Rebellion and Unrest

• What price rises had occurred through the Tudors dynasty?

  • Prices in 1520 were 37% higher than in 1508
  • Prices in 1530 were 69% higher than in 1508
  • The debasement of the coinage had meant that more money was put into circulation, but its value decreased, and prices rose (more money available, but not more food)
  • 50% of the population were unable to support themselves due to poverty, poor standards of living, and wages being unable to keep up with price rises
  • Grain prices rose even faster than dairy, meat, or wool prices.
• How had the numbers of poor increased through the Tudor dynasty?

  • From 1525-1551, the population rose from 2.3 million to 3 million.
  • It was a young population, meaning the dependency ratio increased, as there were more consumers but less producers.
  • The authorities perceived large groups of poor people to be threats to law and order, as many turned to crime and beggary. Lacking a police force, this catalysed the creation of the 1547 Vagrancy Act.
• How did agricultural farming change through the Tudor dynasty?

  • Much of the land being farmed was usually not fertile enough, and the lack of scientific measures, such as fertilisers, selective breeding, or crop rotation, added to these difficulties.
  • There was more incentive to turn over arable land to sheep farming as the demand for cloth grew. However, this created problems, as sheep farming required fewer labourers and encouraged enclosure.
• How did harvests change through the Tudor dynasty?

  • They failed to provide sufficient food for a subsistent economy in both 1548 and 1549.
  • The dissolution of the monasteries had removed an institution that helped the poor and enclosure added to the difficulties, lessening employment and the amount of arable land.
• How many counties saw unrest in 1549?

  25
• What was Somerset's response to the socio-economic problems?

  • Continued to debase the coinage to fund the war against Scotland, resulting in further increases to inflation.
  • Somerset ordered commissions (done by John Hales) to investigate enclosure in 1548 and 1549. Its achievements were limited as landowners stopped attempts to legislate enclosure.
  • Laymen viewed Somerset as their champion, but when his legislation failed, they took the law into their own hands, pulling down enclosures.
• When was the Western Rebellion?

  June 1549
• What was the alternate name for the Western Rebellion?

  The Prayer Book Rebellion
• Where did the Western Rebellion take place?

  Devon and Cornwall
• What were the religious causes of the Western Rebellion?

  • Objections were raised to the Prayer Book of 1549
  • In 1548, William Body was killed when he was sent to supervise the destruction of images
  • The rebels made the demands: the Six Articles be restored, Mass to be conducted in Latin and by the priest alone, the restoration of Catholic practices (holy bread, holy water, palms, ashes, images), all services in Latin, purgatory and prayers for the dead to be restored, the restoration of traditional doctrine and transubstantiation, and Reginald Pole to have a seat on the King's Council.
• What were the economic causes of the Western Rebellion?

  • Sheep and cloth tax would have had a big impact in Devon and Cornwall, where the land was not suitable for crops, so pastoral farming dominated.
  • Also considerable levels of poverty in Cornwall, which this tax would have made worse, with concerns that the tax would be extended to other animals.
• What were the events of the Western Rebellion?

  • Peasants had gathered to protest against the Act of Uniformity of 1549, which became a larger rising at Sampford Courtenay on Whit Monday.
  • This spread and rebels from Devon and Cornwall had joined forces at Crediton by the 20th June.
  • The Cornish rebels attacked and killed the gentry at St Michael's Mount and Bodmin, where they shouted 'kill the gentlemen'.
  • In Devon, rebels killed William Hellyons (a gentlemen) and attacked Trematon Castle.
• When did Kett's Rebellion take place?

  July 1549
• Where did Kett's Rebellion take place?

  East Anglia
• What were the religious causes of Kett's Rebellion?

  • Rebels demanded that priests be resident in their parishes and needed to be better educated (and removed if not able to do a good job).
  • At Mousehold Heath, they brought in preachers and used the new Prayer Book.
  • East Anglia was a key centre of Protestantism as its proximity and trade links to the Netherlands meant it received Protestant ideas.
• What were the events of Kett's Rebellion?

