The Impact of Henrican Religeous Changes 1533-37

Question 1

What time period in Henry the 8ths reign did the Church undergo the most changes?

Answer 1

1533-37

Question 2

What areas were reformist ideas most prevalent?

Answer 2

London and the South East

Question 3

What areas were traditional Catholic beliefs and practices still prevalent?

Answer 3

The more remote areas such as the south west and the North.

Question 4

What did Henry appoint Cromwell as in 1535?

Answer 4

Vicergent in spirituals

Question 5

What did being vicegerent in spirituals mean?

Answer 5

Despite not being a member of the clergy, Cromwell now had the power to alter church doctrine. He also appointed new bishops who supported his views and allowed Cromwell to launch a propaganda campaign in support of the supremacy through preaching in churches.

Question 6

What is an example of a Bishop appointed by Cromwell who shared his views?

Answer 6

Hugh Latimer

Question 7

How was preaching controlled after the break with Rome?

Answer 7

Through government licences and clergy were ordered to give sermons against the Pope and in support of Henry’s marriage to Ann Boleyn

Question 8

What letters were sent in April 1535?

Answer 8

Royal letters sent to all bishops, nobility and JPs ordering them to imprison clergy men who continued to preach in support of the Pope’s supremacy?

Question 9

What does Eucharist mean?

Answer 9

Sometimes known as holy communion, this is a sacrament performed by Christians of which the interpretation of the importance differs.

Question 10

What does sacrament mean for both Catholics and protestants?

Answer 10

A ceremony which is seen as God’s forgiveness of sinners. For Catholic, there are seven: eucharist, baptism, conformation, penance, marriage, ordination and extreme unction. For Protestants, there are 3: eucharist, baptism and penance.

Question 11

What year was the Act of 10 articles?

Answer 11

1536

Question 12

What was the Act of 10 articles?

Answer 12

The first attempt to define the doctrine of the new English church. These were mostly the same as Catholic belief but the sacraments decreased from 7 to 3 and the article on the eucarist was deliberately ambiguous in language.

Question 13

What injunctions did Cromwell set to the English clergy in 1536?

Answer 13

As vicergent, he attacked traditional practices such as: pilgrimages, relics and idols, worship of saints.

Question 14

What days did Cromwell band in 1536?

Answer 14

Holy days, which has been times where the whole community would stop work to join the celebrations.

Question 15

Who was Sir Richard Rich?

Answer 15

A lawyer who helped gather evidence in the trials of both More and Fisher which had helped to secure their convictions. These were people who had refused to support Henry’s marriage to Anne Bolyen. He helped Cromwell with the organisation of the dissolution of the monasteries and was appointed the Head of the court of argumentation. He used his position to enrich himself and was granted or purchased extensive monastic lands in Essex. This all made him a particular target for the rebels in 1536.

Question 16

What was the court of augmentations?

Answer 16

A financial court set up by Cromwell to manage revenues from dissolved monasteries. Sir Richard Rich was the Head.

Question 17

What did the break with Rome change with the succession?

Answer 17

Princess Mary was declared illegitimate.

Question 18

Why did parliamentary legislation make it possible for Henry to say the break with Rome was legal?

Answer 18

Because he could claim it had the support of the English people.

Question 19

What was the 1534 treason act?

Answer 19

It made it possible to execute anyone who failed to swear the oath of supremacy as traitors.

Question 20

Who are 2 people that were executed for being opponents of the supremacy in 1535?

Answer 20

Sir Thomas More who had once been Henry’s chancellor and Sir John Fisher the Bishop of Rochester.

Question 21

Who were some members of a conservative faction that emerged in court who wanted to see the restoration of Catholicsim?

Answer 21

Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Derby, Earl of Northumberland. Not all of these ended up rebelling.

Question 22

What are 2 examples or monastic orders?

Answer 22

Benedictine and cistercians. They followed rules of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Question 23

What did monks and nuns do?

Answer 23

Their roles were seen as vocations (a call from God.) They prayed for the souls of the dead to shorten their time in purgatory, they performed good works and were a particularly important part of life in socially and economically deprived parts of England where they provided support for the sick and elderly.

Question 24

What roles apart from religious did monasteries have?

Answer 24

They were important centres of education and learning as before the introduction of the printing press in the late 15th centuary they were usually responsible for copying and preservation of books and texts. They were local employers and landlords as many farmers leased their land from them and they employed both unskilled agricultural labourers ans skilled craftmen. This lead them to being held in great respect.

Question 25

By the 1530s how many religious houses were there in England?

Answer 25

900

Question 26

By the 1530s how many people held religious orders?

Answer 26

Around 12,000

Question 27

Why were the monasteries held in so high respects in the North?

Answer 27

The North had been badly hit by social and economic hardship and the monasteries offered a lifeline to communities in time of need.

Question 28

Why did Monks owe their alligence to Rome and why was this a threat for Henry?

Answer 28

The monastic orders were controlled by foreign Catholic orders in France, Spain or Italy.

Question 29

Why were reformers like Cromwell ideologically opposed to the monasteries?

Answer 29

They represented the wealth and corruption of the church. They were felt to be promoting what reformers believed was the superstitious belief in purgatory.

Question 30

What was the main driving force behind the dissolution of the monasteries for Henry?

Answer 30

They were very wealthy and held great landed estates, some estimate that they held upto a third of land in England. Henry feared the threat of a Catholic invasion such as from France or Spain. Therefore dissolving the monasteries would give him a valuable source of income which he could use to defend England and reward his supporters.

Question 31

When did the dissolution of smaller monasteries begin?

Answer 31

1535

Question 32

What was the Valor Ecclesiasiaticus?

Answer 32

It surveyed all church property and revealed to Henry the wealth of the monasteries. This was used to begin the dissolution of the smaller monasteries by being used as evidence for Cromwells 1536 act of Parliment which authorised the dissolution of smaller monasteries worth less then £200 per annum.

Question 33

Between 1536 and 1547 how much did the dissolution of the monasteries raise?

Answer 33

£1.3 million

Question 34

What was Valor Ecclesiastis followed by?

Answer 34

Visitations undertaken by commisioners whose job was to find evidence of corruption.

Question 35

How were the monasteries dissolved?

Answer 35

The buildings were destroyed, lead was stripped from roofs and stained glass and images were smashed. This lead people to believe that there Parish churches were also under threat such as happened at Louth.