Henry VIII Rebellions

Question 1

When was the Rhys Ap Gruffydd rebellion?

Answer 1

June 1529

Question 2

What was the motivation behind Rhys Ap Gruffydd’s rebellion?

Answer 2

Factional:
When Rhys Ap Thomas died, Henry VIII didn’t let his heir, Rhys Ap Gruffydd, inherit his family land and titles and instead gave them to Walter Devereaux, 9th Baron Ferrers (Lord Ferrers).

Question 3

Why did Henry VIII give Lord Ferrers Rhys Ap Thomas’ titles?

Answer 3

Henry wanted increased control in Wales, and Lord Ferrers was his friend and ally

Question 4

What happened in the Rhys Ap Gruffydd rebellion?

Answer 4

Both him and Ferrers were given the right to increase members of retainers - this led to competing armed gangs.

In June, Rhys and 40 men threatened Ferrers with a knife (which was classed as a direct attack upon the king). Rhys was arrested and imprisoned in Carmarthen Castle.

Rhys’ wife escalated things by collecting hundreds of supporters and attacking the castle.

Henry claimed Rhys was attempting to overthrow his government in Wales.

Question 5

Why was Rhys Ap Gruffydd NOT a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 5

Not a real rebellion as no actual uprising against the crown (just rivalry between RAG and Ferrers)

The rebellion was ‘controlled’ and didn’t last long - no real radical action

Loss of land from RAG to Ferrers meant that RAG had less power to assert great authority

The violent ‘skirmish’ at Camarthen was not serious (only received a Censure from Wolsey and star chamber disapproval)

Question 6

Why WAS Rhys Ap Gruffydd a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 6

RAG could be violent - he had shown this with his attack on Ferrers in Camarthen

Descendent from a long line of Welsh nobles- family had power and influence and, due to support from Wolsey, considerable support in the way of retainers. Potential to challenge English control in Wales and the possibility of opening the ‘back door to England’ (what Wales was known as) to invading foreign powers.

RAG was Catholic and so opposed Henry’s reformation and had scope for support and links to foreign powers after the breakdown of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and deteriorating relations with Spain and the papacy.

There was rumour/prophecy that RAG would unite with the Scots to fight against the English and thus attack from both sides

Henry VII had become king due to support of noble Welsh families and had marched through Wales from France using his Welsh heritage - If the Welsh could support an attack on the English king and a usurper, there was nothing to stop them doing it again

Question 7

When was the Amicable Grant?

Answer 7

March-April 1525

Question 8

Why was the Amicable Grant collected?

Answer 8

Henry wanted to invade France, but there was no money to pay for it. Wolsey set about raising funds by attempting to levy a tax without the approval of Parliament (who were unlikely to support a war as it was expensive)

Question 9

Why was there backlash over the Amical Grant?

Answer 9

Bad previous experience with taxation - Money that had been ‘loaned’ in 1522-23 had still not been repaid, and a subsidy of 1523 was still being collected.

Unuke these loans there was no promise of a return on this payment

People were only given 10 weeks to find money

Wolsey began admitting exemptions to the tax, which caused more regions to demand to be exempted too

Question 10

How was the Amical Grant rebellion suppressed?

Answer 10

The Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk mustered the East Anglian gentry and negotiated the surrender of 10,000 rebels at Lavenham.

Henry stepped in and suspended the grant.

Question 11

Why WAS the Amicable Grant rebellion a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 11

Full-scale revolt broke out in Suffolk and spread to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire

Rebels numbered 10,000

Caused instability in Henry’s inner circle - Wolsey took the blame, which may have led to his downfall in 1529

Impacted foreign policy: Forced Henry to abandon his European scheme - made peace with France and England had no more significant military endeavours until the Scottish campaign of 1542.

Question 12

Why was the Amicable Grant rebellion NOT a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 12

Protesting a tax, not the monarchy itself

Main consequence was embarrassment for the King and Wolsey

Damage to the King’s reputation limited by Wolsey taking the blame and insisting that Henry didn’t know of the grant

May have helped shape the monarchy’s taxation model for the better - after the early Tudor period tax revolts became a lot less common

Question 13

When was the Kildare (Silken Thomas) Rebellion?

Answer 13

1534-35

Question 14

What prompted the Kildare Rebellion?

Answer 14

Henry increased Tudor control over Ireland (English monarchs had claimed to be Lords of Ireland for many years). Thomas Cromwel suggested a reform of the government in Ireland by abolishing the old feudal system of local government which had allowed the Earls of Kildare to rule as an autonomous state within a state.

Although Cromwell and the king were not yet ready to implement this policy, the Earl of Kildare sensed a threat.

Henry was also concerned about rebellions by the Irish, who remained majoritarily Catholic.

In 1534, ‘SiIken Thomas’ Fitzgerald (son of the Earl of Kildare) publicly stated he was withdrawing his allegiance to the king, starting the Kildare Rebellion

Question 15

What were the Kildare Rebellion’s main causes?

