Religious Change Flashcards
who replaced Wolsey
Thomas More
date of More’s time as Lord Chancellor
1529-32
was More a good replacement
No, he was a poor replacement for Wolsey.
More’s religious beliefs
He had strong humanist beliefs
who did More target
One of his targets was the land-owing elite. More accused them of selfishly exploiting their tenants and allowing ‘sheep to devour men’ through enclosing of land.
who did More sympathise with
More was deeply sympathetic to the plight of Catherine of Aragon and grew concerned with Henry’s treatment of her and at the king’s willingness to support those to wanted church reform as a way of obtaining his divorce, though More was critical of some aspects of the catholic church, but like other humanists, he remained convinced that reform could be achieved by steady persuasion of reformers rather than by drastic action.
what was More instrumental in
He was instrumental in the harsh persecution of reformers in 1528 and again in 1530-31 when he was Chancellor.
difference between More and Wolsey
The difference between More and Wolsey was that, whereas W had been prepared to seize opportunities and to act flexibly in the interest of his royal master, More was of high and rigid principles, especially in religious matters.
what did Henry decide to do in order to solve the great matter
Henry decided to put pressure on the pope and the clergy to get the divorce and parliament was instrumental in this. He wanted to remove the pope from the decision making process
key decision Henry took in trying to solve the great matter
Pass laws restricting papal powers by recognising that these powers resided in the crown of England. Punishments would be given out to those who opposed or acted contrary to the new arrangements. His key aim was to make the sovereign the head of all spiritual matters
pressures on the clergy and the pope - 1529
1529 - Parliament was encouraged to voice anti-clerical feelings - Cromwell began collecting evidence of abuses
pressures on the clergy and the pope - 1531
In 1531, the clergy was accused of premunire and fined. Henry forced the clergy to acknowledge him as the sole protector and supreme head of the church and a grant of £118,000 was given to him
pressures on the clergy and the pope 1532
Cromwell introduced the supplication against the ordinances in the HofC in 1532 - a petition calling on the king to deal with the abuses and corruption of the clergy. Henry later in that year demanded that the church agree to the ‘submission of the clergy’ - a document giving him the power to veto church laws and to choose bishops, even if not approved by Rome. This was designed to increase anticlerical pressure within the HofC
when was parliament summoned and till when did it exist
Parliament was summoned in 1529 and the same existed until 1536
what did Parliament do from 1529-1536
A series of Acts of Parliament were passed which defined the nature and organisation of the church in England. It established royal supremacy.
what did the laws passed by parliament stripp
It stripped away the Pope’s control and transferred power in key areas to the king. This was the Henrician Reformation as far as Henry was concerned - it was a political reformation over who controlled the church
acts of parliament passed with the break with rome
Cromwell passed a series of acts to achieve the break from Rome and establish Royal Supremacy
Act in Restraint of Appeals 1533
Act of Succession 1534
Act of Supremacy 1534
Act in Restraint of Annates 1534
Treason Act 1534
act in restraint of appeals
Passed in 1533, No appeals could be made to Rome against decisions of church courts in England. All matters, legal and religious resided with the King. Henry possessed imperial jurisdiction, which was official powers to make legal decisions and judgements, which could not be challenged by the church or any other powers. It meant that Catherine could not appeal to Rome against her marriage annulment.
act of succession 1534
Declared that Henry’s marriage to Catherine was void and vested the succession in Anne’s children, to deny Henry’s new marriage was declared treason. An oath needed to be taken to affirm an individual’s acceptance of the new marriage. Mary was made illegitimate
act of supremacy 1534
It gave legislative force to royal supremacy. It stated that ‘the king’s majesty justly and rightfully is and oweth to be the Supreme Head of the Church of England’. This act effectively accomplished the break with Rome and strengthened the legal basis for the enforcement of the Break with Rome. The king could decide its organisation, personnel and doctrine. The pope’s authority was no longer recognised in England and re-established the king’s right to control the church of England
act in restraint of annates
passed in 1534, It banned all payments to Rome, they went to the crown instead. This was designed to increase pressure on the papacy by withholding conditionally the income from the office of bishop which the papacy had traditionally enjoyed.
