English Society in the Reign of Henry VIII

Question 1

Why was there significant social change under Henry VIII’s reign?

Answer 1

Growth of numbers of those engaging in professional and commercial activities and greater social mobility but the actual structure of society remained the same (traditional nobles and greater gentry representing a social elite with considerable political and economic influence) - remnants of feudal system

Question 2

How did Henry rely on the land elites (Nobles and gentry)?

Answer 2

He gave property and titles to nobles so that they could exert royal authority in certain areas e.g. Suffolk given property in Lincolnshire after the rebellion in 1536 and ordered to move there to exert authority in person
He ensured full support by executing nobles when there was any doubt of loyalty (e.g. duke of Buckingham 1521 - vaguest of charges)
He conferred knighthood as a sign of royal favour

Question 3

What did the Gentry provide and what did they do?

Answer 3

Provided Henry’s JPs (number of which increased- increasing number of gentry in local office) and often undertook unpaid administration for the crown - this group grew considerably in Henry’s reign especially as land became available following dissolution of monasteries
Suggested about 5000 gentry families in 1540

Question 4

What became more highly valued?

Answer 4

Legal administration (so gentry increasingly keen on their sons acquiring legal training = local advancement) 
Local administration was increasingly performed by lawyers rather than clergy men, whose office holding often generated the income which would bring about landownership and gentry status

Question 5

What else was there a growth of?

Answer 5

The urban elites as towns and cities grew and the number of merchants and skilled artisans living by trade increased

Question 6

Why could life be hard to unskilled or semi-skilled town workers?

Answer 6

Food prices were subject to wild variation

Question 7

What did most englishmen continue to do?

Answer 7

Live in rural communities where they mostly worked as free self-sufficient peasant smallholders - their standard of living changed little in first half of reign but problems with harvest etc came later in reign

Question 8

What changed due to the royal supremacy and greater availability of land?

Answer 8

Some peasants acquired copy-hold to land or more prosperous peasants bought land out-right and increased the size of their holdings and then entered the ranks of yeomen (farming for profit rather than just subsidence.
Increased move from rural to urban as opportunities increased

Question 9

Why did Ireland pose regional issues and what did Henry do?

Answer 9

England tried to control Ireland through force, keeping a standing army there. They also kept tight control on Irish parliament and in 1541 Henry adopted the title King of Ireland

Question 10

Why did the north of England post regional problems and what did Henry do?

Answer 10

It was so far from the government in London
Following the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 (and its huge number of supporters) Henry and Cromwell re-established the council of the north as a permanent body based in York with permanent staff

Question 11

What power did the council of the north have?

Answer 11

It had both legal and administrative functions
It helped keep the north quiet during the summer of rebellions in 1549 but northerners resented the appointment of southeners to the council

Question 12

How did Henry control the Palatines?

Answer 12

In 1536 three English counties Lancashire, Cheshire and Durham which were technically ‘palatinates’ (separate jurisdiction to rest of the kingdom) were brought back under English control through the Act of Resuming Liberties to the Crown of 1536 , reducing level of independence although the Bishop of Durham was allowed to retain some e.g. Palatinate court of chancery continued to operate
Little impact on L and C where the exercise of Palatinate jurisdiction had long since fallen back into royal hands but Durham had been technically separate

Question 13

What was the situation with Wales before 1536?

Answer 13

Comprising marcher, Lordships and the principality of Wales had neither a single unified administration nor a formal political link with England - separate territory

Question 14

What was Cromwell’s Wales act of 1536 and what were the results ?

Answer 14

Divided wales into shire counties operating in the same way as English counties
Gave the welsh shires direct representation in the house of commons
Brought Wales into the same legal framework of England.
Wales incorporated in England with little separate identity except survival of Welsh language in some parts of the country
Control over Wales continued to be exercised on the Crown’s behalf but increasingly became the responsibility of the members of the aristocracy e.g. earls of Pembroke and members of an anglicised welsh gentry who controlled county politics, were elected to parliament and became increasingly prominent in legal profession

Question 15

What were the short-term social consequences of the religious upheaval?

Answer 15

Resentment at the dissolution of the monasteries and attacks on traditional Catholic practices was exacerbated by fears of an attack on Parish churches - led to pilgrimage of grace rebellion 1536
Huge amounts of land were transferred from the church to the crown temporarily increasing the crowns wealth

Question 16

What were the long- term social consequences of the religious upheaval?

Answer 16

Education suffered, with the loss of monastery schools
Many monks and nuns became unemployed
Many monasteries had played a key role in their communities (e.g. offering jobs, hospitals, education) this was all lost - some had gone to extreme lengths to protect their monasteries e.g. in Hexham royal commissioners prevented from beginning the process buy gathering of armed men

Question 17

By 1547 what had happened to the confiscated church land?

