What was the roles of Kett, the Duke of Somerset and the Earl of Warwick

Question 1

Who was Robert Kett?

Answer 1

• Member of artisans and farmers - often literate, involved in local govt and respected by local community.
• Prosperous enough to avoid the socio-economic hardships of the late 1540s by purchasing land. Not A gentry but still placed in the group targeted in the rebels complaints of landlords who enclosed their land.
• Kett instead chose to support the rebels against the local landowners, despite Sir Flowerdew blaming Kett.

Question 2

How was Kett’s leadership important because of how he organised and ran the rebellion (Tactics)

Answer 2

• Position of leadership in local community and charismatic personality meant rebels listened to them and he gained a 16k army support.
• nsisted on good order within the rebel camps and behaving peacefully; most obeyed and outbreaks of physical violence were a result of govt provocation (Marquess of Northamptom).
• Established a Court of Justice at Mousehold, under a tree called the Oak of Reformation = trialled captured gentry enemies to show and embarrass central govt that local govt could be run effectively and fairly, highlighting the gentry’s mismanagement of local affairs.
• Kett’s wits and commissions probably helped to persuade other local communities and officials to cooperate - if the rebels used violence and threats, they would loose sympathy of those in power to help them.
• Kett refused to call himself a rebel and didn’t accept pardons from the government.

Question 3

How did Kett’s mistakes lead to the defeat of the rebellion?

Answer 3

• Defeated Northampton easily as he underestimated the rebels - also having a strong defensive position overlooking the city.
• But, not a military man and he lacked the tactical awareness to deal with a well-trained army under the leadership of an experienced military campaigner, the Earl of Warwick.
• By Warwick cutting supply lines, Kett was forced to disband the camps (paniked) to move to Dussindale - a tactiful disaster as Mousehold hill protected the rebels from attack - so being flat meant Warwick easily used his trained calvary against the rebels.

Question 4

The Duke of Somerset’s response to the rebellion

Style of Government:

Answer 4

• Dictatorial style of rule but The Protector’s power rested on the co-operation of his supporters and his ability to control Edward VI.
• His policies played a key role in creating an atmosphere for rebellion and encouraging the rebels to believe they had government support.
• Portrayed himself as a friend of the commons - set up a special court at his home where the poor could seek justice - example of S’s disregard of tudor govt systems.
• His actions also alienated the landed elite whose support he needed (like the Earl of Warwick).

Question 5

Somerset’s negotiations with the rebels

Answer 5

• Letters between Somerset and rebel camps suggest that his actions of 1549 gave further encouragement to the rebels - despite emphasising the importance of the social order, S made sympathetic promises to the rebels.
• Likewise with the reissuing of new enclosure commissions in 1549 - the fact that commissioners appointed by the Protector were tackling the main causes of resentment sent a message of government support against the landlords.
• Promised that parliament would be pushed forward a month to meet on October 4th - his intention was so the issues could be discussed more quickly.
• Worsened the situation - upon being brought down by his enemies at Court, Somerset was accused of endangering the sociopolitical order of England.

Question 6

How did Somsert made Kett’s rebellion worse?

Answer 6

• Gave mixed signals (encouraging but also trying to end the rebellion). Kett/his followers rejected Somerset’s pardon because they didn’t see themselves as rebels - acting in line with Somerset’s own policies.
• Therefore, Somerset resorted to force but the armies were better organised after the Marquess of Northamptom burgled the first attempt to deal with the rebellion = believing that Somerset betrayed them, it hardened the rebel’s determination to resist.
• The honourable intentions based on Protestantism but disasterious results, causng Somerset’s downfall as the Council blamed him for the serious sociopolitical crisis - replaced by the Earl of Warwick.

