rebellions

• 8 reign saw lots of disorder and disobedience which authorities only just managed to keep a lid on. it also contained one majour rebellion- the POG
• the amicable grant rising 1525


  • rebellion against a new tax by wolsey intended to raise money for an invasion of france
  • he'd already collected £260,000 though a forced loan (put pressure on richer subjects in time of emergency, not always fully repaid by monarch) in 1522 and a subsidy tax had been approved by parliament as recently as 1523 was still being collected.
  • the amicable grant imposed a tax of one third of the annual revenue or goods of the clergy and laity with the poor charged proportionally less
• the amicable grant rising 1525

  • the grant was unpopulalr with clergy and gentry, usual supporters of the government, claiming they could not raise the money
  • severe resistence in warwickshire from the gentry resulted in the government exempting them
  • in april wolsey announced to the council that people would be to pay what they could afford, rather than the previous fixed rate
  • discontent came to a head when the duke of norfolk and suffolk tried to collect the grant in suffolk and essex. both were sufferinge economically throug a drop in wool price and struggling to pay the subsidy tax.
• the amicable grant rising 1525

  • 4000 cloth workers gathered in Laverham, making rebellion seem possible. unrest spread, usually loyal londoners announced they wouldn't pay.
  • the two dukes (of suffolk and essex) proved instrumental in mediating between rebel and government.
  • rebels claimed to be loyal to the crown and were reluctant to resort to violence, but felt they were being pushed into poverty
  • the dukes took these grievances to the king and persuaded him to act to prevent rebellion. 8 blamed the grant on wolsey and cancelled the tax and invasion, pardoning the rebels.
• the pilgrimage of grace 1536


  • gathered momentum in the early weeks of october 1536 and lasted until 6th december. the focus of the rebellion moved from lincolnshire to yorshire after the 11th october but there were rebel forces taking up arms across all of the north
  • the main force was the one raised by Robert Aske in yorkshire, after meeting with the lincolnshire rebels that had inspired him. aske composed the oath for all pilgrims had to swear which said: out of their love for god and his church, to preserve the king's person by expelling his privy council and heretical advisors
• the pilgrimage of grace 1536


  • 16th oct aske marched 20k rebels from howden to york. he drew up 5 main grievances in the York Articles document to presented to a crown representative.
  • the aim of the pilgrims was to pressure the government through numbers and threats, into remedying them and fixing it's policies
  • grievances :suppression of monasteries; the statute of users, stopped landowners from leaving land to heirs unless they paid tax on it; taxes on sheep and cattle after disastrous harvest; cromwell's position and power; behaviour and of bishops of lincoln and dublin
• the pilgrimage of grace 1536


  • in the first three weeks of october nine regional uprisings took place across the north of england le by nobles and gentry. these joined aske adding 30k armed men to his forces.
  • by 21st they took control of pontefract castle (major fortress in the north which lord darcy surrendered to them)
  • a royal armmy of 8000 men reached the north 27th led by duke of norfolk who followed 8s instructions to play for time. norfolk met aske and a truce was agreed where 8 wold pardon all rebel leaders, two of whome would travel to london and make their case.
• the pilgrimage of grace 1536

  • by early december the rebels finalised their demands into the 24 pontefract articles. norfolk promised a northern parliament to discuss them
  • the rebels believed 8 had listened and they'd won, however norfolk had no intention of keeping his word
  • the pilgrimage began to disperse and go home. aske met with 8 where he was treated as a hero but by january there was no sign his demands would be implemented.
  • a new rebellion launched in hull and scarborough when sir francis bigod realised 8 wouldnt keep his word but he would benefit from crumb's removal
• the pilgrimage of grace 1536


  • aske distanced himself from this plot although bigot was captured, 8 seized the opportunity to move against the pog leaders. martial law was declared and around 100 of the pilgrims, largely from the ruling class and including aske, were put on trial and found guilty of treason
  • 8 ordered that the rebel leaders' sentence was to be carried out in places they had connections. aske was taken to york where his execution took place publicly on market day to ensure a crowd, 8 allowed him to die before his body was cut down and restrung with chains as a deterrent
• was the pog a threat? noooo

  • aske had no true intention to lead an army south to overthrow 8. he intended to build support, take control of key cities and backed by the threat of force, negotite with the king
  • norfolk and henry were succesfully able to trick the rebels theyd won and bigod's rising gave him the excuse to bloody slaughter them all innit
• was the pog a threat? mayhaps


  • the leadership included gentry and nobility
  • clergy helped to organise the rebellion and provided funds to speed the mobilisation of men
  • aske's religious beliefs gave him conviction to sustain a long campaign and empathy to support and inspire the pilgrims
  • aske understood the transfer of monastic wealth to the south increased poverty in the north, spiritually and financially
  • aske provided intelligent leadership with outstanding debate and organisation skills. he organised both grievance articles
• was the pog a threat? mayhaps

  • it was akin to a religious crusade with the oath, strict discipline and organisation akin to a normal army.
  • religious grievance united the many causes because everyone was angry with the Break and Dissolution
  • at its peak there were 30-40k men with all layers of society, both rural and urban
  • the government response was slow. 8 was caught off guard by the spread and size, forcing him to play along for time.
• causes of the pog- religion


  • people in the north were traditional catholics who feared the closing of local monasteries and parish churches which were central to their way of life
  • monasteries also provided education, hospitals and charity. the loss of those things wouldve been severly felt considering the economic hardship during henry's reign
• causes of the pog- economy


  • bad weather the previous two years resulted in bad harvest
  • enclosure was causing poor farmers and labourers to suffer
• causes of the pog- politics

  • the influence of povo (low borne) crumb on 8 was angering the gentry and nobles who sought his removal
  • some were part of the aragon faction still
  • recently introduced statutes of uses (removed individuals rights to leave land to whoever and increased taxes) and feudal dues (tax on the gentry)
• causes of the pog- northern regionalism

  • people in the north felt excluded from london and unfairly represented in parliament
  • they felt looked down on by classist southerners who said "the north was the last place god made"
  • standards of living were worse in the north