Henry VII & Cultural Development

Question 1

What is papal authority?

Answer 1

• The Pope had authority over all spiritual matters
• Church courts dealt with the clergy as well as laws concerning crimes such as blasphemy and heresy

Question 2

What were the problems with the catholic church in England?

Answer 2

Absenteeism, pluralism, simony, poor quality of clergy

Question 3

What is absenteeism?

Answer 3

some parish priests rarely visited their parishes

Question 4

What is pluralism?

Answer 4

some clergy had more than one position in the church
- For example, one bishop might have more than one bishopric at a time

Question 5

What is simony?

Answer 5

selling positions in the church for money

Question 6

What was the poor quality problem with the clergy?

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

What was the evidence of the church’s popularity?

Answer 7

• Louth, Lincolnshire raised £350 for a new parish church
• Many left the Church money or gifts in their wills
• Over 60% of parish churches were renovated or rebuilt in the 15th century

Question 8

What was lollardy?

Answer 8

Lollardy was a movement that challenged Catholicism in England under Henry VII, which the catholic church condemned as herecy

Question 9

What was humanism?

Answer 9

an intellectual movement that was focused on the potential of mankind

Question 10

How did Henry react to the rise of humanism?

Answer 10

he encouraged a cultural renaissance in England
e.g., scholars from Italy came and taught at English universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge

Question 11

How did Humanists criticise the catholic church?

Answer 11

• criticised the low levels of education in the Church and among the laity
• accused the Catholic Church of being corrupt
• they claimed that clergymen were exploiting (taking advantage of) their parishes
• but the Catholic Church was still strong and traditional worship remained

Question 12

Who was Erasmus and what were his key works?

Answer 12

• was an influential humanist scholar
• ‘The Praise of Folie’ (1509), which criticises the Catholic Church for corruption
• ‘On the Freedom of the Will’ (1524), which attacks Luther’s theological ideas

Question 13

When was the first printing press used in England?

Answer 13

1476

Question 14

How did the printing press impact religion?

Answer 14

• meant books and artwork were becoming far more accessible
• helped ideas spread, for example those of humanists
• printing contributed to the rise in literacy levels among the nobility and gentry

Question 15

How did Henry view and use the arts?

Answer 15

• was a patron for the arts, supporting musicians, poets, artists and architects
• e.g., John Skelton was employed to write poetry about England and Henry Vii
  —-> commissioned grand buildings such as Richmond Palace and a chapel in Westminister Abbey