Answer 15

Political: Increased control of centre from England

Factional: Earls of Kildare had seen their power and position gradually decrease since the 1520s

Religion: Fears the Reformation would be exported to Ireland (Silken Thomas used this as a key argument in gathering support for the rebellion, declaring it a ‘Catholic Crusade’)

Question 16

How did the government respond to the Kildare Rebellion?

Answer 16

Brutal response

Henry executed SiIken Thomas, his 5 uncles, and 70 leaders of the rebellion

The Kidare earldom was suspended until 1569 and the Kildare lands were temporarily confiscated

Question 17

Why was the Kildare Rebellion NOT a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 17

Thomas only raised 1,000 men whilst the royal army sent numbered 2,300

Thomas lost support of the clergy by ordering the execution of the Archbishop of Dublin, who had tried to mediate

Bad strategy from Thomas - allowed himself to be cornered in Maynooth and besieged

Question 18

Why WAS the Kildare Rebellion a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 18

Rebellion cost London £75,000 to suppress

Aims of the rebellion were major - If Silken Thomas had succeeded he would’ve set himself up as ruler of Ireland

Weakening of the Kildare family had negative consequences as they had kept other great Irish families down

English attempts to impose further reform on Ireland destabilised relations between London and the Anglo-Irish lords - C16 became a century of rebellion in Ireland

Question 19

When was the Lincolnshire Rising?

Answer 19

October 1536

Question 20

What caused the Lincolnshire Rising?

Answer 20

Tensions had been raised in the region by the work of 3 gvmt commissions operating in the county. They were working on dissolving the smaller monasteries, collecting the subsidy, inspecting the quality of the clergy, and enforcing new religious laws.

Rumours ran rife that they were after gold, jewels, plate, and extra taxes.

Protested Henry and Cromwell’s religious reforms and the economic implications of these changes (In 1536 Louth was very wealthy, but rumours spread that the king intended to strip the parish churches of their treasures and close them down.

Question 21

What occurred in the Lincolnshire Rising?

Answer 21

Rising began at Louth on October 1st 1536

Moved across the country before gathering with the parallel Horncastle Rising at Lincoln. The people of Horncastle murdered the chancellor of the Bishop of Lincoln.

Initially led by a local shoemaker, Nicholas Melton, the rising’s leadership soon devolved on to the gentry, priests, and even armed monks who joined the rebels.

At least 10,000 people assembled at Lincoln and several lists of articles, combining grievances of the gentry and the commons, were drawn up

Question 22

How did the Lincolnshire Rising end?

Answer 22

The King sent an army north under the Duke of Suffolk and offered to pardon those who laid down their arms.

The collaboration between the gentry and the commons evaporated as the gentry sought forgiveness, claiming they had only involved themselves to control the rebels and keep them at Lincoln.

The few rebels who remained were sent home when the gvmt’s herald arrived on October 11th

Question 23

Why WAS the Lincolnshire Rising a threat to the monarchy/significant?

Answer 23

The gentry became involved

Gathered momentum quickly and numbered 10,000

Involvement of clergy and monks

Fuelled resentment and anger and catalysed the Pilgrimage of Grace

Revealed the extent of popular opposition to the king’s religious reforms among the gentry and clergy - challenged his authority and threatened the stability of his reign

Question 24

When was the Pilgrimage of Grace?

Answer 24

October-December 1536

Question 25

How did the Pilgrimage of Grace start?

Answer 25

Robert Aske, a Yorkshire lawyer, heard news of the Lincolnshire rising on October 4th and sent letters across the county calling on men to maintain the Holy Church.

Question 26

What was the aim of the PoG?

Answer 26

To preserve the king’s person by expelling from his Privy Council evil and heretical advisers ( so not against Henry personally)

To pressurise the gvmt, through scale of their numbers and implied threat of future violence, into remedying the rebels’ 5 grievances drawn up in the York Articles by reversing its policies

Question 27

What were the 4 general causes of the PoG?

Answer 27

Religion
Politics
Economic distress
Northern regionalism

Question 28

What were the religious causes of the PoG?

Answer 28

People in the north were traditional Catholics so feared the closure of local monasteries and changes to parish churches

The loss of spiritual support, education, hospitality, and charity provided by monasteries would be massively felt at a time of social and economic hardship.

The parish church and all Its traditional rituals were the centre of local use and people saw the crown as intruding on their long-held customs and beliefs.

Resentment of central gvmt taking away valuable plate and jewels and of proposed new taxes on baptism, marriage, and funerals.

Clumsy way in which Cromwell’s commissioners investigating the monasteries in the north went about their work was the trigger, uniting a region with diverse personal grievances

Question 29

What were the political causes of the PoG

Answer 29

Influence of the low-born Thomas Cromwell on the king angered the gentry and nobles.

Some still supported Catherine of Aragon and opposed those who had secured the rise of Anne Boleyn.