treason act
passed in 1534 - passed to enforce royal supremacy. It became treasonable to call Henry a heretic or an usurper. It was used against anyone who persisted in defending papal authority and opponents of royal supremacy, it brought down thomas more who was executed in 1535
role of Cromwell in the break with rome
Cromwell had masterminded the way for the parliamentary attack on the Church’s power, he set a precedent that statute law is superior to divine law
effects of the break with rome on the kings power
- Organisation - Act of Supremacy acknowledges Henry as head of the church. Treason Act made denial of royal supremacy a capital offence
- Appointments - Act against Annates laid down a system for appointing bishops without approval from Rome
- Finances - Payment of Annates, first fruits and tents transferred from pope to king
- Church Laws - Act for the submission of the clergy confirmed the king’s control over canon laws. Further laws removed the pope’s right to grant exemptions from Church Laws and restricted appeals to rome
implications of the act of supremacy
It might seem that this was a huge revelation, the pope being replaced by the king as head of the Church of England. However, medieval popes seldom had much direct involvement in day-to-day decision-making and control in England. Although the pope made appointments to senior positions such as bishoprics, it had long been accepted that the pope confirmed the choice made by the king - Henry VII and Simony. Rome was rarely appealed to for legal decisions. Monarchs in various European countries were gaining more power over the running of the Catholic Church in their territories. Henry through Acts of Parliament had declared that the Church was under his control, the changes were political and reflected the role of Henry himself in controlling the process. It can be argued that the major consequence of royal supremacy in the longer term was religious up until 1538, there were no doctrinal changes
was there always royal supremacy in England prior to the break with rome
There was always supremacy the acts simply acknowledged it. It merely recognised it and set up a legally enforceable framework
implications of the break with rome
It put Henry in charge of the day-to-day ruling. Appointed Cromwell as vicegerent - the king’s deputy in Church affairs gave him massive power. Increased use of parliament in matters of doctrine, redefined the crowns relationship not just with the church but with parliament. Church became subject to the poor of the state and kin’s authority
wolsey’s role in religious change
Wolsey was papal legate which meant that he was uniquely given leadership over church reform
condition of the church in the 1520s
Most people fully accepted Christian beliefs and remained loyal to the Catholic Church and its teaching. However, there was anti-clericalism which many people became aware of due to the advent of printing
Attempts made by Wolsey at the start of the reformation
As papal legate, Wolsey instructed English bishops to carry out their duties seriously and to order inspections of the quality of religious life in monasteries and other religious institutions. As a result, over two dozen houses were dissolved. Wolsey was also interested in promoting religious learning to improve the quality of the clergy partly funded by the closing of some monasteries. Papal permission for the monastic reforms was obtained on the condition that the money gained would be used to promote education
what did Wolsey lay plans for
the dissolution of monasteries
how did Wolsey lay plans for the dissolution of monasteries
In 1528, he drew up more plans for closing monasteries which provided a starting point for Cromwell in the next decade, he was also responsible for removing 8 unsuitable heads of monasteries from office
wolsey and religious change as cardinal
as cardinal representing the catholic church, Wolsey was strongly opposed to the spread of Protestantism in England. He encouraged Henry to take a stand against the new ideas of Martin Luther and held public burnings of Lutheran texts.
what did Henry VIII write
Henry VIII wrote a book against Luther in 1521 and was awarded the title of Defender of the Faith by the pope.
