The Reformation - The break with Rome

?

Importance of the Catholic church

  • In Tudor England - was central to lives of Henry's subjects - spiritual guidance, ceremonies to mark key life points = much loved
  • local communities would gather to worship - enjoy holy days with feasting in an era where there were no holidays
  • monks/nuns provided: care for sick, education, pray for souls of dead

Catholicism-challenged by new religious movement led by Martin Luther-protestantism-looked to reform/change catholic church-central to these reforms was the idea that the bible should be in a language that all can read it =only what bible reads should be followed

1 of 15

Importance of the Catholic church-Catholicism vs P

Catholic Ideas

  • Pope should be head of church
  • Seven sacraments delivered by church
  • Latin
  • statues, prayers for dead, pilgrimage

Protestant Ideas

  • monarchs should be head
  • only three sacraments
  • Bible in English-people can understand
  • Statues, prayers for dead & pilgrimage should all be out - no place in religion

Henry made position clear-1521-wrote book 'In defence of seven sacraments'-Roman Catholic- given title 'Defender of Faith' by pope.

2 of 15

Opposition to Henry VIII's break with Rome

Elizabeth Barton - nun of Kent

  • had visions-thousands came to see her-during visions she would go into trance, terrifying voice
  • 1527 - visions against Henry's planned annulment
  • Her prophecies put into 'Nun's Book' 1533
  • arrested - all 70 copies of her book burnt - publically forced to confess she'd lied about visions - 1534 executed on same day she took Oath of Succession

John Fisher - Bishop of Rochester (1504)

  • had European wide reputation as a scholar - tutored Henry while he was young + supported him in early years of reign
  • Turning Point = 1527-couldn't support Henry's annulment plans - claimed God gave power to pope not king = believed Henry commiting sin - many clergy agreed but not in public
  • Fisher not broke any laws-1533 Elizabeth arrested-Fisher linked-fined £300-status saved him
  • didn't learn lesson-asked Charles V to invade - refused to take Oath of Succession=tower-pope tried to save him by appointing him Cardinal-->Henry executed him for treason in 1535-only Bishop killed for opposing Royal Supremacy
3 of 15

Opposition to Henry VIII's break with Rome (cont.)

Thomas More

  • one of Europe's leading scholars with book 'Utopia' + devout catholic - 1527 he said Martin Luther + followers were criminals-threatened souls of England
  • Lord Chancellor 1529 (after Wolsey fall from power)-banned all Protestant books, personally hunted suspects - burnt 6 for heresy
  • 1532-could no longer work for Henry-catholic principles above annulment/break from Rome-but loyal = claimed to be ill and retired- 1534 refused to take Oath of Succession - sent to Tower of London - trial - executed under treason act

To avoid external damnation - had to follow right religion = fate of their souls at risk - most accepted changes

4 of 15

1529-33 Henry starts to increase power over church

How?

Act of Succession 1534-declared marriage to Catherine of Aragon unlawful = now married to Anne Boleyn - mary removed from line of succession-->changed line of succession-legally Anne Queen + rejected papal authority

Act of Supremacy 1534-formal acknowledgement that Henry-not pope- was head of English church-now he had power-appointed Cromwell as Vicegerent-deputy with responsibility for day to day running of church-->Henry decided central beliefs of church-can make appointments - but basic teaching of catholic church well established

Cromwell enforced these through a clause in the Act of Succession-must take an oath to support Anne as Queen->refused=punishment as traitor-under Oath of Succession - 1534 Treason Act - broadened definition of treason to include denying Royal Supremacy = silent enemies

5 of 15

Impact of Reformation of the English Church

 1534 Act of Supremacy-changed structure of church outing pope out-king now head of church. But pope had always been a distant figure

1534-40 Religous struggle

Religious Reformers

  • Cranmer+Cromwell-teaching of church-based on bible only 
  • Protestant Ideas-
  • But dangerous to be openly protestant as Henry still catholic-Frith burned for denying transubstantiation

Conservative Catholic

  • Powerful figures.-Duke of Norfolk                                               
  • But they too had to be careful- couldn't be seen putting pope above king     
6 of 15

Impact of Reformation of English Church -what chan

1536-8--Despite Henry's catholic outlook-he showed sympathy to reforming ideas-and was supported by Cromwell and Cranmer

July 1536 Act of Ten Articles-from 7 to 3 sacraments

August 1536 Royal Injunctions issued-clergy to deliver same Bishop bool

July 1537 4 sacraments not included in Act of Ten Articles are valid but lesser-Bishops told to preech that

September 1538- 2nd set of Royal Injunctions-English translation of Bible put in all churches-removed statues etc.

1538-decided reform had gone too far-burned Lambert for denying transubstantion

1539-6 Articles-strong catholic doctrine-comfirmed transubstantion/purgatory/special role of priests-failure to accept these=prison, lose of prison or even death.

