English Society

• Elites

  • Rewarded loyalty with titles, executed nobles for disloyalty
  • Gentry grew, more lands bought at lower prices due to the dissolution of monasteries.
  • Gentry looked after JP's and undertook more duties for the king. Gave them more power and prestige.
  • Rise in urban elite, e.g merchants and craftsmen.
• Poverty

  • Enclosures and engrossing caused unemployment and vagrancy.
  • Population rose from 2.3 mil to 2.8 mil, not enough food to cope.
  • Bad harvests in 1520s, debasement of coinage 1526 and 1544, inflation.
  • Grain prices increased as a result, affected living standards.
  • 1536 Poor law to prevent and solve vagrancy, people whipped when found out of their parish without work.
• Pilgrimage of Grace 1536-37

  • Rebels in Yorkshire protested against closing monasteries, fears for their churches, money worries and illegal enclosures.
  • Negotiations with rebels, they agreed to disperse, then were 'pardoned'.
  • Jan 1537 Marital law declared, pilgrims rounded up and 178 executed.
  • Popular rebellions, geographically widespread.
  • No real threat though as rebels never intended to actually overthrow Henry, and he had no intention to give in either.
• Impact of the Dissolution of the Monasteries

  • Resentment from attack on monasteries and Catholic practices.
  • Gentry increased landholdings, monasteries sold and Crown lands sold to fund foreign wars.
  • Loss of monastic schools, education affected.
  • Monks and nuns made unemployed.
  • Welfare, education, hospitals all lost in communities.
• Lincolnshire Rising 1536

  • People's dislike of religious changes and desire to protect churches and economic grievances caused this.
  • Not just commoners but also nobles involved. 40,000 people involved.
  • Henry's army headed to Lincoln, leniency promised ans Pilgrimage of Grace caught Henry's attention.
• Impact of religious upheaval on society

  • More nobles, gentry became more powerful, more land etc.
  • Ireland and Wales brought under English control.
  • Commoners affected the most, lost support from Church with education and monasteries being lost.
  • Rebellions did occur, however Henry was able to control them easily.
  • Poorer members of society affected most.