western rebellion Flashcards
what are economic causes of the western rebellion?
- common people suffering from high rent increases, debasement of coinage + inflation
- 1548 - first poor harvest in 16 years
- govt intro poll tax on sheep
- but made no complaint about enclosures/rack-renting
- resentment against men of the gentry class who had profited from the sale of the church lands - now in posts of power
what are religious causes of the western rebellion?
- aims clearly expressed in 8 articles - written by clergy - all but one religious
- return of papal relics + image + chantries - abolished
- latin mass with only bread
- wanted the return of the six articles - upheld catholic services + sacraments that stated that after henry’s death could be changed by an adult king
- marched under 5 wounds of christ
- at least 2 monasteries in each county
What was the first and second spark of the rebellion?
1st spark = death of William Body in Parish of St Keverne. Body came to check that catholic images in local chuches were destroyed. Mob led by local priest attacked him.
2nd spark: second order arrived, intro the book of common prayer and English-language Bible. inspired a major local landowner, Sir Humphrey Arundell, to draw up a petition demanding the reinstatement of the old forms of worship
what was the leadership like in the western rebellion?
- Arundell - 36 - military experience - persuaded to be general of the rebel army
- fortified town of Crediton
- instead of marching towards a poorly defended London - decided to capture the largely sympathetic + strategic town of Exeter
- determined to march to London to get govt to meet demands
- marched rebels to devon to unite with Sampford rebels
- protests across Cornwall - came under Arundell - after the prayer book imposed
- overall poor leadership
what error did Arundell make?
- decided to capture Exeter before advancing to London - but Exeter did not surrender - misjudgment - unable to take advantage of London being unguarded
- his error meant that rebellion stayed confined to west country - chance to win more widespread support/join up with disturbances in other counties + then take london - lost
- seige lasted 6 weeks then lost
Why was Sommerset Slow to respond ?
Took 7 weeks to send troops:
- A power vacuum in the west country… Henry and Thomas Cromwell had purged the main local landowners, the Courtenays, 10 years earlier
- Somerset felt he could not afford to leave London + occupied with ketts as well
- Somerset may have sympathised with the rebels’ anger at the thoughtless way the religious reforms were being implemented
what was the support of the western rebellion?
- no foreign support
- had commons + some gentry (ineffective apart from those leading)
- grievances written by priests
what was the size of the western rebellion?
- by 1549 Arundell commanded a huge force of 6000 men - centered at Bodmin representing all social classes
- Exeter seige - 2k
what was the threat posed by the rebellion to the govt?
- Herbert chased rebels after the Battle of Sampford Courtenay to arresting John Bury amongst others
- Many were hanged in market towns of the county including Bath and Frome
- carew - sent when rebels arrived at Crediton - set fire to barns worsening the situation
- Battle of Fenny Bridges, rebels numbered 10,000 royals outnumbered but royalists eventually won
- Russell arrives and relieves Exeter
- Three pronged attack at Sampford Courtenay
what was the strategy of the rebellion?
- crediton (fortified town in devon)
- exeter
how organised was the rebellion?
- military detachment/ - kept order + discipline by ordering that rebels were divided into military detachments under the control of colonels
how did the rebellion end?
- Arundell (and three others) hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn.
- Exeter seige gave Lord Russell time to arrive with an army of 8,000 well armed and ruthless German mercenaries. They attacked the rebels in August 1549 and killed more than 4,000 in a general massacre. Robert Welsh and Humphrey Arundell were executed.
what was the impact of the rebellion?
Government does not make concessions to the rebels