However decided to keep English translation of Bible-people could read & decide for themselves

7 of 15

Role of the Monasteries

Monks and Nuns

  • spent day their day in religious contemplation
  • owned one third of land in England-wealthy
  • played role in local justice
  • educated sons of wealthy
  • provided safe house for travellers
  • provide food for poor 
  • sick treated 
  • produce illustrated manuscripts

= central to local communities

8 of 15

Dissolution of the Monasteries-Reasons

1509 800 religious houses with 10,000 monks + nuns--by 1540 there were none

Reasons for dissolution

  • New religious ideas-protestants no place for monks/nuns-Cromwell's thinking(however Henry refounded two monasteries-1537-to pray for his soul
  • Loyalty-could be loyal to pope not king
  • Public reason/spiritual-monasteries in moral decay-official inspection 1535(ordered by Cromwell)finds in 'Compendium Compertorum-report-found negatives-evidence unreliable
  • Money-main reason-Valor Ecclesiastus(survey carried into church wealth 1535)revealed monasteries wealth=own one third land in England/£6000 per year & 3 royal estates--Henry needed money for: wars, protect catholic invasion (reformation), tax issue after Amicable Grant and land could be given as gifts/rewards.
9 of 15

Dissolution of the Monasteries-Process

Stage one: 1st Act of Dissolution in march 1536-closed 300 smaller monasteries-allowed 67 exceptions

Stage two: late 1537 decision to close all monasteries-to avoid more rebellions (Pilgrimage of Grace)was no sweeping act--instead each monastery was visited and invited to close-money-if refused closed anyways-confirmed by 2nd Act 1539-all closed by 1540

10 of 15

Dissolution of the Monasteries-Impact

Winners?

  • Religious Reformers(protestants)who opposed monasteries
  • Henry VIII-richer
  • Gentry/nobles/lords bought land--even commoners=merchants bought land

Losers?

  • Monks/nuns-lost way of life-monasteries were home
  • Catholics who valued monasteries religious worth
  • poor/sick who depended on monasteries
  • some tenant farmers-who once owed rent to monasteries-now owed rent to others who raised prices

Also, although it was a huge success for Henry and Cromwell it was seen by others as the cultural destruction of things that were valued in their religion and could link to recent news and problems

11 of 15

Pilgrimage of Grace-what caused the uprising?

1. Religious-catholic faith under threat-dissolution of smaller monasteries part of this-lose work of monks/nuns--some even believed churches were going to be destroyed next

2. Social-monasteries provided care for sick, help for poor & refuge for travellers

3. Economic-1534 Subsidy being collected + 1536->only collected in times of war + England was at peace

4. Political-Northern nobility resented influence of Cromwell-->low birth, religious views

didn't see themselves as rebels but Christ's soldiers-badge of 5 wounds

12 of 15

Pilgrimage of Grace-Events

Lincolnshire-under pressure-monasteries in process of being dissolved-taxes collected for no reason & investigation into clergy-stories of churches being destroyed-Nicholas Melton led 3000-Gentry take leadership--they took Lincoln-then drew up Articles of complaints-went to London--Henry didn't listen to demands-threatened them with extreme punishments + all property destroyed-sent Duke of Suffolk + 3000-Gentry accepted without leaders rebellion failed

Yorkshire-Oct 1536-larger more serious-40,000-well organised under captain-Robert Aske(gentry)-succeeded in taking over York, Hull and Pontefract castle-Henry was caught by surprise--->sends Norfolk with army to crush rebellion-but sees size of army-needs new plan-->asks for meeting at Doncaster Bridge-27th Oct--Henry outnumbered 40,000 to 8000--with moral low-is sympathetic to catholics=Norfolk agrees to second meeting(with king this time)and will take 24 demands/Pontefract Articles to Henry=long term truce, pardon + Parliament to consider terms

13 of 15

Pilgrimage of Grace-Events (cont.)

Rebels agree--King agrees to terms=promises no more monasteries would be closed until Parliament met-until then tells pilgrims to go home-pardons them

Did Aske and the pilgrims win? No

  • no commitment-not written down-empty words
  • Henry was buying time waiting for rebels to break up-no intentions of keeping promises spoken
  • Norfolk was ordered to round up leaders and hang them--178 including Robert Aske(main leader)executed in York-with head hung on stick-warning to rebels
14 of 15

Pilgrimage of Grace-Significance? Why did it fail?

Significance?

  • size-rejection of Henry's policy by large no. of people
  • were well organised/led--could've won
  • monasteries were dissolved quicker-Henry saw this as focus for future resistance
  • council of north given more power-to make sure never happens again

Why it failed?

  • Aske misplaced faith in king's promises-was lawyer but was taken in by Henry inviting him to court for Christmas-treated with respect
  • Aske didn't understand that if Henry had given in to his demands it would lead to other rebellions in the future-others would see it as way of the king giving into their demands-would've been more frequent
15 of 15

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all Tudors resources »