society

• English society in the reign of Henry VIII - [ content of flashcards ]


  1)- structure of English society

  2)- Elites + Commoners

  3)- Regional issues

  4)- Social impact of religious upheaval

  5)- Rebellions
• Identify the 4 groups of society under Henry VIII. - [in order of authority]

  1)- Nobility - (otherwise known as the Elite)

  2)- Gentry

  3)- Yeomen/Merchants

  4)- Commoners - [Beggars/ Vagrants]
• How did Henry rely on the Elite [Nobles + Gentry]?

  - gave property/ titles to Nobles (so they could Exeter royal authority in particular areas)

  - ensured full support by executing Nobles when there was any doubt of loyalty

  - conferred Knighthoods as a sign of royal favour.
• What societal group provided Henry's Justices of the peace (JPs)?

  Gentry

  [ often undertook unpaid administration of the Crown ]
• Why did the size of the Gentry grow considerably under Henry's reign?

  - more land became available - [following the changes of the church + dissolution of the monasteries]

  - this offered the opportunity to increase the size of anded estates + lease out farming land.
• Why was there a growth in urban elites during Henry's reign?

  - towns + cities grew = numbers of merchants + skilled artisans living by trade increased.
• did the peasant/ rural communities see such change during Henry's reign?

  - NO - [ most continued living as self-sufficient peasants - their standard of living changed very little + the threat of a bad harvest stayed prominent. ]

  - YES - [royal supremacy + greater availability of land (formally belonging to the church/monasteries) some peasants acquired copyholders of land (paying rent to members of the gentry).- the change in agriculture + land availability promoted some peasant farmers to Yeoman as they received a generous income from their land.

  - there was also an increased movement from rural to urban areas, as more opportunities opened up in towns + cities.
• How did Henry control the region of Wales before + after 1536?

  - BEFORE 1536 = separate territory/ lordships

  - AFTER 1536 = 'Laws of Wales Act' of 1536 - new shire counties, representation at Westminster, + legal frameworks streamlined.
• How did Henry control the Anglo- Welsh border?

  - council of Wales + Marches lordships

  principality (location ruled by a prince) of Wales + border counties

  (i.e) Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, + Gloucestershire.

  [ cheap + local access to the law ]
• How did Henry control the Palatinates?


  - Palatinates = separate jurisdiction from rest of the country

  (i.e) Lancashire, Cheshire, + Durham

  - Durham = Bishop exercised control - changed in 1536 with an Act, resuming liberties to the Crown (but only made a slight difference!)

  - Cheshire + Lancashire = control already been returned to the Crown
• How did Henry control the Anglo-Scottish border?

  - No solution, therefore the border remained a threat to Henry

  [border was porous, lawless + remote (esp. in the winter).
• How did Henry control the Council of the North?

  - re-established as a power-base = 1536.

  [due to the Pilgrimage of Grace there was a permanent body based in York, with professional staff - had both administrative + legal functions]
• What was the main cause of the Pilgrimage of Grace

  resentment at the dissolution of the monasteries + attacks on traditional Catholic practices + parish churches.
• When was the Pilgrimage of Grace?

  1536-37
• why were huge amounts of church land transferred to the Crown?


  - increase Crown's wealth

  - help fund the Wars with France + Scotland
• Why did the crown selling off church + monastic land benefit the Gentry?

  - the land was sold off cheaply

  subsequently increasing both the size + wealth of the Gentry
• how did education suffer from the religious upheaval of the 1530's?

  loss of monasteries mean the loss of monastic schools - [these were highly regarded in local communities]
• Why was the dissolution of the monasteries so devastating for local communities?

  - monasteries played a key role in local communities

  (i.e) offering jobs, welfare services, education, + hospitals.

  - many monks + Nuns became unemployed
• What were the main causes for both the Lincolnshire Rising + the Pilgrimage of Grace?

  1)- resentment for the dissolution of the monasteries

  2)- fear for the loss of parish churches + traditional religious practices

  3)- secular motives

  (i.e) economic grievances
• What was the main reason for the fear of the loss of traditional religious practices?

  Cromwell's Injunctions of 1536
• What were the main secular motives for the rebellion?

  1)- economic grievances

  - resentment of taxation

  - tenants' grievances

  2)- Courtly conspiracy

  - supporters of Catherine of Aragon = wanted to restore princess Mary as heir.
• What did the pontefract articles demand?

  1)- RELIGIOUS = restore traditional catholic practices

  (i.e) end of protestantism, restoration of papal authority, + restoration of monasteries

  2)- REGIONAL = call for Parliament to meet at York

  3)- SPECIFIC = resentment of Cromwell

  4)- HEIR = legitimise princess Mary's claim to the throne
• Did the Pilgrimage of Grace pose a threat to Henry VIII?

  NO - it alarmed Henry but did not slow down the pace of religious change.