when did executions start
Protestant execution didnt start until 1530
did Wolsey’s position in the church always bring him praise
Wolseys position in the Church did not always bring him praise. To some, he embodied everything that needed changing. He had already collected a range of religious titles during his rise to power and continued adding to them during the 1520s, these were positions that attracted good income, and he became the head of one of the wealthiest monasteries in England - St Albans. His deputy acted for him, he also embodied all things wrong with the church - he had two illegitimate children and lived openly with his mistress until 1519. He attracted criticism for the twin vices of absenteeism and plurity (the holding of more than one office at a time)
weaknesses of the church
Corruption
Anti-clericalism
Decline of Monasticism
corruption
A range of offences involving corruption was associated with the church. These included pluralism (receiving the profits of more than one post) and non-residence (receiving the profits of a post but not being present to perform the duties associated with it) simony (the purchase of church office)
examples of corrupt clergyman
The best example was Wolsey, but many other clergymen were guilty especially as the crown used church offices as a way of rewarding its officials who were clergymen
anti-clericalism
This refers to a widespread feeling of dissatisfaction with the church at a local level this could include dislike of abuses in the church and clerical hypocrisy, dissatisfaction with the role of the church in political and secular matters and disagreements with the interpretations of scriptures
example or anti-clericalism
The death of Richard Hunne 1514
richard hunne
He was a Londoner who had refused to pay the fee charged by the church on the death of his child. He was sued by the church they won he sued again. He was arrested by the church and found hanged in his cell. The church was blamed for his death and 3 church officials were charged with his murder this increased anger towards the clergy and it was broadcasted by prints
decline of monasticism
The operation of religious houses was open to criticism which can be evidenced by Wolsey’s initial attempts at dissolution. Some historians argued that monasticism was a relic of a bygone age and had lost its sense of direction and that larger monasteries had become wealthy and no longer fulfilled their spiritual functions. The ease and speed with which the monasteries were dissolved is held to lend support to this argument
from when did protestant ideas begin to spread
From 1529
what did Henry do to encourage the spread of protestant ideas
Henry had encouraged criticism of the pope and the English clergy. He allowed those who demanded reform to speak openly because it suited the purpose of pressuring the pope into granting him the divorce this gave reformers influence over the future of the Church of England.
what individuals began to gain influence
There was a growing influence of sympathetic individuals such as Anne Boleyn and Cromwell which enabled reformers to develop their ideas.
how did those individuals lead to the spread of protestant ideas
Cromwell managed the campaign in Parliament, Anne drew Henry’s attention to the work of Tyndale who defended royal supremacy. She encouraged the appointment of reformers to positions of power and influence within the church. Her influence led to the appointment of Hugh Latimer as bishop and Cranmer as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532.
what happened by 1536 with the spread of Protestantism
By 1536, individuals who favoured some of Luther’s reforms were firmly established in government. In spite of Henry’s initial aversion to doctrinal reforms, they started influencing religious debate in court
preachers
Preachers like John Balle started to spread protestant teachings in London, while Cranmer encouraged similar activities in Suffolk, Essex and Kent
what further encouraged reformers
Doctrinal reforms in the later 1530s further encouraged these reformers as they echoed the king’s thought
what did Cromwell turn his attention to
In the later 1530s Cromwell turned his attention to reforming the teachings and doctrines of the Church. In 1536, as Vicar-general of the church, he worked with Archbishop Cranmer to introduce some elements of Protestant beliefs though they had to tread carefully as Henry’s beliefs were very conservative
what did Cromwell issue
Cromwell issued the 10 articles which was passed by the parliament of the church
things included in the 10 articles
It included some clear Lutheran ideas but retained strongly catholic elements.
problems with the 10 articles
In some aspects the articles were vague. For example, the dead were to be prayed for but there was no mention of purgatory. The wording of the Eucharist was Catholic but Luther’s views on salvation by faith alone were also clearly reflected.
how was the act of 10 articles enforced
They were enforced by two sets of injunctions or instructions in 1536 and 1538 which ordered the clergy to follow the articles and explain them to their congregations
what was passed in 1537
the bishops book
bible in english
year of the bishops book
1537
what did the bishops book do
It offered interpretation and advise, both the injunctions and the Bishops Book attacked the abuses and superstition that had come to be associated with the Church and encouraged protestant reformers
bible in English
In 1537, the first official translation of the Bible in English was published by Cranmer based on the work of Tyndale
what was passed in 1538
In 1538, a royal proclamation ordered that a copy of a bible in English should be placed in every parish church to be read and examined by the congregation which was very protestant.