Question 7

The Earl of Warwick’s role

His early actions

Answer 7

• Cautious.
• Understood the rebellions would pose a challenge to Somerset’s leadership (leading to his fall), so Warwick was concerned with securing his position at court despite dictating his actions as Somerset’s politically ally.
• Targeted by Hales’ enclosure commission in 1548 - Warwick had no reason to support Somerset but, like other landed elite, he was concerned about the threat to his property.
• Held an ambivalent attitude - didn’t want the rebels to succeed but didn’t desire to prop up Somerset’s position as Protector.

Question 8

Warwick’s initial failures

Answer 8

• Despite his mixed loyalties - good choice to lead the army.
• Travelled to East Anglia after news of Kett’s rebellion - particularly useful as he owned Wymondham Manor (where the troubles began) and Kett was one of Warwick’s tenants.
• Played a similar repressive role like the Duke of Norfolk in 1537 - willing to negotiate, offering a pardon to all but Kett.
• Reluctantly accepted this but they were prepared to welcome W messengers to find a peaceful settlement. But, an incident between the sides that resulted in a young boy being shot to death hardened attitudes - Kett was welcome to negotiating but dissuaded by other rebels who feared W’s intentions.

Question 9

Gates of Norwich/Local Knowledge

Why was Warwick able eventually to defeat the rebels?

Answer 9

• Ordered the gates of Norwich should be opened. When refused, he ordered his army to open fire on the main gate - able to break through the city’s defences and overrun the city, capturing and executing some rebels on the spot.
• Placed himself and his men in a dangerous position as he wasn’t a native of Norwich - allowed the rebels, who had local knowledge, to launch a counter-attack during which some of Warwick’s ammunition was captured.
• Despite this, Warwick could resist the attack - ordering his men should take an oath which bound them to remain in the city until they defeated the rebels or died.

Question 10

Army numbers

What assisted Warwick’s leadership to defeat the rebels?

Answer 10

• The arrival of Swiss mercenaries and the gradual reduction of the rebels’ supply lines, which made them desperate and made Kett make the rash decision to leave Mousehold Heath for Dussindale on Aug 26th.
• Took advantage of this by attacking the following day - following the rejection of the final offer of pardon, Norfolk’s men charged which caused the rebel frontline, including Kett, to scatter. The remaining rebels attempted to fight still - W was impressed and offered another pardon.
• Regardless, Warwick managed to turn a potentially difficult situation to his advantage and he succeeded in suppressing the rebellion.

Question 11

The extent of repression

Aftermath of Kett’s rebellion

Answer 11

• Shut down with considerable force, though government retribution was immediate in 1549, where it had been delayed in 1536.
• Warwick was prepared to hang 49 rebels captured in Norwich on sight and up to 3,000 were killed by Warwick’s army - of which only 40 men were lost.
• 28th August = ordered nine rebels to be hung, drawn and quartered at the Oak of Reformation in a symbolic act of revenge - as a deterrent, these heads were displayed on Norwich city calls and sent to local communities involved in the rebellion.
• Kett was severely punished = found guilty of treason and was originally sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered in London - sent to Norfolk to be hanged in chains on Norwich Castle and left to rot.
• Effectively stopped trouble in East Anglia.

Question 12

The extent of repression

Other methods used to suppress the rebellion

Answer 12

• Repeatedly tried to get the rebels to disperse peacefully by offering them pardons - partly inspired by Duke of Norfolk’s successes in 1536 in persuading a group of rebels to disperse.
• Somerset was aware of H’s betrayal = promised the rebels in his correspondence the pardon was genuine. Similarly, once the initial blood letting was over, Warwick restrained the local gentry from taking further revenge.
• Despite being shut down forcibly, other rebel camps set up in East Anglia were dissolved by Northampton and Warwick armies w/o violence.
• Used propaganda to persuade the rebels to rise up in revolt was against the laws of God and England. In particular, prominent clergymen (Thomas Cranmer) preached against the rebellion and the ideas encouraged by those believing in a Godly commonwealth.
• The scale, organisation and leadership of rebels’ at Mousehold Heath led to the govt’s severe response - even then, violence was a lost resort as it lacked the finance and resources to approach the rebellion in any other way.