The relationship between state and the Church Flashcards
What was the organisation of parliament like?
Parliament had two chambers, the unelected House of Lords where hereditary peers and bishops sat, and the House of Commons which was filled with elected MPs. Two MPs were elected to represent each county. To vote you needed to own income and generate more than 40 shillings per year. While parliament was usually on the same side as the monarch this did not mean that it could always be relied on to do what the monarch wanted, and as the century progressed the Commons became more confident and needed more careful managing.
Analyse and evaluate the organisation of parliament?
The organisation of parliament remained the same throughout the whole of the Tudor era. There was no real change or reformation to the parliamentary system, just to the power and importance of that system.
What was parliament under Henry VII like?
Most monarchs were forced to call parliamentary sessions periodically in the need to grant taxes to fund wars for the defence of the country. Henry called parliament increasingly less as his reign progressed. In total he summoned parliament 7 times over his 24 year reign. Long gaps between parliamentary sessions were not uncommon. Each parliamentary session needed for a grant of taxation passed without argument, except in 1504 when Henry had to take less money than requested due to a contest with the Commons. No tudor monarch was ever refused taxation.
Analyse and evaluate parliament under Henry VII?
There was no change with regards to parliament under Henry VII the only notable piece of evaluation is how Henry was crowned on the 30 October and then called his first parliament on the 7 November, this shows how Henry wanted parliament to acknowledge him as monarch but no more than that. They did pass Acts of Attainder, convicting Henry’s enemies. Henry’s descendants would use parliament to give legal status to the Tudor succession.
What did the early parliaments of Henry VIII (1509-29) consist of/ look like?
How many times did they meet and why?
Why did things change in 1529?
Parliament met four times in the early years of Henry VIII mainly to grant taxation for Henry VIII’s wars with France. Henry made progress and therefore taxation was easy but then all the gains made were lost and raising taxations were met with stubborn silence. Relations between the king and parliament remained harmonious. This was to change dramatically from 1529, this is because it was the beginning of Henry’s attempt to use parliament to get an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
Analyse and evaluate The early parliaments of Henry VIII (1509-29)
The early parliaments were much of the same status as previous parliaments, and they were called for the same reasons. There was no real change until Henry began the proceedings for the annulment with his Queen and the break with Rome.
What was the role of the Tudor Church before 1529?
The Church influenced every aspect of ordinary people’s lives. From baptism at birth; then to holy communion; next is confirmation. The Church performed marriages, annulments and funerals as well as giving alms, helping the sick and vulnerable and teaching the lay people’s children. Not to mention all festive celebrations originated from the catholic faith such as: Easter, Christmas, Saint’s day celebrations The role of the
Church was vital in the community as it provided hospital care, some form of education, a connection with God as well as a place for social gatherings.
Another role of the church was that of a route to power. The Church offered a route for boys to excel, teaching them to read and write; if they were intelligent enough they could gain themselves a place at one of the two universities in England. Oxford and Cambridge. Despite some coming from a lowly background (Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell)
Analyse and evaluate role of the Tudor Church before 1529
How did the role of the Church change?
Change s
- With the closing down of many monasteries, the function of hospitality and caring of the sick no longer was the role of the Church. Nothing really replaced this role although more hospitals were commissioned they were not as available and widely spread as the churches were
- The Catholic church also lost lots of power and authority, also its monopoly over education was greatly reduced. Under protestantism the mass and the bible were in the vernacular meaning more people had the opportunity to read the bible and interpret for themselves.
- The Catholic Church also lost, to a certain extent, the route to power as that was now in the hands of the Protestant.
What are key teaching of the Church?
The Church taught that heaven, hell and purgatory were real places and the soul could achieve salvation through certain ways. These included: confessing their sins to priests; performing good deeds; going on pilgrimages and praying to saints. Another vital aspect was to go to mass which was remembering Jesus’ sacrifice and eating/drinking the body and blood of Christ through transubstantiation.
Analyse and evaluate how the Churches teachings changed.
The teachings also changed drastically with the introduction of Protestantism. Some such changes were that transubstantiation did not occur and the bread and wine were just symbols of the last supper. You only needed to perform 3 sacraments to achieve salvation rather than 7. The mass and bible in the vernacular, priests wear plain clothings - no fancy vestments - and reforms on prayer books, crucifixes and the hierarchy of the church. Also people could now get divorced without needing an annulment.
What were the relations between Tudor Church and state before 1529?
What was the relationship between the Church and Henry VII and his son Henry VIII?
- The relationship was often harmonious with Henry VIII being called the defender of faith by the Pope prior to the split.
- Tensions could arise over the power and privilege of the Church, especially considering they were the biggest landowners in England. Particularly over Church right’s such as Sanctuary and the benefit of the clergy.
- Ability of the Pope to interfere caused further tensions.
- The divine right to rule gave monarch power through the Church
- Henry VII tried to uphold the traditional privileges of the Church, except when they seem to threaten his power.
- Henry VII had good relationship with Pope
- Henry VIII followed suit for the first 20 years of his reign although there were occasional flashpoints (Hunne 1515)
Besides this, state-Church relations remained cordial. - Henry VIII wrote a book on the defence of the seven sacraments, opposing Martin Luther’s reforms.
Wosley was an example of the good relations with the Pope, becoming a cardinal and papal legate in 1515 making him one of the most powerful men in the European Catholic Church. His eventual fall, and death, led to the drastic change of state-Church relations.
Analyse and evaluate the relations between Tudor Church and state before 1529
The relationship between the state and the Catholic Church was harmonious and this was the case from 1485-1529, which is when the break with Rome occurs. However, up until this point the relations between state and Church were very traditional and mundane, there were no reforms and things appeared to be the same as they had been for centuries prior.
Who opposed the Church and why?
Humanists opposed how corrupt and wealthy the Church had become, referencing the Bible and how priests were supposed to be poor and care for all instead of take money and be violent towards beggars ect. They criticised the corruption in the Church and indulgences.
Background to the 1534 Act of Supremacy.
Henry VIII wanted to annul his marriage with Catherine of Aragon after 18 years of marriage as she had produced one female heir and was past child bearing age. The Pope was under control by Catherine’s nephew and therefore refused the annulment which angered Henry and led to the fall of Wolsey. However, Thomas Cromwell rose through the ranks and offered the solution, a break from Rome. This led to the 1534 Act of Supremacy.
Cromwell used anticlerical feelings and previous acts such as Acts of Annates (which put a stop to the payments to Rome) for legislation such as the Act of Supremacy, Succession and Treason Acts.
Was the Act of Supremacy a turning point?
The Act was a turning point in the relationship between Church and state as now the clergy’s first allegiance was to the monarch (Henry) rather than the pope. All clergy were forced to take an oath to the king. It also created the role of Vicegerent in Spirituals (held first by Cromwell), which put him in charge of all spiritual matters, despite not being a member of the clergy. Traditional privileges that the Church held such as sanctuary were abolished.
