Dissolution of the Monasteries

Question 1

Why were monasteries important in Tudor England?

Answer 1

1. They owned one-third of all the lands in England.
2. Richest had £1,000 per year.
3. Educated the children of the wealthy.
4. Monks would pray for the souls of the dead.
5. Poor people could go their to receive food.
6. Travellers on long journeys used it as a place to stay.

Question 2

Why were the monasteries closed?

Answer 2

1. New religious ideas: Erasmus described it monks as ‘idle beggars’. Protestants believe that the only way to get to heaven was to pray to God. (H8 refounded 2 monasteries so its unlikely that was the main reasoning ).
2. Loyalty: There was fierce resistance from some monks, but most of them swore the oath. Still played on his mind
3. Money: Monasteries had x3 of royal income (£160,000). This would finance wars, protect against Catholic invasion and no longer need to rely on parliament for taxation

Question 3

What was the Compendium Compertorum and how accurate was it?

Answer 3

1. They claimed that hundreds of monks admitted to taking part in homosexual relations with boys and nuns had babies.
2. Layton and Legh apparently visited 120 houses in 70 days.
3. Used bullying tactics to question them.
4. Little effort was made to present a balanced picture.
5. Out of 181 claims of homosexual practices only 12 were true.

Question 4

How were they dissolved?

Answer 4

1. March 1536, the First Act of Dissolution was passed closing 300 monasteries that made less than £200 a year.
2. Towards the end of 1537, the larger monasteries were closed too.
3. No sweeping second dissolution was passed, but each monastery was targeted by Cromwell from 1538.

Question 5

What were the consequences of the dissolutions?

Answer 5

1. Winners: For Protestants, the closure of monasteries removed a powerful symbol of Roman Catholicism. For the crown, it brought major financial gain.
2. Losers: Rising levels of poverty, 1,500 monks were unable to secure alternative paid employment in church.