Tudors Chapter 5 - Kett's Rebellion Flashcards
Outline how the position of monarchs contributed to the Mid-Tudor Crisis pre-1549.
H8 old and weak towards end of reign 1546.
E6 only 9 y/o 1547.
Somerset inept and disliked.
E6 wants a Calvinist church.
What were the economic hardships of the Mid-Tudor crisis?
1/3 population impoverished.
Many bad harvests.
No welfare system due to dissolution of monasteries.
1540-60, prices doubled but wages halved.
Outline the social hardships of the Mid-Tudor Crisis.
Increased vagrancy: 1547 Vagabonds Act - govt. unable to provide real welfare.
1525-51, population 2.3m to 3m.
What were the four key disliked agricultural practices?
-Enclosure - landlords take areas of common land.
-Engrossing - joining multiple farms together and evicting occupants.
-Rack-renting - landlords rapidly increase rents.
-Foldcourse - landlords take over tenants’ lands.
Outline the sheep farming crisis in East Anglia.
Cloth trade meant sheep farming dominated in EA so greater food shortages.
Sir William Fermour had 17,000 sheep.
1533 Sheep and Farms Act: tried to limit number of sheep per farmer to 2,400.
1549 Sheep Tax: tried to restrict flock sizes.
Which notable thinkers blames enclosure for all socioeconomic hardships?
Thomas More and John Hales
When did Wolsey issue inquiries on illegal enclosures?
1517
Who were the Commonwealth-Men and how do historians disagree on them?
Group of men who advocated for social reform though didn’t want total equality.
RH Tawney feels they were a cohesive group.
GR Elton feels they were largely disparate.
What were the Commonwealth-Men wrong about?
They blamed enclosure for growing poverty.
Actual cause was population increase.
Why was Somerset perceived as the ‘Good Duke’ by the commons?
After John Hales’ failed inquiries on enclosure 1548, Somerset ordered the ploughing up of illegal enclosures - Norfolk lands affected.
April 1549, illegal commissions made to destroy illegal enclosures.
Somerset now alienated from nobles and gentry (first line of local defence).
What was 1549 known as? Give an example.
The ‘Year of Rebellions’ - Western Rising caused 4,000 deaths.
Outline the timeline of Kett becoming involved in rebellion.
-1 July 1549: Somerset meets with local landlords at Windsor - commoners feared rumours they were to be punished.
-6 July: Sir John Flowerdew’s fences (Wymondham) attacked - he typified gentry corruption.
-Flowerdew tries to set rebels on Kett, another landlord, but Kett sides with commons and orders destruction of own fences.
How big was Norwich and how was land distributed?
Second largest city in England.
60% of land owned by just 6% of population.
Outline events of the rising 12 July to 22 July.
-12 July: rebels march to Norwich and set camp at Mousehold Heath.
-Commoners destroyed more enclosures around Norwich, with other camps such as Bury St. Edmunds set up.
-21 July: Gov.t message reaches Norwich; rebels offered pardon; outraged and fire a failed cannon.
-22 July: Council refuses truce; rebels capture mayor of Norwich and retreat to camp.
Outline role of Marquess of Northampton during Kett’s Rebellion.
-30 July: arrives in Norwich with Italian mercenaries.
-31 July: offers pardon but only 20 surrender. Northampton flees Norwich when rebels attack again.
Outline how the rebellion ended in August.
-23 August: Warwick arrives with 12,000 army. Offers pardons which were denied.
-Guerrilla warfare breaks out between rebels and Warwick.
-Rebels move to Dussindale (bad move).
-27 August: Warwick’s final negotiation attempts denied - Warwick launches proper attack - Kett captured and 3,000 killed.
When was Kett executed?
7 December 1549
What shows Kett’s Rebellion was caused by economy?
-Agrarian discontent (enclosure, foldcourse, etc.)
-18 of 29 grievances were economic concern.
-Flowerdew attacked due to enclosure.
-Somerset’s 1549 commissions branded him the ‘Good Duke’.
What shows Kett’s Rebellion was caused by politics?
-Norfolk was in prison so there was a local power vacuum.
-Kett wanted to remove corrupt local gentry in government, hence his dispensing of justice under Oak of Reformation.
-Lord Sheffield beaten to death 31 July.
-Wanted democracy.
-Maintained loyalties to royal government throughout.
What shows Kett’s Rebellion was caused by religion?
-They were sympathetic to Somerset’s Protestantism, but had concerns over corrupt/poorly-educated clergymen.
-Followed 1549 Book of Common Prayer.
How did the aims of Kett’s Rebellion make it a threat?
-Well-organised with clear demands.
-Genuinely believed Somerset condoned their actions, hence their outrage following offers of pardons.
How did the aims of Kett’s Rebellion make it not a threat?
-Focused on local government and thus didn’t want to remove anyone from central government.
-Ingrained belief in GCoB so didn’t want to tear down hierarchy.
-Grievances were largely socioeconomic, not political - just wanted enclosure to end.
How did the support of Kett’s Rebellion make it a threat?
-Multiple camps around EA (Bury St. Edmunds) overwhelmed gentry.
-16,000 rebels involved.
-Norfolk imprisoned = local power vacuum.
-Norwich = second largest city in London.
Why did the support of Kett’s Rebellion not make it a threat?
-Lacked any gentry/noble support.
-Kett made a mistake in moving to Dussindale.
-Rebels easily defeated when competent army under Warwick attacked.
How far did Kett’s Rebellion instil fears in government?
-Repression was ferocious, with 49 rebels immediately hanged in Norwich.
-Further 9 rebels hung drawn and quartered at Oak of Reformation.
-Heads displayed on city walls.
-Kett paraded around London before being hanged in Norwich.
-Propaganda branded rebels as heretics.
Outline the character of Robert Kett.
-‘Middling sort’ tanner.
-Charismatic idealist who wanted social justice.
-Justice under Oak of Reformation an attempt to display efficacy of local govt.
-Lacked tactical awareness to defeat Warwick.
What did Fletcher and MacCulloch say about Norwich during Kett’s Rebellion?
“The instability of Norwich society at a time of economic readjustment helps to explain the ease with which Kett took control of the city.”
What did ML Bush say about the aims of Kett’s Rebellion?
“If anything the aim was to aid the government against the aristocracy.”
How did John Guy describe Kett’s Rebellion?
“the closest thing Tudor England saw to a class war”
