Henry VIII- the dissolution of monasteries.

Question 1

What were the main factors involved in the dissolution of monasteries?

Answer 1

• Money
• Power
• Moral condition of the monasteries.
• Cromwell’s religious beliefs.

Question 2

How much money would Henry earn from the dissolution of monasteries?

Answer 2

1.3M- he needed this because he had emptied his reserves.

Some large monasteries worth £1000

Question 3

Why did Henry need money? (France and Spain)

Answer 3

• Excommunication meaning a risk of invasion.
• Meaning a need for fortifications.

Question 4

What was Cromwell’s economic wish?

Answer 4

self-sufficiency & avoiding tax

Question 5

What was -Valour ecclesiastics?

Answer 5

The value of the church’- wanted to see if the church could increase his income.

Question 6

What arguments could suggest money was not the main factor in the dissolution?

Answer 6

Head of houses were offered a pension in return for retirement.

• Monks transferred into larger houses.
• Larger monasteries are praised.
• The land of monasteries devalued when sold.

Question 7

What arguments corruption was the main reason for the dissolution of monasteries?

Answer 7

• Comperta Monastica- corruption in church
• Dissolution of monasteries kept larger monasteries as they were not corrupt.

Question 8

What arguments suggest corruption was NOT the main reason for the dissolution of monasteries?

Answer 8

Comperta monastica’- there was an exaggeration of abuse.

-Larger monasteries still corrupt- country could not immediately accept full scale change.

Question 9

Arguments FOR Cromwell wanting to force his own beliefs?

Answer 9

-Comperta monastica exaggerated the corruption in the Catholic church
- Cromwell had Luthertarian beliefs, didn’t believe in using monasteries or the belief in purgatory.

Question 10

Arguments AGAINST Cromwell wanting to force his own beliefs

Answer 10

• Cromwell only did what the king wanted; he didn’t have fully Lutheran beliefs.
• Not much of the money sent to protestant institutions.

Question 11

Arguments FOR power being the main reason for the dissolution?

Answer 11

• More money would mean more power+ an emphasis on royal supremacy
• Can buy noble support- Duke of Norfolk.
• Self- sufficient so less parliamentary need.

Question 12

Why would the argument of more power be limited?

Answer 12

-Would be risking invasion through usurping Catholic power and the Pope.

Question 13

Why were the monasteries easy to target?

Answer 13

-already in crisis.
-disquiet over royal supremacy

Question 14

What was the comperta monastica?

Answer 14

-list of abuses by monks and nuns.
-perversion and breaks of chastity

Question 15

What did the valour ecc value the church wealth at?

Answer 15

360,000

Question 16

How much of church income was donated to charitable works?

Answer 16

3%

Question 17

What had happened to houses by 1540?

Answer 17

-all 800 houses closed but few turned into hospitals/schools.

Question 18

When was the valour ecc?

Answer 18

1535