16-The Social impact of religious and economic changes under Mary I

Spanish Marriage, 1554

  • Mary’s Goal: To produce an heir to secure Catholic succession.

  • Marriage Pressure: Already 37, marriage needed to happen quickly.

  • Potential Candidates:

    • Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon: Gardiner’s choice, but brought threats of factional rivalry. Seen as unsuitable by Mary and others due to his lack of courtly skills.

    • Philip of Spain: Mary’s personal preference, supported by her advisor, Simon Renard. Philip was a strong Catholic, and Charles V, his father, also favored the match.

  • Challenges:

    • Protestant Fears: Philip’s strong Catholic beliefs led to fears that he would support Mary’s attempts to reverse the Reformation.

    • Philip’s Ambitions: Heir to the Spanish empire, which led to fears that he would use England to further Spanish interests, disregarding England's welfare.

    • English Public Opinion: Hostile to the marriage, with attempts by a parliamentary delegation to dissuade Mary from the match.

  • Marriage Agreement:

    • Philip’s Title: He was given the title of king but no real power.

    • English Sovereignty: No foreigners could hold English offices, and Philip would have no claim to the throne if Mary died first.

  • Marriage Date: July 1554

  • Philip’s Reaction: Philip was not impressed by Mary and spent minimal time in England.

  • Parliament’s Discontent: Rejected a bill in 1554 that would have included Philip in treason laws. In 1555, Philip’s coronation as king was prevented.

Religious Reform

  • Major Aim: To reinstate traditional Catholic doctrines, services, and church ornaments.

  • Mary’s Upbringing: Raised by her mother, Catherine of Aragon, as a strict Catholic. Mary saw the break from Rome as a sinful act and was determined to correct it.

  • Destruction of Church Property: This confirmed her desire to restore the old religion.

Changes in Legislation

  • October 1553 Parliament:

    • 1st Act of Repeal: Reversed all religious legislation passed under Edward VI. The doctrine of the Church of England (CofE) was restored to what it had been under Henry VIII.

    • Mary’s Caution: She did not try to push for further changes at this stage, as she was advised to be cautious.

  • November 1554 Parliament:

    • Cardinal Pole Returns: His return from exile made Mary feel more secure in her reign.

  • January 1555 Parliament:

    • 2nd Act of Repeal: Abolished all doctrinal legislation since 1529, including the 1534 Act of Supremacy. This reinstated the Pope as the head of the Church.

    • MPs’ Role: Parliament now had significant control over religion.

What Did Not Change Religiously Under Mary

  • Church Lands and Property: No church lands or property were restored. This issue was too complex and divisive to resolve easily.

How Government Policy Changed

  • Divided into Two Strands:

    • Education: Emphasis on better training and supervision of parish priests.

      • Bishops were instructed to set up local training schools and make regular visits to observe the priests’ work.

      • National decrees set standards for priests, with new editions of the Prayer Book and Bible issued for guidance.

    • Persecution: Focused on punishing Protestants who would not renounce their faith.

Death of Cranmer

  • Archbishop Cranmer: He had been a key figure behind the introduction of Protestantism under Edward VI.

    • Cranmer’s Recantation: Under Mary, Cranmer recanted his Protestant beliefs, but later withdrew his recantation and stood by his convictions.

    • Mary’s Reluctance: Although Mary hated Cranmer’s actions, she felt she had no choice but to execute him for heresy after he withdrew his recantation.

  • Mary’s Justification: She regarded executions as necessary to cleanse England of Protestant heresy. Her advisors were less convinced by this approach.

Impact of the Executions

  • Public Reaction:

    • The burnings, especially of high-profile figures like Cranmer, turned many Protestants into martyrs.

    • Instead of scaring people back to Catholicism, these executions led to more questions about Protestantism’s power and importance.

    • Protestant exiles, particularly those who had fled to Europe, used the executions as propaganda to portray Catholicism as intolerant and oppressive.

  • Opposition to Persecution:

    • While the executions may have created opposition, especially in London, there is little evidence of widespread rebellion across the rest of England.

    • Much of the historical view of Mary’s reign has been shaped by Protestant propaganda, particularly by John Foxe’s "Acts and Monuments" (Foxe's Book of Martyrs) under Elizabeth I.