Economy and rebellions

• What were the 3 main economic issues under Somerset 


  Inflation

  Agrarian Issues

  Taxation
• Why was inflation an issue For Somerset 


  Inflation at end of Henry’s reign brought reduction in real wages

  • Somerset continued policy of debasement
  • raised £537,000 but increased inflation
  • prices nearly doubled between 1547-49
  • increase in poverty- passed Vagrancy Act 1547, if able bodied person out of work for 3 days, branded with V
• why did the economy suffer from Agrarian issues under Somerset 


  Enclosure serious issue

  • 1548 set up commission to investigate it and issued proclamation against enclosure but little achieved
  • Some wealthy had folks of sheep of 10,000
  • bad for small scale and subsistence farmers
• Why did the economy suffer due to tax under Somerset 


  Money raised for war against Scotland

  • March 1549 introduced sheep tax on farmers to tax profit made
  • created great pressure on small scale farmers who relied on enclosure for livelihood
• Economic changes under Northumberland 


  Ended war with France with Treaty of Boulogne 1550

  • Treaty brought in £133,333 as payment for Boulogne
  • 1 final debasement then ended it
  • 1552 new Poor Law passed so parishes had to raise money for deserving poor
  • introduced legislation against enclosure and ended commission
• When was the Western Rebellion

  20th June till 17th August 1549
• social causes of western rebellion 


  Enclosure affected people of Cornwall as they’d lost their right to common land

  • destruction of Glasney College, a chantry church, brought an end to formal scholarship and Cornish language
• Economic causes of western rebellion 


  Inflation 1547-49 caused wheat prices to quadruple

  • resentment to enclosure commission 1548 Labourers resented sheep tax March 1549
• religious causes of western rebellion

  Resentment to Book of Common Prayer 1549 in strongly catholic area of Devon and Cornwall

  • 1549 Act of Uniformity made it unlawful to use Latin rites
  • religious change being made too quickly
• What were the key events of the Western rebellion

  20 June- 2 rebel groups converge at Credition (around 7000 rebels)

  2 July- rebels besiege Exeter

  4 August- rebels defeated at Clyde Heath by Lord Russel

  17 August- final defeat at Sampford Courtney
• When was Ketts Rebellion and where was it 


  8 July till 27 August 1549

  East Anglia
• What were the reasons for Ketts rebellion 


  More social grievances than Western rebellion as confiscated services according to the Book of Common Prayer

  • reaentment of abuse by landowners of the Norfolk fold course system(could graze sheep on enclosed common land)
  • frustration of maladministration locally of the Howards
• What were the key events of Ketts rebellion

  8 July- tearing down hedges near Wymenham with total of 16,000 rebels

  21 July- rebels firing on Norwich, captured it 22nd

  1 August- failure of Earl of Northumberland to recapture Norwich

  27 August- rebels defeated by Northumberland

  December 1549- Kett convicted of treason and hanged
• What were Mary’s economic issues 


  Inflation from debasement due to war with France 1557

  • food shortages from 1555-56 Harvey failures
  • sweating sickness 1557-58
• Economic policies under Mary 


  Some of Northumberland’s reforms implemented 1554 by Walter Mildway

  • plans of resonate drawn up 1556-58 which ensured long term security of finances
  • Book of Rates 1558 raised customs revenue
  • enforced laws against grain borders in 1555 Poor Act
• When was Wyatt’s Rebellion 


  January 1554 but had been planned since November 1553, plans leaked in January
• What caused Wyatt’s rebellion

  Protestant supporters from Maidenstone

  • decline in cloth trade
  • resentment of Spanish marriage, marriage Treaty January 1554, supposed to limit Spanish influence
• Who led the Wyatts rebellion in Kent 


  Sir Thomas Wyatt on 26 January with 3000 supporters
• why did Wyatts rebellion fail 


  Got close to London and outmanovered Duke of Norfolk but defeated by royal forces 12 February

  • Wyatt arrested and executed April 1554
• What was the significance of Wyatt’s rebellion

  • showed suspicion of Spanish marriage
  • Protestants couldn’t be ignored
  • Elizabeth put in tower 9 Feb
  • Lady Jane Grey executed 12 February 1554
• What trading company did Elizabeth set up in 1555

  The Muscovy Company to trade with Northern Europe but couldn’t compete with Dutch
• Why did the cloth trade decline under Mary and Elizabeth 


  In 1550s cloth trade with Antwerp declined due to major move of trade to Amsterdam
• How did Elizabeth stabilise the currency 


  Withdrew debased coins and replaced with soundly minted coins

  didnt reality back to debasement
• Economic and social issues under Elizabeth

  • High mortality rate, high tax and cuts in real wages caused social instability
  • Cecil concerned for law and order due to increasing homeless and unemployed
  • deserving poor got limited assistance
  • Poor Law 1563 made it criminal offence to refuse to pay for poor relief