how quick was the doctrinal changes passed
These doctrinal changes were swift and significant
what did initial doctrinal changes create
They created a climate for change that could not be easily reversed. In particular, the accessibility of the Bible to a wide range of people, each able to interpret and debate the word of God for themselves laid the foundations for the variety of religious beliefs that were to appear later on
how many religious houses were present in the early 16th century
825 and 500 were monasteries
what did monasteries offer
They offered land and employed many labourers as well as providing livelihoods for those in villages nearly.
what does dissolution provide evidence of
It provides evidence of how both monarch and parliament were able to utilise their newly declared powers in the legislation of the earlier 1530s
what did Henry’s power as head of the church mean for the monasteries
Once Henry was legally acknowledged as head of the church of England, questions about the accompanying reform of church institutions needed to be addressed and monasteries were on the list of targets.
what were monasteries
Established houses in England and Wales where people could say prayers on behalf of the souls of the living and the dead. It enjoyed a powerful reputation within the church and played an important part in local life, places of shelter and sanctuary for travellers, sources of food and education centers.
reasons why the monasteries were dissolved - decline
By the 16th century they had vanished in high regard, the number of regular clergy has declined to about 10,000 and some monasteries housed fewer than a dozen monks.
Overtime they had acquired servants to manage the day-to-day running of their houses and had accumulated wealth by spending the money they received from renting out land
what did the decline in monasticism give Henry
This decline gave Henry and Cromwell their first but not their most important reason for closing the monasteries. As head of the church, the king could order inspections of any religious establishments
what was carried out concerning monasteries
A survey was carried out on cromwell’s orders in 1535 to discover how wealthy the church was
what did Cromwell’s survey discover
it discovered that corruption and abuses were said to be common throughout the smaller monasteries of England and Wales and gave Cromwell an accurate indication of the resources which were available for the crown to plunder and gave Henry the excuse he needed to close them
how high was the level of corruption in the monasteries
In reality, the level of corruption was probably not much worse than in the clergy as a whole. However, Cromwell had instructed his commissioners to find the most damaging pieces of evidence about each institution that they visited even if it meant listening to gossip
other causes for dissolution
- Monasteries were very wealthy institutions. In 1535 Cromwell, on Henry’s instructions commissioned a survey of the property and value of monasteries, The Valor Ecclesiaticus. It revealed that these monasteries had the potential to double the crowns annual income - at a time when Henry needed money to further his ambitions abroad, seizing the assets of the monasteries was an extremely tempting prospect
- Seizure of monastic lands would also give the crown additional property to distribute as a way of buying support from the nobility and gentry at a difficult time
- Monasteries were permanent reminders of the Catholic Church. Although monks and nuns had been forced to swear an oath recognising Henry as head of the church, they were potential centres of resistance to royal supremacy
- The primary role of monasteries - to pray for the salvation of souls was not in keeping with the new protestant theology of individual faith in God. For those critics of the church who wanted genuine reform along protestant lines, the monasteries were potential centres of resistance to the royal supremacy
what approach did cromwell adopt to dissolution
Cromwell adopted a 3 part approach to ridding the country of its monastic traditions.
