KETTS REBELLION Flashcards
What was enclosure and why was it a source of discontent
-enclosure involved landlords enclosing common land for personal use (often sheep farming), this restricted acess to land for poor tenants leading to poverty and vagrancy
-it reduced acess to land for grazing animals and made it harder to grow crops due to lack of manure
-landlors engaged in enclosure as they sought higher profits from wool trade (the prices were rising), leading them to enclose land and evict tenants
how did the government respond to the problem of enclosure
government action was generally ineffective as landlords often ignored regulations and enforcement was weak (allowed enclosure to continue to fuel social and economic tensions)…
1489- Act of parliament attempted to regulate enclosure
1517- wolsey issued a commission to investigate illegal enclosures
1533- Sheep and Farms act (limited sheep per farmer to 2,400 and allowed engrossing- merging farms- but only for 2 farms
1545- sheep tax introduced to discouragelandlords from expanding flocks
what was rack-renting and why was it controversial
-landlords rapidly increased rents to make it unaffortable to tenants (LEAD TO EVICTION AND RURAL POVERTY)
what were entry dines and why did they cause discontent
-fees tenants paid when renewing land leases
-landlords used them to increase profits, placing economic strain on poorer tenants
how did enclosure effect east anglia differently from other regions
complains varied per region..
SHEEP-CORN FARMING AREAS
(NW suffolk north Norfolk)
-landlords relied on tenants land for grazing sheep under foldcourse rights, so tenants went to enclosure land for protection
-tenants enclosed land to protect it from landlords sheep
WOOD PASTURE REGIONS
(central suffolk, ne norfolk)
-landlords enclosed common land which prevented tenants from farming/ grazing
-economic distress
how did tensions about enclosure contribute to ketts rebellion
-rebels saw enclosure as a direct cause of economic hardship and sought to restore acess to common land
-sheep farming was dominant in east anglia so land disputes were a key source of socio-economic tension (rebels wanted to limit landlords control over grazing rights and land acess)
who were the commonwealth men and why were they significant
-politicians, clergymen with belief that encloure caused poverty, unemployment, and vagrancy
-e.g…
JOHN HALES- gov official who wanted social reform
ROBERT CROWLEY- writer crticised landlord greed
HUGH LITIMER- bishop of Worcester who preached about duty to adress poverty
-their ideas influenced protectoor somerset leading him to investigate illigal enclosure
-their messages spread to common people which influenced the aims of 1549 rebels
what was the primary cause of poverty in Tudor England
-huge population growth between 1525-51 rose from 2.3 m to 3m increasing pressure on food supplies and jobs
how did enclosure worsen economic issues
-landlords enclosed land for sheep farming and reduced land available to tenants
-sheepfarming needed fewer workers (rising unemployment)
-poor lost acess tp common land making survival harder
what key economic crisises effected tudor england in 1540s
-poor harvests (1545 and 1549), food shortages and rising prices
-Boom in wool trade (encouraged lanlords to enclose sheep for sheepfarming as wool trade was more competitive)
-debasement of the coinage (led to severe inflation
how did debasement of coinage worsen economic hardship
-gov melted coins and mixed them with cheap metals to fund wars
-reduced the value of money leading to inflation
-poor people suffered
how did somersets gov try to deal with enclosure
-increased land for tillage (crop farming)
-introduced 1549 sheep tax (discoue=raged landlords from switching to sheep farming)
how did economic and social issues lead to rebellion
-economic harship and unemployment led to resentment against landlords
-enclosure took common land
-commonweakth men’s ideas encouraged rebels to demand fairer land use
-somersets failed policies (sheep tax and vagrancy act) worsened discontent
-lead to rbell=s demanding an end of enclosure and restoration of common land rights in 1549
what were somersets views on enclosure and how did he personally act agains it
VIEWS
-was a protestant so believed social reform was necessary to help the poor
ACTION
-passed private parliamentary bill to protect copyholders on his own estates
-appointed john hales to oversee gov reforms on socio-economic issues
john hales key attemps at reform
-tried to pass bill 1548-49 encouraging socio-economic reform, but failed due to opposition from landed elites in parliament
-only success: introduced a new tax on sheep 1549
what were somersets enclosure commissions and why did they fail (and somersets response)
-made them to investigate illegal enclosure
-1548 COMMISSION FAILED..
