2 Challenging religious changes, 1533–37
The impact of Henrician religious changes, 1533–37: the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries.
● The causes and impact of the Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace: aims, methods, nature of support and extent of threat.
● The role of leaders in challenge and suppression: Robert Aske and Francis Bigod; Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII and the Duke of Norfolk; the extent of repression in 1537
The impact of Henrician religious changes, 1533–37: the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries.
Why: So he could marry Catherine of Aragon
Between 1533 and 1537 Henry renounced the the authority of the Pope in Rome and created Church of England in which he was the Supreme Head which was reinforced by a series of Acts of Parliament
Cromwell advised Henry that the best way to achieve anulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon
What were the religious changes:
Henry appointed Cromwell as Vicegerent in Spirituals - he used this power to alter the doctrine and new bishops were appointed who shares Cromwell’s views - altered the Church’s doctrine
New bishops were appointed who shared his views such as Hugh Latimer
Preaching controlled through govt licensing - clergy were ordered to the give sermon against the pope and against his marriage to Anne Boleyn
April 1935 - royal letters ordered to imprison all clergy who continued to preach in order of the Pope
The Act of Ten Articles 1536 - reduced the number of sacraments from 7 to 3
Cromwell issued instructions to the clergymen in 1536 which attacked traditional practices such as pilgrimages and holy days
Henry was prepared to support these changes despite the fact he was no reformer as they helped undermine the authority of the Pope.
Many of the South followed these orders but North were far more reluctant and many of the Northern rebels demands focused on seeing these changes reversed
Opposition:
Sir Thomas More - once a Chancellor for Henry
John Fisher, Bishop
Both refused to accept the Act of Supremacy which resulted in their execution in 1535 and these high profile cases resulted in an atmosphere of fear yet showed the significance of opposition
Impact of the break with Rome and Henry VIII’s response:
He made disobedience illegal
The Act of Supremacy - an oath that had to be taken
1534 treason act - for all those who didn’t oblige by the Act of Supremacy
Any opponents to the regime were executed
High profile executions - such as Sir Thomas More
This created an atmosphere of fear
Those who wanted a restoration of the Catholic Church saw Henry’s daughter as a natural figure head as she was declared illegitimate
Impact of the dissolution of smaller monasteries:
Monasteries ( men )
Convents ( women )
Played important socio-economic roles particularly in the North
Main purpose was religion and spirituality
Monks and nuns performed work in deprived areas of England where they provided support and care
Important centres of education
Monks were responsible for the copying of old texts and books
Many farmers leased land from monks and monasteries provided employment for low skilled agri and skilled crasftement
The monasteries were very wealthy their estates and property were very attractive to Henry as well as their allegiance to the Pope
Dissolving monasteries not only ensured obedience yet ensured increased income for Henry
1536 Act of Parliament dissolved all monasteries worth less than £200 per annum
Sig: Many people relied on small monasteries for work, wages, food, clothes - them closing would cause grave economic hardship
This fear triggered the uprisings
The causes and impact of the Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace: aims, methods, nature of support and extent of threat
‘ Religious grievances were the main cause of the Uprisings’
P - Some would argue religious grievances were the main cause of the 2 rebellions in 1536
E - The dissolution of the monasteries and smaller ones in the North was definitely a trigger, then behind this was wider discontent with Henry’s religious changes - people felt like Catholism was being dissolved.
Cromwell’s attack on religious practices i.e. Holy Day and Pilgrimages
Many still believed Catholic practices would better their soul more in the afterlife
Heaven, hell and purgatory - fear what would heppen to their souls in they abandoned
‘Pilgrimage’ suggests religious intentions
Rebels carried a banner with the 5 wounds of Christ - clear they was marching in Gods name
Trigger for many was the closing of the smaller monasteries due to their socio-economic importance
9/24 Artciles in Pontefrat Articles were religious
L - Therefore due to the religious imagery in both the name and the actions, it woukd be accurate to argue that this was the fuelling factor behind both rebellions. As well as the list of demands. Despite other grievances as contribution - this was deffo trigger
P - However, others many argue that socio-economic causes triggered the uprisings
E - Religious changes were at the heart, but socio-economic issues also played a key role especially in deprived areas such as the North
E - These problems had been worse not only due to the closure of the monasteries but due to the govt. demand for tax from the 1534 tax subsidy - leaved during peactime! - Hot north hard due to 2 years of bad weather and poor harvest.
