Kett's Rebellion: 1549 Flashcards
1
Q
Storyline of Kett’s rebellion in 5 points?
A
- Local lawyer called Flowerdew encouraged the Wymondham townspeople to tear down Robert Kett’s (local tanner and landowner)
- Kett welcomed this and agreed to lead the rioters, alongside some Yeomen farmers
- They marched on Norwich (largest city after London) and set up camp at Mousehold Heath, where discontented commoners joined and set up camp - total of 16,000 rebels
- Kett produced a list of both economic and religious demands
- Rebels attacked Norwich and succeeded
- Marquis of Northampton came with a government force of only Italian mercenaries and they were massacred by the rebels
- A month later, rebels leave Norwich to a less well defended position at Dussindale and was overrun by a large government army of 12,000 English levies and a further 1000 mercenaries
2
Q
Who was the leaders of the rebellion?
A
Robert Kett
3
Q
What was the main cause of the rebellion?
A
- Enclosure. Kett’s rebels were heartened by royal commission looking into the problem and thought they were supported by government in acting against enclosures
4
Q
What is the subsidiary cause of the rebellion?
A
- Peasants angry at landlords for the suffering of
their tenants. INFLATION = increase in FOOD PRICES = starved and broke peasants - also East Anglian landlords wanted to increase profit
by enclosing common land in order to develop
sheep farming = less jobs for peasantry = less money - finally rack-renting angered peasants even more because they had no more money to pay for rent
- The poor were convinced that it was the greed of the gentry that
had resulted in depopulated villages, unemployment and
vagrancy, and hunger.
5
Q
What are Somerset’s Enclosure Commissions policies?
A
- 1548: Failed commission into enclosure
- Somerset set about ploughing up some enclosures
- April 1549: New Commission but based on old 1548
commission so illegal - Can only identify not destroy enclosures
- Somerset’s policies alienated the gentry – needed their
protection - Somerset’s policies led the peasants to see him as their hero
- He would condone their destruction and attacks on ”greedy landlords”
6
Q
What was the location of the rebellion?
A
East Anglia - Norwich
7
Q
What was the duration of the rebellion (and from what months)?
A
Lasted July 1549 – August 1549. Rebels were executed in December 1549
8
Q
What was the level of threat, and why?
A
High.
- Disorder was widespread – At least 20 rebel camps where disgruntled commons assembled. At least 16 rebel petitions.
- There is a sort of regime change– Protector Somerset falls. But this doesn’t happen as a direct consequence of the rebellions and there are no calls to overthrow the king
- Size and speed of movement
paralysed authorities in the county – allowed rebels time to gather strength
9
Q
What happened to the leaders at the end of the rebellion?
A
300 men, including Kett and his brother, were condemned to death.
10
Q
What was the outcome of the rebellion?
A
- Disturbances throughout midlands and eastern England
- Kett raises a large force – 16,000 men.
- Norwich falls to rebels; rebellion eventually crushed by Warwick in battle outside Norwich at spot – Mousehold Heath – where 1381 rebels had camped
- Kett and up to 300 rebels executed – sign of how seriously government had been frightened
- Results in fall of Somerset
11
Q
Why was the rebellion non threatening?
A
- Rebels supported the religious changes of
Edward’s reign - No desire to return to Catholicism
- No support from nobles or wealthy gentry
- Wanted to negotiate with government not
attack them – did not move on London - Gave up high ground – high numbers killed in battle
- Although 25 counties saw disturbances, London remained entirely loyal to the crown; of course there were no agrarian grievances in a city!
- Kett failed to hold back the rebels. The government was willing to negotiate with protestors but felt it had to treat outright rebels harshly. The attack on Norwich was the point where the rebellion became treason
12
Q
Why was the rebellion threatening?
A
- Kett encouraged by idea of Somerset’s hostility
- Gathered support from others – numbers of
16,000 - Lots of rebel camps established quickly
- Mousehold Heath showed ordinary people
could conduct government without the gentry - Mousehold Heath run well and very effective
- Norwich co-operated with the rebels giving out
supplies - Kett refused a pardon – said that would make
him guilty of rebellion which he was not - Government response slow
- No leading member of nobility to act as first
line of defence - Government distracted by threat of invasion
from France - Had to send 2 royal forces
- Somerset faced criticism from the cabinet.
13
Q
What are the socio-economic causes?
A
- Inflation: due to Henry VIII’s wars. Wages were valued for less, meaning less food could be bought for peasants
- Raised food prices
- Enclosures: East Anglian landlords wanted to increase profit
by enclosing common land in order to develop sheep farming.
This meant less jobs for the peasantry - High Rents
14
Q
What were the consequences of the enclosure commissions?
A
- Somerset alienated landed gentry and nobility
* This was a mistake as they were the first line of defence
against rebellion
* Somerset relied on them to support government - The commons now thought Somerset was on their
side
* Somerset now seen as the ‘Good Duke’ who would support
them against greedy landlords
* It suggested any measures rebels took against these
landlord would be condoned by the Duke
* This developed Somerset’s isolation from the rest of the
landed elites
15
Q
What support was there?
A
mainly commons – there was class tension between gentry and lower classes.
EG. Small tenant farmers, lesser gentry, rural workers, unemployed craftsmen