3-part approach adopted by Cromwell
First, he gathered evidence to show that religious houses were unfit to continue
Second, he began to dissolve the smaller monasteries
Finally he moved to abolish the rest
1534
Act of Supremacy gave Henry the power to supervise and reform all religious establishments in England
1535
Cromwell sent out commissioners to survey the value of monastic lands and properties and to produce a report - the VE and he sent out a second set of commissioners to investigate the moral and spiritual standards in the monasteries, this was the stage of amassing the evidence which would be used to justify dissolution and they provided string evidence for it
1536
Based on his commissioner’s findings, Parliament passed the Act for the dissolution of the Smaller Monasteries which closed all religious houses with lands valued at under £200 per year. This was presented as a mechanism for preserving and improving the quality of monasteries, the argument being that it was the smaller religious houses which had allowed standards to slip - new commissioners were sent out to supervise the closures which led to the pilgrimage of grace
1539
Parliament passed the Act for the Dissolution of the Larger Monasteries, extending the closures to all religious houses except chantries
1540
Court of Augmentations were established with Richard Rich as chancellor to handle the property and income from he dissolved monasteries
effects of the dissolution
within the space of 5 years, Cromwell had ended a tradition of English monasticism stretching back over 5 centuries. Historians use words like ‘vandalism’ and ‘plundering’ to describe the methods used as religious houses have their valuables confiscated and melted down including the lead from their roofs - many crumbling ruins while others were sold off to become houses for the wealthy
main beneficiaries of disso
The main beneficiaries of the dissolution were the king and the nobility. Henry’s seizure of the lands and assets of the monasteries brought him great wealth.
total value of disso
The total value of the dissolution amounted to about 10% of the entire wealth of the kingdom and this money came to Henry in one great transfer which was used to finance the kind of ambitious FP that Henry had begun.
long term financial effect of disso
In the long term, it did little to help the monarch’s financial independence as the cost of wars continued and escalated. Henry sold off monastic land to raise money, it was sold off at full market value and very little was used as patronage. More than half of the monastic lands were sold off in 1543-47, the crown lost control of these lands and the possibility of collecting taxes in the future
who else benefitted from disso
Lesser gentry who used it to establish their presence in the local community, the growing visibility of the gentry class is the most important effect of disso, because it illustrated an important change in society from the traditional ruling elite to a more widely based ruling class
Protestants also benefitted, the absence of these strongholds of catholic royals dealt a great blow to the possibility of a return to catholicism
Opposition to religious change factors
Resistance at Court
Resistance within the country
Monastic Resistance
Resistance within the clergy
why did religious change mount a feeble resistance before 1534
Religious change mounted a feeble resistance before 1534 and although they reacted more vigorously afterwards, they had left the real challenge too late - they were unclear as to where matters were heading - most assumed the break was only temporary until Henry got his annulment
features of resistance at court
More
Aragonese Faction
both tried to use their influence at court against the intensification of Protestantism
what sealed More’s fate
Cromwell rigged a trial which sealed More’s fate. According to evidence provided by Sir Richard Rich, one of Cromwell’s supporters who was to become of the Court of Aug 1540s - executed
who did those who opposed religious change hide behind at court
Before 1534, those who opposed the attacks on the church expressed their concerns by being sympathetic to Catherine of Aragon in the matter of the royal divorce - esp within the nobility and at court. This was a small group of nobles and courtiers led by Henry Courtenay and the Northern Lord Darcy and Hussey
what silenced the Aragonse faction
From 1532, the stronger presence of Anne Boleyn and her supporters at court and the growing influence of Cromwell within the council silenced the Aragonese Faction. However, they hoped that after the divorce, Mary would be the heir - Her exclusion from the succession helped to push Darcy and Hussey into supporting the P of G - executed for treason. Courtenay was associated with Pole - executed in 1539
resistance within the clergy
John Fisher had been Bishop of Rochester since 1504, he refused to swear an oath accepting the divorce - imprisoned in the tower. When the Pope declared that Fisher was to be made cardinal, Henry acted quickly and Fisher was accused of treason he was executed. Henry’s action gained support for Fisher’s cause and provided evidence for accusations that Henry acted as a tyrant when it suited him.
who acquired local fame for seeing visions
Elizabeth Barton, the Nun of Kent.