Entry fines - Enclosure - the process in which some landlords could consolidate their estate and many were doing this which annoyed tenants due to inceases in demand from landlords
L - Therefore, socio-economic grievances from the poor definitely contributed to the rebellion as they were most effected by economic hardship. However, these issues unlike relogion did not affect all groups involved - i.e. nobility and educated lawyers such as Robert Aske
P - Other’s may argue that political grievances caused the uprisings due to the involvement of some northern nobility and gentry
E - Sir Thomas Percy, Lord Darcy - this involvement lead some histrians to conclude that the root of the rebellion was due to Court-based plots by conservative factions who aimed to remove Cromwell ! Earl of Northumberland didn’t agree but didn’t actively oppose who had been in contact with Eustace Chapuys
E - it could be argued that the involvement of the gentry was to try and ease the rebellion from within - or that they simply wanted to be involved as they opposed Henry
E - Act of Uses 1535 - Henry and Cromwell tried to prevent landowners avoiding financial demands made by the King as technically the monarch was the feaudal landlord, - referenced in the articles
L The inclusion of these grievances in the articles explains how the rebellion and increasongly controlled by the gentry and nobility but does not explain reasons for its beginning
Aims and motives:
Articles made it clear they weren’t rebelling against Henry more the ‘evil counsilors’ that Hnery had been mislead by
So then they can’t be subject to treason
If they act like loyal subjects the king may resonate with their cause
The term ‘ commonwealth’ was used quite a lot - good of the relm
They complained about the Lincolnshire mens inability to pay bay the tax subsidy - the petition reflects the fact that both gentry, landlords and commons were involved in the revolt - United by religion
Evlt the extent to which the Lincolnshire rising was a threat to Henry’s govt.’
P - It could be argued as a threat due to the support of the gentry of local Linconshire gentry and the Church - added concerns of political grievances yet was significant as it showed their dissent for Henry’s govt.
E - The gentry were also JP’s and their job was to keep law and order therfore their involvement allowed momentum As the momentum gathered, numbers reached 10,000 and they was able to march to Lincoln.
L - The involvement of gentry was largely significant as it prevent barriers as they were meant to restore law and order. It seems likely they took an active role in controlling and leading the rebellion - perhaps trying to keep it peaceful or more likely because they opposed the Act of Uses
P - It could be argued that the threat to Henry’s govt, was significant due to the speed in which the rebellion gathered support
E - This can be seen as 10,000 men marched to Lincoln. As well as this, the rebellion attracted widespread support from commons - farmers and peasantry angry at religious grievances tp Monks and nuns helped also, important as it usually advocated for acts of obedience and control rather than uprising - showed the significance of the events and ofc the gentry
E - The demands from the rebels reflected the cross section of society that supported from Act of Uses complaints for economic complaints from the North. However due to 9/24 of the Pontefrat Articles being relogious grievances - this factor was so significant it united all members of the rebellion
L - The govt. officials underestimated the support for the rising to the point they were unable to cope - also in contact with people from Yorkshire who were equally dsicontent with the govt. Very fortunate for Henry that the Yorkshire commons were not ready to rise when Lincolnshire ones were - this may have been mch harder to control
P - However, the rising was put down rather swiftly
E - A royal army lead by the Duke of Suffolk. The leadership was gentry was also half hearted as when they were threatened with punishment they backed down #
E - The lack of continued support from the gentry meant that when Suffolk arrived in October he was able to convince commons to go home
Gentry were reluctant to risk their loves and property due to the punishment of treason
L - The govt. was able to deal with the uprising without risking a battle due to poor leadership due to half hearted gentry support and uncoordinated commons - they didn’t seek to fight his rule neither
Pilgrimage of Grace
Aims:
Dissolution of smaller monasteries and religious reform
Also fear of socio - economic consequences
Wider economic harship faced in the North - i.e. Tax subsidy and enclosure
These were reflected in the Potefrat articles
Educated Robert Aske was able to articulate the fears of the rebels to Henry in a ‘commonwealth’ way but the rebels essentially wanted the restoration of power of the pope
Government negotiations with the rebels:
Strong popular support - 9 rebel stations across the North, all asking Aske to be captain as well as 30,000 rebel army - many with military experience
Henry’s resources were over stretched - Suffolk was still restoring order in Lincolnshire whilst Hnery was very over confident due to the ease and he sent second army home
Govt. incompetency resulted in the rebels only taking 3 weeks to form a sufficient strategy
Northern gentry joined again
Henry’s army of 8000 was so outnumbered they were forced to negotiate !
The rebels presented the 24 Potenfrat articles - presented by Norfolk
A promise was made to hold a parliament in the North
But Henry was simply taking advantage of Aske’s niavety as he was simply biding time for his revenge !