Answer 17

2/3 of it had been sold - often cheaply to fund Henry’s foreign policy - this greatly increased both the size and wealth of the land-holding gentry

Question 18

What often causes unrest?

Answer 18

Taxation to pay for foreign policy

Question 19

In 1513 why were there complaints in Yorkshire?

Answer 19

About the raising of subsidy for Henry’s campaigns in 1513

Question 20

in 1525 what was there widespread opposition to?

Answer 20

Amicable grant e.g 1000 people had gathered at the Sussex border and refused payment
The Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk faced around 4000 refusals (especially unemployed cloth workers who found it impossible to pay) and the king was forced to back round

Question 21

Who did Wolsey seek pardon for following this opposition?

Answer 21

The protesters and the leaders (who he saw as his Suffolk countrymen) were treat leniently
For the next invasion of France he supplemented his revenue with profits from monastic land
Demonstrated Henry would not act in defiance of the tax paying class

Question 22

What two risings comprised the single largest rebellion in Tudor England and how many people were involved?

Answer 22

The Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace

40,000 people involved

Question 23

When did the rebellion begin?

Answer 23

Began in early October 1536 and spread first into the East Rising of Yorkshire and then into the parts of West Riding

Question 24

Where did the second more militant rising (the pilgrimage of grace)?

Answer 24

Started in the Yorkshire Dales and spread west into Cumberland, Westmorland and north Lancashire, north into Durham and south-west into Yorkshire’s west riding

Question 25

Why were the POG rebels (west riding and in the dales) more hostile to the gentry?

Answer 25

The strength of their grievances against their landlords were greater - they sent out letters in the name ‘captain poverty’ highlighting class antagonism, contrasted with the Lincolnshire and the East risings

Question 26

When and where did further rebellion break out?

Answer 26

In Cumberland in early 1537 (the creation of ‘captain poverty’ helps to explain the revival of rebellion here)

Question 27

What were the causes of the rebellions?

Answer 27

They varied from place to place and difficult to distinguish given huge geographical area covered by the rebels and their varied identifies and while there were secular motives but the main factor was resentment to Henry’s religious change, particularly the dissolution of the monasteries.
Many felt the government was pushing too quickly for fundamental religious change which most ordinary people couldn’t sympathise with or understand

Question 28

What were peoples fears about dissolving the monasteries? (religious motives)

Answer 28

Loss of charitable/ educational functions and the facilities/services which some monasteries offered
Loss of parish churches (monastic properties)
Fear that the north would be impoverished if monastic land was transferred to Southerners
The usefulness of the facilities and services which the monasteries offered
Importance of monasteries to rebels = evident in their attempts to restore some of the houses which had been suppressed - Aske was a convinced supporter of the monasteries

Question 29

What were fear for parish churches and traditional religious practices caused by?

Answer 29

Cromwell’s injunctions of 1536 seen as attacking traditional religious practices such as
Discouragement of celebration of locally important saints e.g. St Wilfrid in parts of Yorkshire and of pilgrimage
Rumours that church plates and jewels, which had been left in wills to parishioners, could be confiscated and parishes might be amalgamated

Question 30

What were the secular motives in terms of economic grievances?

Answer 30

Ordinary rebels generally more motivated by economic grievances e.g. resentment of taxation, than their leaders
Tenants’ grievances - linked to the extension of rebellion west of the Pennines into Cumberland and Westmoreland

Question 31

What were the other secular motives?

Answer 31

The imposition of the Duke of Suffolk upon Lincolnshire as a magnate may have sparked it in Lincolnshire
A courtly conspiracy by councillors who had been supporters of Catherine of Aragon until her death in Jan 1536 and who wanted to restore Princess Mary as heir - these courtiers exploited Northeners religious and financial concerns to pressurise the king

Question 32

What do the Pontefract articles provide?

Answer 32

The most comprehensive set of rebel demands- they incorporated religious ( concerns from both common people and the clergy), regional (including a call for parliament to meet a york) and specific (such as resentment of Cromwell) grievances
The desire for parliament to meet at York suggested strongly held regional resentment

Question 33

What happened in October 1536?

Answer 33

Lincolnshire rising began
Pilgrimage of grace began in the East rising of Yorkshire led by Robert Aske
Lincolnshire rising ended by Duke of Suffolks forces
Northern rebels occupied Hull, York and captured Pontefract castle
Rebels met Norfolks forces (who were hugely outnumbered) - Norfolk offered a pardon and falsely promised that the dissolved monasteries would be restored and free parliament established - most of rebel forces dispersed

Question 34

What happened in November 1536?

Answer 34

East and west riding rebels dispersed

Question 35

What happened in December 1536?

Answer 35

Royal proclamation offered a pardon to the rebels

Question 36

What happened in January/ February of 1537?