what did the nun of kent’s visions focus on
By 1528, her visions has begun to focus on the king’s marriage and she has warned of disastrous consequences if he abandoned his wife. Her threats continued and she told the king to his face that he would be dead within a month if he divorced her. Those around her were playing a political game
what happened to the nun of kents visions
By 1530, Bocking the monk who protected her developed her warnings into a wider campaign against changes in the church, the influence of humanism and the Boleyn marriage. By encouraging pilgrims and publishing books describing her visions and the warnings they contained. Letters were sent to More, Fisher and Courtenay and Hussey and monks in London who were to provide a centre of resistance to the Royal Supremacy in 1534 it was an orchestrated campaign
what was done to put down the Nun
Cromwell acted and the nun and her mentors were arrested in 1533. Liz was executed in 1534 and her group were condemned by an Act of Attainder. Her mentors had exploited her fame for several years, they attempted to coordinate a resistance movement which represented a genuine threat that no govt could afford to ignore
monastic resistance
The strongest clerical resistance to Henry came from the monastic order. While those who owned the rival monasteries dissolved after 1536 were not widely active, there were many examples of individual monks who preached against divorce, supremacy and the new heresy that came with them
who was the most significant monastic resistant
More significant and more organised was the reaction of the widely respected London monks of the Canthusian order who remained closer to the strict ideals of monasticism. In 1532 - 33 they refused to accept the divorce and in 1534 resisted government pressure to agree to a declaration against the authority of the pope. Passage of the treason act forced the Carthusians to submit - they were arrested and 18 of them were executed
what happened with resistance within the country
The government successfully contained them which suggests that resistance was both weak and minimal and neither a serious threat to the kings position
scale of resistance against religious change
Cromwell made sure that all the changes appeared legal - passed by parliament and therefore had the approval of the important people in each locality. The treason act was an attempt to discourage opposition and where necessary it was used to silence opponents. Once the process of dissolution was underway, the heads of religious houses were given generous persons and the monks a basic pension the monasteries were also dissolved slowly which also reduced the scope for any opponents to mount a united opposition to what was happening.
religious acts with dates
Act of Ten Articles 1536
First Royal Injunctions 1536
Second Royal Injunctions 1538
Great Bible 1538
Act of Six Articles 1539
Kings Book 1543
act of ten articles
Passed in 1536, only 3 sacraments - baptism, the eucharist and penance were seen as necessary for salvation (Lutheran). The definition of the Eucharist was ambiguous. Confession of sins to a priest praised (catholic), Praying to saints for forgiveness of sins was rejected (Lutheran) but praying to saints for other purposes were allowed. Salvation by faith alone is reflected in the articles, wording of the Eucharist implies transubstantiation. It was an ambiguous document which showed both the Lutheran and Catholic influences of doctrine
first royal injunctions
Passed in 1536, enforced the ten articles, clergy required to teach lay people about the 10 articles, the lords prayer and the ten commandments in English - against pilgrimages, relics and images
bishops book
Restored the other four sacraments omitted from the 10 articles but restored them to a lower status. Offered interpretation and advice and attacked superstitious and abuses. More conservative than the 10 articles
Second injunctions
Bible in English to be placed in every parish churches - removal of images from churches
great bible
edited by Cranmer distributed to every parish church
6 articles
Re-asserted catholic doctrine - denial of transubstantiation was declared heretical. A triumph for conservatives, founded on the idea that there had been too much religious controversy that undermined the good ordering of society - two reformer bishops resigned - Latimer and Shaxton
kings book
revised the bishops book emphasis placed was largely conservative but with some Lutheran hints
changes to the church structure
King becomes supreme head of the church
Cromwell appointed as Vicegereent in 1534 - second to the king - outranked bishops and archbishops - have him power over the church
continuity
Some aspects of the Church in 1547 remained unchanged.
1. Hierarchy remained intact
2. Little Attempt to alter the interior of churches and services remained largely traditional in form
3. Passing of the Act of 6 Articles in 1539 and the fall of cromwell in 1540 weakened the cause of religious reform greatly
4.. Services continued to be held in latin and music continued to be an important part of services in cathedrals
change
- The jurisdiction of the pope had been destroyed, the king was a much more visible authority figure than the pope whose grip on the church had been remarkably loose much of the time
- Many monasteries were falling to ruin and there had been a massive transfer of resources from the church to the crown through the dissolution
- Parish churches were required to keep a bible in English although many didn’t.
