The Dissolution of the Monasteries
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- Created on: 06-04-14 16:37
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- The Dissolution of the Monasteries, 1535-41
- Reasons
- Henry claimed they were dissolved due to corruption. Commissioners visited, wrote bad reports: 'comperta', to Cromwell
- Government said corrupts monasteries have better use as schools/hospitals etc, many reformers inc. Commonwealth men agreed
- Actually, H wanted their wealth + Cromwell/reformers hated monasticism
- Two stages: smaller/weaker M's on basis of corruption, then larger M's which 'had volunteered themselves'
- Cromwell's propaganda= successful + political ppl had few concerns due to land coming on market
- H lacked £ so sold most lands+goods instead of increasing royal income in long term
- H wanted to be seen as exercising his position
- Cromwell against monasticism-seeing them as dens of superstition + pro-Papal ideas
- Government worried about opposition, M's thought to be centres of disaffection
- Enforcement of dissolution
- Cromwell= architect
- 1st set of Commissioners drew up Valor Ecclesiasticus, list of wealth+property of M's
- 2nd set drew up Comperta, supposed evidence of abuses etc of M's, led to first Act of Dissolution 1535
- This Act dissolved only small M's w/12 or less inmates, claimed only small M's were corrupt
- By implication, larger M's = good as Act said monks would bet transferred to larger ones to improve their ways
- Difficult to oppose Act in Parliament as Cromwell had evidence + full dissolution not attempted
- Cromwell claimed King loved M's and wanted to purify them
- Second Act 1539 introduced after Cromwell's men bullied heads of larger M's to 'volunteer' to dissolve
- Cromwell= architect
- Successful dissolution as M's in weak position
- Most= isolated + unarmed, little chance of rebellion
- Some persuaded they were going to be colleges/hospitals
- Most unaware, told if they paid fine, they'd be spared
- Government had key strengths
- Propaganda stressed not all M's dissolved, only purification
- Landowners in Parliament etc could acquire new land etc, which usually = static
- Abbots offered pensions, monks/nuns given compensation
- 3 abbots (Colchester, Reading + Glastonbury) who refused to surrender were executed - warning
- Reactions against Dissolution - Lincolnshire Rising + PoG 1536
- Began in Louth, Lincolnshire under Capatin Cobbler. Rumours H going to ***** parish of wealth
- V.organised spread to N of England
- Main centre= Yorkshire - PoG
- Greatest rebellion of Tudor period, largely direct response to reformation
- Clergy argued it was an attack on both secular + regular Church + stole its wealth
- PoG - 30,000 rebels
- Rebels wanted monasteries restored, Mary back as heir, dismissal or Cromwell, Cranmer + other reformers, + Parliament to be held in York
- Henry didn't have forces so negotiated w/rebels, they agreed to disperse + do this
- 1537, H went back on his word, executed leaders + ruthlessly persecuted rebels in N
- Impact of Dissolution
- 500 religious houses (centuries old) dissolved
- Huge turnover of land sales; Cromwell set up Court of Augmentations run by Richard Rich, handled goods etc taken by H
- H sold land quickly but not to long term benefit
- H + Cromwell showed power, M's not unpopular/ corrupt but in 4yrs dissolved
- Monks/Nuns thrown out, some abandon religious calling, others find work
- Rebels claimed dissolution = blow to charity
- M's plundered for fabric/goods
- Rise of new class, ambitious landowners, lead to serious soc + eco probs + rebellions
- Blow to education as many M's ran schools
- Government's claims M's wealth used for schools etc. not fulfilled, used for defense/war
- Commonwealth + Humanists disappointed it didn't lead to redistribution of wealth
- Agricultural labourers + small farmers felt cheated - major cause of rebellions 1549
- Reasons
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