Mary Flashcards
NONENTITIES
no special qualities
ACUMEN
knowledge and experience
Historians who made the case against mid tudor crisis
Loach
Tittler
Summary of mid tudor crisis
Mid tudor crisis real enough but = crises of circumstance rather than of DEEP SEATED FAULT LINES IN THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FABRIC OF THE COUNTRY”.
RELIGIOUS DISUNITY FROM THE REFORMATION HAD THE PT TO DESTABILISE REGIMES AND MONARCHY ITSELF- ( shown in EU) ENG = far more centralised and religious changes did not come from pressure below but FROM STATE ITSELF.
Government could generally rely on habitual acceptance of systems of authority and possessed the stench to smash opposition.
was Mary’s regime “sterile”
warren
NO!
Privy council was not inefficient nor was marian catholicism widely unpopular. Unproductive -lack of time.
Did not undermine the political system of king in parliament by sabotaging relationships with the political nation.
Its religious policies did not destroy unity of kingdom or compromised central authority.
positive interpretations of Mary
ERIKSON:”met the challenges”
what is the traditional view of Mary’s system of government?
privy council=centre -too large to conduct business effectively -members don’t have political ability or administrative experience -regardless they were never fully in the queen’s confidence -clashes between Catholics: Gardiner and moderates: Paget -Mary didn’t show any leadership -used her Spanish advisor too much RENARD -parliament obviously opposed her policy -ignored wide spread dislike of the Spanish marriage
what positives can be seen in Mary’s system of government?
-privy council remained at the centre of administration -kept many of the talented members of Northumberland’s council and although they were never fully in her confidence they provided the experience which was lacking -although there was a clear divide between moderates and Catholics the two cooperated and restored effective government -state affairs were handled by an inner council made up of experienced councillors -support of the clergy -the house passed everything even if there was debate
Wyatt rebellion
when
motives
jan 1554
motive/cause of the Wyatt rebellion -announcement of the marriage in jan 1554 was v unpopular- xenophobia -didn’t want catholic restoration, they were protestants however they tried to underplay this in case it isolated anyone. -rebellion started in Kent: decline of cloth, social discontent industry and economic hardship-more liable to rebel -yesterdays men, why? because they were Northumberland’s men and protestant
when was the Wyatt rebellion jan 1554 when the treaty for marriage had been finalised this was earlier than the rebels had intended also had to rebel earlier because someone-Courtney spoke to Gardiner was originally going to be spring
who was involved in the Wyatt rebellion?
where was the Wyatt rebellion?
what did the Wyatt rebels do?
-Thomas Wyatt, Sir, landowner, protestant: yesterdays men. LJG’s father. Men of the old regime. Support of the French-they don’t like the alliance. Wider make up was “good honest English men” men with something to lose-ex army men. was meant to be 4 pronged with all the counties near London.
kent
Rochester-capture the castle government sends men-they join the rebels side should have gone directly to London but loose momentum London prepares, Mary made a good speech and they lose. however they did get all the way to london before anyone stopped them
consequences of the Wyatt rebellion?
-Mary is seen as the queen with authority -no more rebellions -marriage is unpopular but it goes ahead -Elizabeth is placed in the tower. -showed loyalty to the Tudor dynasty
useful quotes for the western rebellion
Fellows: “link between the rebels religious grievances and their attack on the gentry: it was after all the gentry who gained from the reformation” Loach: “religion was clearly the main driving force” Fletcher: “people’s fears that government was deliberately destroying traditional spiritual ways and from rumours of new taxes”
useful quotes for the Kett rebellion
Fletcher: “based firmly on a mixture of social, economic and religious discontent” Heard: “the major cause of the popular unrest in 1549 was the hard economic conditions” Cornwall: “in Norfolk religion was not an issue… protestantism was firmly established among the rebels”
useful quotes for the Wyatt rebellion Fletcher: “opposition to the royal marriage”
positive historian comments
positive historians comments -Loades: “Mary’s government was not weak in any general sense of not being able to enforce its will” “gave traditional doctrines and practises a new lease of life” “followed the example of their betters and conformed” Williams: “Mary secured her main objectives” Heard: “willing to follow the religion of the legitimate monarch” “prepared to follow their social superiors”
negative historian comments
negative historians comments -Guy: “Mary will never appear creative” “lacked the fire of true counter-reformation” -Williams: “no one could pretend that the policies of Mary were popular” “one great failure: the lack of a male heir” -Loades: “protestantism gained more from persecution” “protestantism turned out to be much stronger at the grass roots”
indifference historians comments Heard: “majority of people were still undecided about religion” “neither religion had a strong hold in England”
trad interpretation of mary’s reign
Pollard and Elton -negative, no achievements, female, sterile, “stupid & bigoted” - her personality negatively impacted government -opposition in parliament -council was too big-50 or so -didn’t trust or use privy council enough-opted for Spanish advisor instead -burnings made her unpopular -Calais -unpopular marriage
what is the modern interpretation of Mary’s rule?
Loades, Titler, Whitelock -Mary achieved most of her aims; marriage, children, RC: Loades -very personal style of governing she personally directed policy driven by her faith and intelligence -privy council worked hard and cooperated -parliament didn’t stop her getting her aims-compromise : Whitelock
positive reforms Mary made her council appeared too large to do its job but actually it did revenue reform: exchequer regained dominance did a good job but could have saved more. Treasure opted for efficiency without radicalism. royal finances: raising the price of rent and custom rates the navy: developed military: recruitment methods were updated coinage: had plans for full re coinage
negatives of Mary’s reforms revenue reform: too safe more could have been done royal finances: too late only helped Eliz Coinage
Burning of heretics
-280 in 3 years- a lot but not as much as else were in europe
what were Mary’s attitudes and aims towards religious change
why was Mary urged to be cautious with her religious change?
- v passionate about RC -immediate aim was to restore papal supremacy -believed the nation supported her
- Charles V and pope wanted caution -Gardiner and other english advisors weren’t enthusiastic -nobility liked royal supremacy -they had gained land from the reformation -bulk of the population was indifferent but would follow elite
what royal proclamations did Mary make?
-suspended the 1552 act of uniformity -mass was restored
what and when was Parliament’s first act of repeal? -reversed all Edwardian legislation -there was debate but no organised resistance -doctrine restored to the 6 articles of 1536 all achieved via parliament
what happened in 1554 to the heresy bill? it failed- there was a division in parliament between paget (mod) and Gardiner (RC)
when and what was the second act of repeal?
nov 1554 royal supremacy and headship ended papal supremacy restored all religious legislation after 1529 removed heresy laws revived (in return monastic land wasn’t returned) gave crown monastic lands back
Which Earl Was intimidated into declaring for Mary and by whom?
Earl of Oxford
Household servants
When was Mary officially declared queen?
19th July London 1553
View of contemporary vs modern historians on why the succession, on a whole, was created favourably by the people of England
contemporary
people of England well disposed towards religious reform
popularity of succession = reflection regard of legitimate succession
[Haigh]
Scale of Mary popularity–> considerable devotion to catholic faith held by most english people
releasing of pent up opposition to revised prayer book + its imposition 1552 + confiscations of church goods ensured that
“religion may now be recognised as one of the elements of Mary’s appeal”
