Henry VII-Religion, Humanism, Arts and Learning

• What were the functions of the Church?

  Entertainment through festivals, Charity through guilds and confraternities, Social Control through encouragement of good behaviour good deeds and values of community and Employment through giving opportunity to advance socially.
• How did the Church influence politics?

  The relationship between the Church and the state was Erastian (State rules Church), Popes grant favours demanded by the King. Church of England was administered through York and Canterbury under the jurisdiction of a archbishop and 17 dioceses. High political positions were monopolised by clergy men. The King used church wealth to reward churchmen he'd given high political office.
• Who were the two most powerful churchmen under Henry VII?

  Richard Fox and John Morton
• What was the result of investing in parish churches?

  Enhance the beauty of the Church, Ensure the remembrance of the Benefactor (charitable donor) and to reduce their time in purgatory.
• What was a confraternity?


  Groups of men who gathered to provide for the funeral costs of members, pay chaplains for mass, to maintain church fabric , to make donations and to socialise.
• What was a guild?


  Enormously popular, varying in size and wealth. With the wealthier being sources of local patronage and power.
• How did the Church provide entertainment?

  Church-ale festivals.
• What is another example of the Church's social role?

  Pilgrimages such as Rogation Sunday which involved walking around the parish boundaries to protect it from evil through prayer
• What the significance of Religion in people's individual lives?

  Their individual religious experiences really mattered even though religion was emphasised as a social activity. Religious independence became more important over the progression of the 15th century.
• How involved was the Church on people's everyday life?

  Church controlled how an individual thought, reasoned and behaved. By offering ways someone could acquire grace and minimise time in purgatory.
• What were the seven sacraments?

  Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing the sick, Penance, Holy orders and Eucharist
• What was the central religious experience?

  Mass, which involved priest performing Eucharist were the priest transformed (consecrated) the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ/ transubstantiation
• What was the importance of Mass?

  -Sacrifice performed by priest on behalf of the community

  -Sacred ritual in which the whole community participated

  The importance of the consecrated bread is emphasised at the feast of Corpus Christi
• By 1500 what percentage of males were monks in England?

  1%
• What were some the different monastic orders during Henry VII's reign?

  Benedictines, Cistercians and Carthusians
• How were monks recruited?

  Came from a wide range of social backgrounds, but a large proportion of monks in larger houses were drawn from the wealthier parts of society. And many monasteries recruited from their own localities.
• How did the monks live?

  Under monastic rule, in a monastery in one of the 900 communities across the country
• How were Friars funded?

  Through charitable donations and arose in the 13th century
• What were the main three orders of Friars?

  Dominicans (Black Friars), Franciscans (Grey Friars, preaching order) and Augustinians
• How were Friars recruited?

  From lower down the social scale
• What type of women filled nunneries?

  Women unsuitable for marriage. Bridgettine foundation was the exception.
• What condition were the nunneries in?

  Poor and had less prestige. Except Bridgettine foundation
• What were Lollards?

  Stressed the understanding of the Bible and it's translation into English. Being sceptical of transubstantiation and Eucharist believing the Catholic Church was corrupt
• Why were Lollard views deemed heresy?

  They denied the validity of Church doctrines
• How popular were Lollard beliefs?

  Popular late 14th-early 15th century. Became fewer in number as they lost intellectual coherence and were geographically restricted
• How widespread was anti-clericalism?


  Not very, priests retained support form laity (those who weren't priests or members of religious orders)
• What is Humanism?

  Intellectual movement with specific objectives who believed in Catholicism
• What was John Colet's involvement in Humanism?


  Saw humanist scholarly approaches as a means to reform the church from within
• What was Desiderius Erasums' involvement in Humanism?


  Sought to regenerate Christianity via an emphasis on education and rejection of some traditional church ceremonies. Friends with Thomas More
• How were schools developed in Henry's reign?

  Elementary education-'song schools'

  'Secondary' education via Grammar schools- 53 new ones 1460-1509
• How was your schooling determined?

  Geographically, the wealthy were well provided for regarding education
• When did Humanism start to influence education?

  1480s it was the beginning of a Humanist approach
• Who was responsible for supporting higher education?

  Lady Margaret Beaufort supported Cambridge university and other colleges
• What did drama during Henry's reign consist of?

  Plays during festive occasions with public celebrations that demonstrated straightforward morals and religious messages.
• What was music like during Henry's reign?

  'renaissance' from single-line chants to polyphonic choral music. Local bagpipes
• Who were the two most important composers at the time?

  Thomas Browne and Robert Fayrfax
• What are some examples of musical instruments for the wealthy?

  Shawms, sackbuts, trumpets, lutes and recorders
• What was architectural style was prominent in Henry's reign?

  Gothic perpendicular e.g Westminster Abbey
• Who established the printing press and when?

  William Caxton in 1478
• How did humanism affect printed works?

  Went from chivalric romances and adaptations of saint's lives to the works of humanist scholars which were more fashionable by 1509