How significant was the threat of the Pilgrimage of Grace to Henry’s govt.
P - Robert Aske’s leadership imposed a large threat to Henry’s govt.
E - He was an educated lawyer and came up with the name - clever propaganda ‘commonwealth’ - as it associated not only with NOT treason by Catholic morals.
E - By associating the Pilgrimage with religious connotations he was making it clear that he wanted to keep the Pilgrimage peaceful and in support of the Church.
Aske was also a military captain so he was able to coordinate troops and commons in Yorkshire however very insistent that Pilgrims remain peaceful.
As he was part of the gentry he was listened to and respected by them as well as admired by the commons.
He also organised the Pontefrat Artciles - what he had achieved was similar to a Northern assembly
L - However, Aske’s idealism sometimes clouded his judgement which saw light when henry took advantage of his nievty. His loyalty to Henry meant he was willing to eccept concessions presented by Norfolk in 1536 - complete con. He was eventually executed in July 1537 in York. Useful in the actual Pilgrimage yet not so useful in the outcome
P - The weakness of Aske allowed for Henry to overcome the uprising
E - Norfolk took advantage of the common’s sense of obedience to the monarch due to fear of treason
Henry took advantage as the rebels trusted Aske and Norfolk. Henry took advantage of other risings to increase tensions between the gentry and the commons
E - By the time the rebels had realised they’d been tricked it was too late. The rebels were not interested in removing Henry off of the throne however and even the plotters at court were not prepared to go this far - so they left it
L - Henry had used his patronage as well as exploitation of Aske to put down the rebellion and rewarded those who had remained loyal to him
P - The Pilgrimage gained mass popular support from all cross sections of society united in their relogious grievances
E - Influential nobility and gentry included Lord Darcy, Lord Hussey ( Conservative fractions ), and the Percies. The high status of the Percy family helped gain momentum for the uprising and many of their tenants and followers joined the,
E - However this was a common’s lead rebellion in Yorkshire. The sheer support from the Church in these uprisings can also be seen in the executions as a result - i.e. 38 monks.
L - The vast level of support for the Uprising took Henry by suprise. On top of this was his over confidence for the Lincolnshire uprising which resulted in a logistical nightmare. His army was completely outnumbered - thank GOD Aske was stupid. Also significant as the govt. couldn’t rely on the gentry and nobility to maintain peace.
The role of leaders in challenge and suppression: Robert Aske, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII and the Duke of Norfolk; the extent of repression in 1537
Robert Aske
Robert Aske’s leadership imposed a large threat to Henry’s govt.
E - He was an educated lawyer and came up with the name - clever propaganda ‘commonwealth’ - as it associated not only with NOT treason by Catholic morals.
E - By associating the Pilgrimage with religious connotations he was making it clear that he wanted to keep the Pilgrimage peaceful and in support of the Church.
Aske was also a military captain so he was able to coordinate troops and commons in Yorkshire however very insistent that Pilgrims remain peaceful.
As he was part of the gentry he was listened to and respected by them as well as admired by the commons.
He also organised the Pontefrat Artciles - what he had achieved was similar to a Northern assembly
L - However, Aske’s idealism sometimes clouded his judgement which saw light when henry took advantage of his nievty. His loyalty to Henry meant he was willing to eccept concessions presented by Norfolk in 1536 - complete con. He was eventually executed in July 1537 in York. Useful in the actual Pilgrimage yet not so useful in the outcome
Thomas Cromwell
His religious policies made him the ‘evil councilor’ - made him vulnerable for an attack at Court - i.e. Conservative fraction
Henry still supported Cromwell
The execution of Lord Darcy Thomas Hussey strengthened his poistion as they went against him
However he still had opponents at court i.e. Duke of Norfolk
His response to the rebellions:
Used different tactics to close larger 1537 monasteries
Well rewarded Abbot who willingly gave monasteries to Cromwell were heavily rewarded
Taught him and Henry that they needed to be more catious with the dissolution of monasteries
However he continued ti impose religious changes to the catholic church
They encouraged priests to discourage the veneration of relics and images at least 4 sermons a year
The rebellions did not discourage Cromwell in the pursuit of religious reform and in 1539 he imposed the new bible translated in English
Henry VII:
Initially angry - forced the rebels especially gentry to back down due to letter threatening punishment
He said he would show the rebels mercy yet not their ringleaders and didn’t mention their demands
This only encouraged the rebels to continue
Their army was much bigger than henry’s whos was already over streched due to the Lincoplnshire uprising