Henry VII and the Church. Flashcards
Why was the Catholic Church so powerful in fifteenth century England?
Life was tough, so the promise of the Afterlife was very important to people.
The Church - Political.
Many offices of state were filled by members of the clergy. Henry also relied on Papal support to consolidate his power.
Can you think of two clergymen who were incredibly powerful under Henry VII.
John Morton and Richard Fox were two of the most powerful under Henry VII.
Church - Religious.
The parish church was central to many people’s lives. People believed than praying as a community was more powerful than those of the individual.
Churches - Social.
Churches often ran important community activities such as schools, almshouses and performed maintenance funds on things such as bridges, highways and sea walls. The business of going on pilgrimage was a big money-spinner for the Church and the communities.
What was the state of the church under Henry VII?
There was relatively little change compared to Henry VIII.
- However, there were signs of impatience with the Church. Influencers from Europe were encouraging educated people to think in less restricted ways - the humanist movement, for instance.
What rights did Henry have among the English church?
1) power to appoint Bishops and other clergy.
2) had the right to use the church’s wealth to reward political allies, such as Thomas Morton. This was incredibly important at the start of Henry’s reign when there was an unstable monarchy (1485 - 1490).
What was Lollardy?
This was an anti-clerical group, who wanted reform (they would later get this under Henry VIII).
Under Henry, the Catholic Church did have a few issues. Can you name them?
1) Absenteeism.
2) Pluralism
3) Simony.
4) Quality.
What was Absenteeism?
Some Parish priests rarely visited their parishes.
What was pluralism?
Some clergy had more than one position in the church. For example, a bishop might have more than one bishopric at a time.
What is simony?
selling positions in the Church for money.
What was a problem with the Church’s quality?
Some clergy did not observe their vows (including Chastity) while others were ignorant of religion. Poorly educated priests were a problem, because the Bible and services were in Latin.
What did the Roman Catholic Church condemn Lollardy as?
Heresy.
What was humanism? What were some of its beliefs?
An intellectual movement that was focussed on the potential of mankind. It led scholars to rethink their views on religion and society. Humanist scholars believed education could improve the power of mankind. They mainly focussed on the classical world (just like me fr!)
True or False - Henry encouraged a cultural renaissance in England.
True! Scholars from Italy came and taught at English universities, like Oxford and Cambridge.
What did Humanists accuse the Catholic Church of being?
Corrupt! They claimed that clergymen were exploting their parishes. They were also critical of the low level of education in the Church among the laity.
Were Humanist ideas influential?
Humanist ideas had an impact on religion across Europe, but the Catholic Church was still strong and traditional worship remained.
When, in England, was the first printing press used?
1476!
What was so good about the printing press?
It meant that books and artwork were becoming far more accessible. It helped to spread ideas, such as humanist ideas, and also contributed to the rise in literacy levels among the nobility and gentry.
Was Henry VII a fan of the arts?
A big fan! He was a huge patron of the arts, like his granddaughter Elizabeth would be. John Skelton was employed to write poetry about England and Henry VII.
What was magnificence in the arts believed to reflect?
The virtue and strength of a monarch. Henry himself comissioned grand buildings, such as Richmond Palace and a chapel in Westminster Abbey.