-only one commision (midlands) went ahead
-found little evidence of illegal enclosure (due to landlord obstruction)
-landowners refused to cooperate
in response somerset took up direct action and ordered the ploughing up of illegal enclosure (targetting land owned by Thomas Howard, duke of norfolk, and John Dudley, Earl of Warwick)
1549 commissions by somerset
-ordered illegal enclosures to be destroyed BUT this wasn’t legally allowed
how did somersets enclosure commissions provoke gentry and nobility
-many nobles and gentry opposed somersets actions as they profitted from enclosure
-they became the first line of defence against rebellion (which was bad for somerset as he relied on them for support in gov so he became vunerable
How did somerset’s policies encourage rebellion
-commons thought somerset were on their side as he was supportimg poor against landlord greed, seen as the ‘good duke’
-hardship in 1540s increased resentment to landlords
-somersets enclosure commissions sent a message that local action against enclosure was condoned (encouraging rebellion)
main causes of ketts rebellion
-economuc and social crisises of the late 1540s
-enclosure riots (in essex and east anglia)
-gov instability (in 1549 many gentry and nobility were summoned to windsor castle, leaving regions vulnerable)
-got inspiration from somersets enclosure commissions, which gave rebels the impression they had gov support
John Flowerdew role in starting rebellion
-was a landowner who enclosed common land and demolished part of wydondham abbey (despite town opposition)
-rioters attacked his property first (he then tried to redirect them to robert kett but this backfired)
why did Robert kett become the leader of the rebellion (and where did they establish their base)
KETT LEADERSHIP
-admitted to enclosing land and ordered his own hedges to be torn down
-gained trust of rebels and took leadership
-led an anti-enclosure movement that soon escalated
BASE
-kett annd rebels established base at Mousehold heath overlooking Norwich (became a centre for rebel organisation)
ketts march on Norwich (why and reaction)
WHY DID THEY MARCH ON NORWICH
-second largest city after London
-there was a huge economic divide (6% of the population controlled 60% of land and goods), rebels could exploit resentment
PUBLIC REACTION
-many locals supported by destroying enclosures
-other rebel camps were created in norfolk and suffolk
-local gentry were overwhelmed
why did the mayor and council of Norwich initially cooperate with kett
-rebels outnumbered them
-council tried to maintain peace by supplying food to rebels
-truce lasted until 21st July when gov messanger arrived
what escalated conflict between ketts rebels and norwich authorities
-mayor and council fortified norwich
-the rebels nobed norwich but cannons were too far to cause damage
-rebels offered truce and council refused
what happened when the rebels attacked norwich
-captured mayor
-stayed in household heath maintaining stronghold overlooking the city
why was the gov weak before northahmpton intervention and what happened when northampton arrived in norwich
WEAK
-norwich overrun by rebels
-rebels refused pardon
-somerset had limited forces available due to other unrest in england
NORTHAMPTON ARRIVES IN NORWICH
-30th July arrived with an army including italian mercenaries (angered rebels)
-31st July marquess of northampton declares a pardon for those who surrendered (only 20 accepted)
-gentry fled so norwich remained under control of rebels for next 3 weeks
why was earl of warwick sent to deal with the rebeliion and what was his initial strategy
WHY
-horthamptons failure humiliated the gov
-somerset needed stronger military
-warwich was an experienced army commander
INITIAL STRATEGY
-arrived with 12,000 men to begin negotiations
-pardons offered to all but kett (rebels refused)
-rebels raided weapon carts capturing guns and using them against warwicks forces
what challenges did warwick face in norwich
-rebels used guerrilla warfare- set fire and ambushes in narrow streets (warwics forces trained for open feild battles)
what event shifted in warwicks favour
-1,000 mercenaries arrived
-cut off rebel supply lines weakening ketts leadership
-kett abandoned mousehold heath (lost rebels strong defensive position)
events of the battle of Dussindale
-warwick made final offer for rebels to surrender but they refused
-rebels fired warning shots prompting warwick to attack
-up to 3,000 rebels were killed and Kett was captured (then executed for treason, despite delays)
what were the rebels main demands in their petition
-ECONOMIC AND LAND BASED DEMANDS
-opposed practice of foldcourse (landowners grazing sheep on common lands)
