Henry VIII - Opposition to Religious Changes Flashcards
Why wasn’t there a big challenge?
People were confused as to what as happening, they thought the break was temporary, whilst H8 sorted out marriage problems.
Sir Thomas More
Replaced TW as Chief Minister. Showed reluctance to support H8’s marriage to AB. After Act of Succession 1534, he refused to swear an oath to recognise Mary’s illegitimacy. Sent to Tower + executed.
John Fisher
Didn’t take the oath + Supremacy. Helped C of A prepare a defence + schooled her in canon law. Made 7 publications condemning divorce + led others in the Convocation. Secretly contacted C5 to use force to stop break from Rome. 1535: executed for treason.
Elizabeth Barton, Nun of Kent
Locally famous + popular. Saw visions of disaster if H8 divorced C of A, he’d be dead in a month. She was exploited by Edward Bocking, her patron, who published books + encouraged pilgrims. Rumours circulated that an angel had taken the bread away from H8’s hands during Mass. Letters sent to More + Fisher + London Carthusian monks. Looked like an orchestrated campaign was being prepared. Sep 1533: arrested + public humiliation @ St Paul’s Cross in London where she was forced to confess that her visions were false. Judges couldn’t find a crime, but executed by an act of attainder in Apr 1534.
Monastic Resistance
Carthusian monks in London refused to recognise H8 as head of church, 18 were executed after Treason Act.
Oct 1536: Pilgrimage of Grace
Began in Lincolnshire, with rumours that commissioners were going to strip parish church off it’s ornaments. 18 local gentry arrived on 4 Oct to lead rebellion of 40k men. Wanted Cromwell’s dismissal + repeal of Statute of Uses (gentry taxed when inheriting land). Duke of Suffolk disperses Lincolnshire rising. Robert Aske went to York, collecting rebels. Rebels captured castle @ Pontefract and declared Pontefract Articles. Presented articles to Duke of Norfolk (whose force of 12k men couldn’t fight 40k) and H8 granted general pardon + Parliament would consider demands. Jan 1537 - Sir Francis Bigod’s rebellion gave H8 excuse to execute 200+ rebel leaders.
Catholic Backlash
H8 encouraged people speaking out against the head of the church, the Pope, but now, since he was the head, he was against more reforms John Lambert was burned for heresy (too Prot), which H8 attended. Removal of Cromwell in 1540. However, Cranmer remained Arch of Cant, surviving the Catholics’ attempts to remove him + CP, H8’s last wife, was a Prot. England was Catholic, but without the Pope.
