Causation 2 - Taxation

Question 1

What is the Synopsis on taxation as a cause of Rebellion during the Tudor period?

Answer 1

• Taxation was the most important cause of revolution in the early Tudor period. The population resented ‘innovative taxation’ and increased control from the central government.
• Taxation became a minor cause after 1525 and was not an issue after 1549. (With the exception of the 1596 Oxfordshire rebellion.)

Question 2

What Taxation based rebellions occurred under Henry VII?

Answer 2

• Henry was in a weak position due to the Dynastic threats which he faced, especially from abroad. This resulted in him raising large sums of money through taxation to defend his position.

Yorkshire Rebellion:

• Protestors in Yorkshire objected to paying tax towards War in France. They claimed it was not their responsibility and had suffered bad harvests.

Cornish Rebellion:

• Objected to paying tax for defence against Scotland, as it was in a vastly different geographical area. The rebellion raised 15,000 men who marched to Blackheath.

Question 3

What taxation based rebellions occurred under Henry VIII?

Answer 3

Amicable Grant:

• Non-Parliamentary tax which followed a period of heavy taxation, meaning it was levied in a time of financial exhaustion and little success in the French campaign.
• The amicable grant introduced a multi-rate tax, meaning most were taxed at a higher rate than previously. This resulted in protests in several counties as people refused to pay.

Pilgrimage of Grace:

• Only one article concerned taxation, so it was only a minor cause. The rebels demanded that the 1534 Subsidy Act was repealed.

Question 4

What taxation based Rebellions occurred under Edward?

Answer 4

Western Rebellion:

• Opposed the 1549 Subsidy Act which introduced the Sheep & Cloth tax. This hit the West Counties hard as their local economies were heavily based on the sheep trade. (This was exacerbated by the introduction of the New Prayer Book, which was also resented.)