-complained of rising rents and said gentry exploited tenants
-wanted better trestment for the poor
-SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEMANDS
-end corrupt officials (e.g escheators and feodaries)
-wanted local officials to be elected by the people
-some demands referenced henry vii’s reign (suggesting a return to fairer gov)
how did rebels view religion and the clergy
RELIGION
-Pro-protestant
-used 1549 book of common prayer in daily services at mousehold heath
CLERGY
-demanded better educated clergy
-panted parishes or local lords to have a say in appointing priests
-thought some clergy were corrupt and neglected their duties
were the rebels trying to overthrow the gov
LOYAL TO KING
-didnt seek to overthrow tudor hierarchy
-used respectful language in petition
RESENTED GENTRY
-wanted gentry to stop exploiting commoners but not remove entirely
RADICAL ELEMENTS
-demand for elected local officials was radical
-wanted a new model for local gov
what factors made kett’s rebellion a serious threat and expossed weaknesses in somersets gov
-huge uprising (16,000 rebels)
-strategic positioning of camp at mousehold heath and additional camps across east anglia
-gov resources were limited due to other uprisings at the time (e.g western uprising), forcing someset to divide his forces
arrest of duke of norfolk left a hole in the leadership, allowing rebellion to gain momentum
how were the rebels organised and what role did local authorities play in supporting them (extent of threat)
-well organised, sustained a large camp for 6 weeks
-ketts adopted same writs and comisiions as the central gov, making their gov model seem more legitimate
-local administrators cooperated by sending funds ad recognised mousehold heath as the new centre of administration
how did ketts rebellion threaten social stability AND what was the gov’s eventual response
THREAT TO SOCIAL STABILITY
-challenged local gentry’s traditional authority and disrupted established local governance
-posed a serious threat as rebels felt condoned by somerset and gained alot of public sympathy during a time when france declared war (retrained gov resources)
RESPONSE
-delayed and initrially weak response eventually led to the stronger force under earl of warwick that crushed the rebellion
-
what was robert kett’s role in the 1549 rebellion and what were his key leadership qualities and mistakes
WHO WAS HE
-a landowner from an emerging group of yeomen and artisans
-rallied local support as he was prosperous and respected for a farmer
LEADERSHIP AND TACTICS
-openly admitted to illegal eclosures and ordered the destruction of his own fences (aligning himself with rebels against corrupt gentry)
-had a 16,000 strong force at mousehold heath
-set up a court of justice (the ‘oak of reformation) and used gov like writs and commissions to model effective local administration
MISTAKES
-lacked military experience so made tactical errors
- in the feat of the earl of warwick’s army he moved from the defensible mousehold heath to open fields of dunnisdale
-exposed the rebels to cavalry attacks causing their defeat
duke of somersets governing style during the rebellion
-ruled in dictorial manner, bypassing concil and relied on trusted friends and advisors (e.g william padgett)
-controlled access to the young king
-anti-enclosure policies portrayed him as a friend of the commons (but his actions alienated the landed elites)
how did somersets policies impact the rebellion
-many saw anti-encosure policies as a support for their cause
-mixed messages- offered a pardon but also resorted to military force (undermined authority and worsened situation)
-OFFER OF PARDON REJECTED BY THE REBELS as they dudnt see themselves as rebels
who was earl of warwick and why was he chosen to supress the rebellion
WHO
-experienced military commander who had served in henry viii’s wars with scotland and france
WHY
-had local ties as owned the manor of wymondham
-had military expertise
how did warwick eventually defeat the rebellion
-ordered gates of norwich to be shut and his army with german mercenaries would breach the cities defences
-cut off rebel supply lines, forcing kett to move his camp from mousehold heath to dussindale
-had decisive cavalry and atillery in the attack of dussindale (led to collapse of rebels and 3,000 rebebl deaths)
what were the overall outcomes of the roles played by KETT, SOMERSET AND WARWICK
KETT
-tactically inexperienced
-made the move to dussindale
-led to rebels downfall
SOMERSET
-contradictory policies and negotiations encouraged rebels
-failed to control invasion leading to his political downfall
WARWICK
-effective military strategy crushed rebels
-replaced somerset as the lord protector