Answer 36

Rebellion in Cumberland and renewed rebellion in the east-riding of Yorkshire was quickly suppressed by Norfolk
Martial law was declared and 74 rebels hanged (after this lenient treatment was given)
A number of rebel leaders including Darcy York) and Hussey (Lincolnshire), several members of the gentry and heads of monastic houses were brought to London, tried and executed

Question 37

What happened to the number of peers during Henry’s reign and why?

Answer 37

Size of peerage increased though by the end of the reign only 9 more peers than the beginning - creation of new peers = due to ‘natural wastage’ and number of attainders during the reign (most achieved their rank due to successful royal service in court or as soldier - in some this enhanced by close family relationship) e.g. King’s brother in law Edward Seymour = elevated to Earl of Hertford

Question 38

What happened to the number of Dukes during Henry’s reign?

Answer 38

England only had one Duke when H came to the throne - Edward Stafford - Duke of Buckingham who never enjoyed royal favour
Henry only promoted two non-royal ducal titles, Norfolk and Suffolk - their holders served the king as soldiers and courtiers
Norfolk = restored to the title enjoyed by his father but Suffolk seems t have been promoted due to closer personal relationship with the King = criticism e.g. from Erasmus

Question 39

What were nobles expected to have/ do?

Answer 39

Have great households and offer hospitality to their affinity (those who had relationships with a person of higher status) and neighbours but doing so too openly made you an object of royal suspicion e.g. Buckingham
Noble households also critical to maintenance of local influence and recruitment of local armies

Question 40

How did treatment of the nobility change?

Answer 40

Bastard feudalism not died away completely but gradually nobility being brought more under the control of the monarch e.g. Thomas Fiennes, Baron Dacre of the south - 1541 tried for the murder of a neighbours servant but convicted and hanged like a common criminal - unlikely under Henry VII

Question 41

What are other examples of nobles falling victim to Henry?

Answer 41

Henry Courtenay marquess of Exeter accused of treasonable conspiracy and executed 1538
Lords Darcey and Hussey executed for their roles in the rebellion of 1536 (Henry’s actions perfectly justified according to legal standards of the time)

Question 42

What were the requirements of the gentry and what happened to the number of them?

Answer 42

It was assumed a knight would possess an income which reflected his status
A gentlemen who was entitled to a coat of arms was deemed an esquire - such status certified by the royal heralds who by 1530 were unwilling to grant or confirm the title to anyone with lands worth less than £10 per annum or goods worth under £300
Number of gentry increased in H’s reign

Question 43

Did much change for commoners under Henry VIII?

Answer 43

Little change in standard of living in 1st half of reign
Rise in inflation did lead to drop in real incomes which contributed to resentment of Amicable Grant
Social structure remained similar so the vast majority had few possessions and little chance of regular, secure employment - governments fearful of such people, disorder - would upset the good ordering of society

Question 44

What happened to the border administration of the Anglo-Welsh border?

Answer 44

Lands which were governed as part of the Principality of Wales along with the four bordering English counties (Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire) - came under the jurisdiction of the Council of Wales and the Marches, based on Shropshire
This offered relatively cheap and local access to the law and could therefore be seen as a benefit to the area under its jurisdiction

Question 45

Why did the Anglo-Scottish border remain a problem for Henry?

Answer 45

It was difficult to police, much of it was remote and inhospitable in the winter months
Both sides of the border had a reputation for lawlessness - cattle and sheep rustling were rife and violence common

Question 46

What did Henry do to deal with the problems of the a

Anglo-Scottish border?

Answer 46

The border with Scotland was split into three marches, each under the jurisdiction of a warden
Filling of these posts difficult for H as appointing a local noble family ran the risk that the noble would exploit his office to enhance his own power at the King's expense (Henry disliked border magnate families like the Percies' anyway)
Other option = to appoint local officers who came from the gentry class or those who were complete outsiders - these two groups more likely to own complete loyalty to the king but had limited ability to influence the conduct of local people who saw themselves as owing loyalty to a local magnate

Question 47

What major changes took place in the English church in the 1530’s?

Answer 47

Henry VIII broke from Rome and became head of the new English Church - had minority support but not popular
There were executions of some who denied the royal supremacy e.g. Thomas More
Monasteries were an important feature of the pre-reformation church - Cromwell’s dissolution of them began in 1536 and his royal injunctions of 1536 attacked many Catholic practices e.g. pilgrimages - provoking fears that these reforms may be accompanied by attack on parish churches = pilgrimage of grace rebellion

Question 48

Was the pilgrimage of grace rebellion significant- why?

Answer 48

Most geographically widespread rebellion in Tudor England and most popular in terms of participation
Caused great alarm to king and his ministers - H’s record with dealing with rebellion was poor, he ignored warnings about increased resentment, he was fortunate the duke of Norfolk showed common sense and flexibility
The rebellion didn’t however, slow down the pace of religion change