Influential northern families like the Percies feared the loss of their social and economic standing.

The recently introduced Statute of Uses forced the gentry to pay feudal dues when their estates passed to their heirs.

Question 30

What were the economic causes of the PoG?

Answer 30

Resentment of the recent Subsidy Tax which should have only been levied in wartime + rumours of new taxes on sheep and cattle and that the king was about to debase the coinage

Taxes more avidly hated given the background of economic distress at the time - Bad weather in 1535 and 1536 had resulted in crop failures and price rises.

Hatred of entry fines, a payment charged when tenants took over new land.

Question 31

How did northern regionalism cause the PoG?

Answer 31

People in the north felt excluded from London. They believed they were unfairly represented in Parliament and were looked down on by southerners.

The standard of living in the north was also poorer.

Question 32

What happened in the PoG?

Answer 32

The main rebel force of ~10,000 under Robert Aske assembled at Howden on October 8th before taking York

The nine regional uprisings merged by October 10th and Aske became chief captain of an army of 30,000.

By October 21st the rebels’ army had taken control of Pontefract Castle, the major fortress in the north, which Lord Darcy surrendered to them

Question 33

What was the nature of support for the PoG?

Answer 33

Ideology: Religious ideology was a uniting factor for rebels

Numbers: Largest uprising of C16, involving between 30,000 and 40,000 people from five northern counties

Types of people: Started by the commons but all layers of society took part. Much of the leadership came from 20 knights and 35 lesser gentlemen. The parish priests joined, also often becoming leaders. Most of the heads of the northern noble families, however, remained on the sidelines (caused some to fear the gentry might let them down)

Groups: Local communities often joined if their parish church or monastery was thought to be under threat. Local nature of the rebellion is shown by the outbreak of 9 separate regional uprisings, not all of whom joined with Aske or shared his motives.

Individuals: Robert Ashe emerged as the overall leader but others of the gentry class led the host armies eg. Lords Darcy and Hussy and the brother of the Earl of Northumberland.

Rural and urban: Major towns like Hull and York were captured by the rebels. Villages and small towns provided potential leaders from yeomen and traders who had acted in local affairs as churchwardens, parish constables etc.

Question 34

What were the 5 grievances listed in the York Articles?

Answer 34

1. The suppression of the monasteries
2. The Statute of Uses which stopped landowners from leaving their land to their heirs unless they paid tax on it
3. Taxes on sheep and altle coming on top of 2 years of disastrous harvests
4. The power and position of Thomas Cromwell, who was of ‘low-birth’
5. The behaviour and reformist teachings of particular bishops including Lincoln, Worcester, and Dublin

Question 35

Why did the leadership of Aske make the PoG a greater threat to the monarchy?

Answer 35

Provided the rebellion with intelligent leadership and had outstanding skills in debating and organisation. Rebels were organised into companies as in military service.

Kept the rebels disciplined - ensured strict discipline throughout the city of York and insisted that all goods procured by his army were paid for and that the men conducted themselves quietly

Aske raised awareness of the fact that transfer of monastic wealth to the south would increase the impoverishment of the north.

Was instrumental in drawing up the rebels’ grievances to present to the king in the York Articles (developed into the lengthier Pontefract Articles)

Question 36

How did the PoG gather religious support?

Answer 36

Carried banners depicting the ‘Five Wounds’ of Christ and

Presented themselves as pilgrims

Circulated handbills and ballads which were attached to church doors

Question 37

How did Henry react to the PoG?

Answer 37

Gvmt was caught off guard and soon the Pilgrims held sway over virtually the whole of the north. Most of his forces were still in Lincolnshire while the royal army was at Nottingham, forcing Henry to play for time.

Although he had no intention of meeting the pilgrims’ demands, he promised a pardon while requesting more information. The majority of the now pardoned rebels drifted home, believing that Henry had granted their demands.

Aske received a summons to attend Henry in London in March 1537 where the received an examination by jury. Aske chose to answer all questions accurately (shows he was secure in his morals and believed himself to be in the right) and was found guilty of treason.

To dissuade any further protests in the area, Aske’s execution was carried out in York and scheduled for market day to ensure a sizeable crowd. Aske’s body was hung by chains from the castle walls of Clifford’s Tower in York to act as a deterrent.

Question 38

Why WAS the PoG a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 38

Very large rebellion - 30-40,000 men
Strong leader in Aske
Caught gvmt off guard
Leadership from gentry and members of noble families (brought authority and experience)
Well organised

Question 39

Why was the PoG NOT a threat to the monarchy?

Answer 39

Henry smartly dealt with the rebellion + successfully used deterrent tactics to prevent further uprising in the north (even when the church became more Protestant under Edward)

Aske persuaded the rebels not to fight but to negotiate AND not to attack the person of the king - weakened them

Not protesting the king but rather his policies and the ‘evil’ advisers Ieading him down the wrong path

No support from heads of northern noble families which created fear that the gentry would let down the rebellion