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

Mary I's Economy

Support for Mary’s Policies

  • Loss of support: Mary lost the majority of her support as her reign progressed.

  • Failure to understand change: She failed to recognize how much the country had changed under Edward VI, and her attempts to reverse policies had to be done slowly and cautiously to avoid backlash.

Economic and Financial Management

  • 1553–1558:

    • Mary inherited a country facing financial difficulties, partly due to ongoing wars and her predecessor’s policies.

  • Plans for Recoinage:

    • 1553: Plans for recoinage were laid out, aiming to address the inflation caused by Edward VI’s debasement of the coinage. However, these plans were not fully implemented until Elizabeth's reign, delaying much-needed reform.

  • Debt:

    • Debt increased during Mary’s reign due to the wars with France, especially the loss of Calais in 1558, but Mary’s government was still able to manage the debt effectively.

  • Financial Administration:

    • Significant improvements were made in financial administration. Some smaller financial courts were absorbed into the Court of the Exchequer, streamlining the system and improving efficiency.

  • War Impact on Economy:

    • The war with France drained resources, and the loss of Calais in 1558 had an economic and symbolic impact on England. However, the government did its best to maintain control over finances during this period.

  • Revenue Generation:

    • Despite the financial challenges, Mary’s government found ways to generate revenue, including through taxation and the seizure of property from Protestant exiles.

Financial Reforms under Mary I

  • Court of the Exchequer:

    • Mary made significant reforms in the financial administration of England.

    • Smaller, less efficient financial courts were consolidated into the Court of the Exchequer, the main government institution for managing finances. This centralization helped improve the efficiency of collecting taxes and managing the royal finances.

    • The reforms aimed to increase control over the finances of the crown and improve revenue collection.

  • First Fruits and Tenths:

    • First Fruits and Tenths were taxes traditionally paid by the clergy to the crown, first introduced by Henry VIII.

    • Under Mary, these taxes were re-established after Edward VI’s more Protestant policies had reduced their significance.

    • The First Fruits tax required churchmen to pay a sum of money upon their appointment to office, and the Tenths tax required them to pay a portion (typically 10%) of their income to the crown.

    • These taxes were an important source of royal income and helped to fill the crown’s coffers during Mary’s reign.

  • Monetary and Land Reforms:

    • Efforts were made to improve the monarchy’s control over land and finances, but these were often overshadowed by the ongoing costs of war and the economic instability caused by religious changes.

Poor Relief under Mary I

  • The Poor Laws:

    • Mary faced significant social challenges during her reign, with a large portion of the population suffering from poverty, unemployment, and economic instability.

    • One of the notable actions Mary took during her reign was attempting to address the growing social crisis by implementing some poor relief measures.

    • In 1555, an Act for the Relief of the Poor was passed, which required local communities to provide aid to the poor, marking a step toward institutionalized poor relief. This law was a continuation of earlier policies and would later be built upon in the 16th century.

  • Socio-Economic Conditions:

    • Poverty and unemployment were widespread due to a combination of the economic turmoil caused by religious changes, military spending, and the impact of inflation.

    • Many people in the country faced rising food prices, especially in the years following the poor harvests in the 1550s.

  • Poor Relief Mechanisms:

    • Parishes and local communities were expected to organize and provide for the poor. This often took the form of charitable giving, the provision of food, or other forms of assistance to the most vulnerable.

    • There was also an attempt to create more formalized systems of poor relief, although these measures were not as advanced as the later Elizabethan Poor Laws.

Key Challenges and Long-term Impact

  • Financial Strain:

    • Although financial administration improved, the drain of resources due to the war with France, particularly the loss of Calais, kept the economy under strain.

  • Social Instability:

    • The economic difficulties were exacerbated by the religious changes, and Mary’s attempts to restore Catholicism created divisions within society.

    • These challenges, combined with the increased taxation and the financial demands of war, led to social unrest and dissatisfaction among various classes, especially the poorer sections of society.