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
what was a strong financial incentive for the dissolution?
Henry and Wolsey had struggled to finance the French war of 1522-23
What evidence is there that the land the monasteries stood on was not being put to good use?
many houses were staffed by dwindling numbers. there were fewer than 10,000 monks, friars and nuns but there were over 800 monasteries which owned around a fifth of the cultivated land in the country
how many monasteries had Wolsey already dissolved and when?
29 monasteries in the 1520s
how were the closures of the monasteries implemented?
•the dissolved monasteries were stripped of their assets like gold, silver, lead, bronze, glass ect
•the land was sold or put up to lease. it was only sold outright to favoured and privileged individuals
•in some areas in the North there were violent reactions to the closures
•the king used the money for bribes, auctions and patronages
what was the second act for the dissolution of the monasteries?
•in 1539 an act of parliament was passed making legal what had already occurred, namely the closure of the remaining monasteries
•cromwells commissioner’s were instructed to close all monasteries and seize the property
•treason act for opposition
•presented monasteries were being turned into schools and hospitals
what was the reaction to the dissolution?
•most were willing to surrender to the crown without a struggle
•lacked time to organise resistance
•cromwells pragmatic politics made it hard for monasteries to resist
what caused the lack of opposition?
•abbots and priors were bought off with pensions
•reformation of parliament (submission of the clergy act) broke their power
who was John AP rice and what did he find?
•a commissioner/ worker for Cromwell
•he found evidence of relics and superstition in monasteries
(mindmap) why were the monasteries dissolved?
•corruption- false relics, not upholding moral standards
•threat to Henry as they were loyal to Rome/ the Pope
•Valor Ecclesiasticus
•Cromwell convinces Henry by displaying the most exaggerated evidence
•Comperta Monastica
•Draining resources
•break with Rome meant they were a threat
•Thomas Cromwell wanted them come because he was a protestant, he pretended schools and hospitals would take their place
where did the Pilgrimage of Grace go to?
Lincolnshire to Yorkshire
what was passed in 1533?
the Act of Appeals, people can’t appeal to the Pope
who was the leader of the pilgrimage of Grace?
Robert Asake
what are 4 causes of the pilgrimage of Grace?
•the visitations undertaken due to the Act for the Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries
•the spread of rumours
•concerns about confiscation of treasures
•the role of Nicholas Melton
what were the 5 demands of the Lincoln Articles?
•the end to the suppression of so many religious houses
•the act of Uses may be suppressed
•the ted on sheep and cattle is excessive
•take counsel from lower classes
•don’t promote corrupt bishops
