's agends

What was the valour ecclesiasticus

An economic survey of church wealth and property undertaken by local gentry on the orders of crum

What did the valor Ecclesiasticus record

taxes paid to the crown from church property and income that had previously been paid to the pope

who was visited as part of the valour ecclesiasticus

every church and monastic institution in england and wales

According to valour what was the net annual income of the church and what is this equivalent to in today's money

between £320,000 and £360,000 which is between 100 and 200 million in todays money

what was crum able to show happened to the money

that out of the total church income, only 3 percent was regularly allocated to charitable works

how many smaller houses were closed in 1536

399 and their property was passed to the crown

what did the dissolution of the smaller monasteries act state was the reason for them being closed

'manifest sin, vicious, carnal and abominable living that is daily used and committed'

what options did the inmates of the smaller monasteries have

transfer to a larger monastery or re-join society, the heads were pensioned off

how many of the smaller houses were allowed to stay open but at what cost

67 but they had to pay a high financial penalty

when were all remaining monasteries closed

1539, regardless of size, wealth or powerful connections

What was the reaction of the monks and nuns when all remaining houses were closed

most went quietly rather than resist death but there was violent action required for the abbots of glastonbury, colchester and reading who resisted

by 1540...

all 800 houses had been closed and only a few transformed into the schools and hospitals promised

what evidence of corruption was found in comperta monistica

monks gambling, entertaining women, not observing the vow of silence and owning hunting dogs

why was it probable there was no plan to close all of the monasteries in 1536

67 allowed to remain open, larger monasteries praised in the act that closed the small ones and inmates allowed to transfer to larger houses

where did many MPs believe that the funds from the dissolution would go

many thought funds would go towards funding new collages and bishoprics as well as social benefits rather than straight to the crown

what happened to crown income after the dissolution

it doubled

what was the resale value of the monastic land

some 1.3 million

what agreement did the ex inmates have to sign

that they would remain celibate for the rest of their lives

did henry use the dissolution to stabilise crown finances long term

no, land was sold quickly and at far less than their market value as henry wanted immediate cash and had no long term plan to secure finances

why was the sale of monastic lands so shrewd for the reformation

it gave purchasers, mostly the nobility and gentry, a significant vested interest in the reformation and was one aspect that even mary was scared to undo because of how unpopular it would have been

what happened to some of the more impressive abbey churches

turned into cathederals in newly created dioces such as gloucester, bristol, chester and westminster

why was money the most important reason for the dissolution of the monasteries

monasteries very rich, henry knew this

cromwell promised to make henry richest

henry needed money to fund war with france due to threat of catholic invasion and it would mean henry didn't have to go to parliament for taxes which would be popular

why was power a reason for the dissolution

the act of supremacy gave henry little power over the abbots so by dissolving the monasteries he could better consolidate his power, he could also give the land as patronage but this is somewhat limited by the fact much of it was immediately sold to the nobles so could not be leveraged for power

how much of the church lands had been retained by the crown by henrys death

1/2

why was the condition of the monasteries a (fairly weak) reason for the dissolution

comperta monastica found a lot of corruption and 'proved' crum's notion that the church had become morally corrupt HOWEVER it can be argued it wasn't a cause but a justification and crums agents went in with an agenda

why was cromwell and protestantism a reason for the dissolution

monasteries embodied the outdated catholic beliefs like purgatory and crum believed they threatened the growth and acceptance of reform

When was the Pilgrimage of Grace?

October 1536 - February 1537

how many rebels were there in the PoG

about 40,000

Reasons for the dissolution of the monasteries

Money

Cromwell

Power

Money as a cause of the dissolution

henry needed money for war with france and security due to catholic invasion

cromwell

Conditions as a cause of the dissolution

All of the things found in comperta monastica

but arguably not a cause but a justifacation as agents given an agenda

Power and cromwell as a cause of the dissolution

Act of supremacy gave henry little control over the abbots

old church land could be given to nobles for patronage

cromwell personally didn’t like them but his influence over religious policy was limited