To what extent were Religious causes the main cause of Tudor rebellions 1529-1570

Pilgrimage of Grace

• Took place in the North - the North was Conservative Catholic and following the dissolution of the lesser monasteries, they were angered.
• Religious grievances provided the rebels with a justification and motivation which helped sustain it.
• Across all social classes there was a fear of heresy.

Wyatt's Rebellion

• Not a fundamental cause, but a cause.
• The Spanish marriage between Phillip II and Mary I wasn't welcomed by Protestants.

Northern Rising

• The rebels' action of restoring mass at Durham Cathedral suggests there were religious causes - as the monarch was a Protestant and the rebels were form the Conservative North, the rebels had a great reason.
• Mary Queen of Scots arrival to England acted as a catalyst for the rebels to re-Catholicise the country.
• Resented the appointment of a Protestant Bishop of Durham.

Rhys ap Gruffudd

• Essentially a political rebellion:
  • refused the Chamberlaindship of South Wales.
  • infiltration of English administration and legislation.

Pilgrimage of Grace

• Politcal causes:
  • feudalism was in decline - aristocracy became angered.
• Economic causes:
  • angered by Henry VIII's demands on taxes.
• Social causes:
  • rumours that food such as white meat were going to be available only to the higher classes.

Kett's Rebellion

• Essentially a socio-economic rebellion:
  • increasing land rents
  • loss of common land

Wyatt's rebellion

• fundamentally a political rebellion
  • the marriage between Mary I and Phillip II was not popular due to xenophobia.

Northern Rising

• Also caused by political causes
  • powers and fuedalism was in decline
  • Duke of Norfolk's marriage to Mary Queen of Scots - fear that he could control her once putitng her on the throne.
  • Duke of Northumberland saw his position was limited under Elizabeth I's reign.

• certainly the main cause for the Pilgrimage of Grace and the Northern Rising.
• played a part in Wyatt's rebellion
• however, rhys ap gruffudd and Kett's rebellion were primarily Political and socio-economic rebellions.

• certainly the main cause for the Pilgrimage of Grace and the Northern Rising.
• played a part in Wyatt's rebellion
• however, rhys ap gruffudd and Kett's rebellion were primarily Political and socio-economic rebellions.