  • The rebellion originated as an enclosure riot in Attleborough and Wymondham in Norfolk.
  • John Flowerdew had bought the local abbey church and started to enclose its land. He attempted to turn the rebels against another landowner, Robert Kett, but Kett was able to take leadership of the rebellion.
  • He gathered 16,000 men and set up camp at Mousehold Heath.
• What were the economic causes of Kett's Rebellion?

  • There were concerns over rising rents and greedy landlords 'rack renting' (artificially raising the price of rent above inflation).
  • This was indicative of class conflict, as rents were raised to ensure landlords did not miss out on revenue due to inflation over a long lease period, but the peasants saw this practice as exploitative.
• What were the agricultural causes of Kett's Rebellion?

  • There were complaints about the enclosure of saffron ground (valuable crop grown around Saffron Walden, which it seemed the nobles were taking away from the peasants)
  • Also complaints over gentry manipulation of the foldcourse system (where gentry grazed their sheep on peasants' fallow and unsown land).
• What were the social causes of Kett's Rebellion?

  • East Anglia had a history of class conflict, and was poorly administered due to the imprisonment of the Duke of Norfolk, leaving a power vacuum in the area.
  • Complaints over gentry grazing their sheep on peasants' fallow land.
  • Requests that fishing rights to be open for all.
  • Concerns over changes to the breakdown of local government. The rebels attacked the gentry and nobles as landlords, but also criticised the running of local government, especially in roles such as the Court of Wards, and local officials such as the feodary and escheator.
• How did the government deal with the Western rebels?

  • The nobility and gentry were absent or unable to act because of the scale of unrest.
  • The government was unaware that the rebels from Sampford Courtenay had joined with the Cornish.
  • The government attempted to disperse the rebellion by offering pardons, forces were sent (but had to be diverted to disturbances in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire). It took time for a large force to arrive, with numerous battles.
  • Rebels were defeated on the 16th August, with 3000 casualties.
  • Executions without trial and the confiscation of property followed.
• How did the government deal with the rebels in Kett's Rebellion?

  • Somerset originally set out a small force under the Marquis of Northampton, but the pardon was refused and the rebels took Norwich.
  • Troops had to be sent from Scotland and mercenaries employed, so Warwick arrived with 12,000 men.
  • The rebels moved from Mousehold to Dussindale, where 3000 rebels were killed in battle.
  • Kett was tried and hanged for treason, with 119 executions following.
• When did Wyatt's Rebellion take place?

  1554
• What were the religious causes for Wyatt's Rebellion?

  • The government were keen to portray the rebellion as religious in order to claim the rebels as Protestant traitors, BUT Wyatt didn't actually portray it as religious in order to gain more support.
  • The leaders all had Protestant sympathies and no key members of the plot were Catholic.
  • Maidstone and Kent were religiously radical.
  • The rebels attacked the property of Bishop Gardiner, and Wyatt had received advice from the Protestant bishop from the seat who had lost his position.
• What were the marriage causes for Wyatt's Rebellion?

  • The opposition developed as soon as the marriage was announced, with the primary aim being to marry Edward Courtenay to Princess Elizabeth.
  • Xenophobia towards the Spanish due to Philip II.
  • Fear of Spanish domination in the court, and no roles or patronage available for the English.
  • Mary would be dominated by her husband and forced to war.
  • Fear that the marriage treaty limiting Philip's powers and setting out the future of the country would not be adhered to.
• What were the economic causes for Wyatt's Rebellion?

  The cloth trade in Kent had declined, leading to a rise in unemployment.
• When was the Devise of the Succession?

  June 1553
• What did the Devise of the Succession state?

  Edward's heirs would be the son of Lady Frances Grey, then Lady Jane Grey and her heirs
• Why was it favourable for Northumberland for Lady Jane Grey to be next in line for the throne?

  Because his son (Guildford Dudley) was married to Jane Grey, so he would retain his power
• What is the timeline of the 1553 Ascension Crisis?

  • On the 6th July, Edward dies and Mary's claim to the throne is rejected
  • On the 10th July, Jane Grey is pronounced Queen despite Mary also proclaiming herself Queen
  • Mary was able to raise a large force with the help of Charles V
  • Northumberland fled to Cambridge and declared Mary Queen
  • Northumberland, Guildford Dudley, and Lady Jane Grey were all executed