Dissolution of the Monasteries Flashcards
how many monasteries were there around the country?
over 800
how far would you have to walk to get to a monastery?
within 30 minutes
what did monasteries do?
•prayer- saving souls
•preaching
•confessions
•hospitality for the rich
•helping the poor (Alms)
•employers- labourers, servants
•education
•hospitals
•nunneries were an alternative to marriage for women
•huge physical presence, some of the biggest buildings in Europe
when did people begin to have concerns about monasteries (what century?)
16th century
people began to fear that they were being exploited and that the system was corrupt
why did henry dissolve the monasteries?
henry viewed the members of religious houses as a fifth column and was concerned that their loyalties lay with the Pope and the church in Rome. He also saw an opportunity for financial gain in order to pay/ bribe supporters.
what are the 3 main reasons for the dissolution of the monasteries?
•political
•financial
•religious
what were the political motives for dissolving the monasteries?
•Abbots, monks and nuns had the potential to be forceful opposition, religious houses may continue to be loyal to the pope
•the need to break the power of Rome
•the dissolution of the Monasteries would have been attractive to the Nobility in the House of Lords
•monastic orders from the pope, Henry lacked control over them
•Henry was unable to afford patronage, he needed the money to pay
•members of the gentry nobility would have benefitted from the acquisition of monastic property/ land
what are the financial motives for dissolving the monasteries?
•cromwell was very aware that the wealth of the monasteries could be used to enable Henry to establish himself as the European Prince
•Glastonbury was worth £3912 (£3311 after tax)
•Canternbury was worth £3642 (£2423 after tax)
•between 1536-1541 much of the wealth found it’s way into the kings coffers
how much were monasteries Glastonbury and Canterbury worth before and after tax?
•Glastonbury was worth £3912 (£3311 after tax)
•Canternbury was worth £3642 (£2423 after tax)
what were the religious motives for dissolving the monasteries?
•monks and nuns were apparently morally lax, some historians claimed this evidence was fabricated
•the members of religious homes were found to be greedy, lazy, self indulgent and engaged in a range of sexual relationships (monks- on occasion- had gathered children)
•commissioners were sent out in 1535 to investigate wealth/ behaviour of monks
how did the monasteries provide opposition to Henry?
Many abbots (heads of monasteries) in the House of Lords have voiced opposition to Henry’s break with Rome
what connection did the monasteries have with Rome?
some of the monasteries belonged to ‘orders’ or groups of monasteries, such as the Cluniacs (Black monks) and Cistercians (White Monks), which were run by ‘mother houses’ in mainland (catholic) Europe
what were the two reports Cromwell conducted?
•Comperta Monastica
•Valor Ecclesiastical
what did Thomas Cromwell’s reports find?
that those living in religious houses were greedy, lazy and engaged in a range of sexual relationships. recent historians have argued that much of this evidence was fabricated. women had often had children before becoming nuns, and there was roughly one confession of homosexuality for every 30 monasteries visited
what could Henry use the land of the monasteries for?
he could use the revenue and freed land to buy the support of the nobility and gentry for the continuation of the Tudor dynasty and the break with Rome
how much were the land of all the dissolved monasteries worth every year?
£132,000
what was the report called which surveyed monastic wealth?
Valor Ecclesiasticus
what was the report called that surveyed monastic life?
Comperta Monastica
when was the Valor Ecclesiasticus completed?
1535
what title was cromwell given?
the Kings Vicegerent
how did cromwell get support for his visitations?
he tried to control the flow of information to the king, by carefully selecting the most damning reports highlighting evidence of moral laxity (especially sexual) and the prevalence of superstitious religious observances
how did the monks and some people in the country react to these visitations?
they made complaints, some say the Pilgrimage of Grace was a result of some of the first dissolutions
Cromwell was able to provide the signed confessions of monks and nuns who admitted to breaking their vows of chastity
how did the monasteries enforce the catholic religion?
they followed orders from Rome, and their lives were punctuated by the ringing of the church bells
what act did Henry pass to start the dissolutions?
in 1536 Henry granted an act through Parliament to dissolve the smaller monastic houses, around 400