Challenging religious changes

Challenging religious changes

1. Break from Rome

   • 1533 to 1537
   • Henry renounced the power of the Pope and created the Church of England, making himself Supreme Head.
     • Assisted by Thomas Cromwell
       • Appointed to Vicegerent in Spirituals
         • Gave him the power to make structural and doctoral changes to the church
         • Appointed new bishops with reformist ideas as a means if propaganda
     • Passed through serious acts of Parliament
   • Was his way of achieving an annulment
   • Cromwell, Cranmer and Ann Boleyn were strong reformers
     • These ideas were growing in London and the South East but the rest of the country favoured Catholicism
   • 1534 Treason Act
     • Those who refused to swear an oath from the Act of Supremacy were seen as traitors.
   • Got more money as they stopped giving it to the pope.
   • Creation of conservative faction
     • Plot to remove Henry from 1535 to 1556 and make Mary queen.
     • Key members: Thomas Howard, Edward Stanley, Henry Percy, Lord Darcy and Lord Hussey.
   • Dissolution of the monastries

2. 3) Bigod's Rising

   • Jan 1537
   • Bigod was a member of conservative faction
   • Attempted to takeover Scarborough
     • Failed to get support as Aske told rebels to return home
     • Only a few hundred people backed Bigod
   • Smallest threat
   • Henry used it as a excuse to accuse other clergymen and nobles of treason
   • Bad timing

3. Henry VIII

   • Married Catherine of Aragon, his brother's widow.
     • Couldn't produce a male heir. Wanted to claim an annulment.
   • Grew concerned about the need for a male heir to secure the throne.
     • His only surviving child was Mary.
       • Declared illegitimate after the break as he wanted a male heir.
   • Reasons for break from Rome
     • Loved Anne Boleyn
     • Power over the pope
     • Protestant belief
     • Could get money from the Church

4. 2) Pilgrimage of Grace

   • Biggest threat
   • Robert Aske
     • Lawyer with military knowledge
   • 30,000 trained rebel soldiers
     • Larger than Henry's army
   • Many clergy men joined due to anger about the dissolution of the monasteries
     • Convinced commoners to take part too.
   • Nobles also joined. Would usually help to stop rebellions.
     • Lord Darcy, Lord Hussey and Sir Robert Constable.
       • Eventually accused of treason and sentenced to death (so was Aske).
   • Duke of Norfolk met with the rebels to try and negotiate.
     • Received 21 demands important to commoners and nobles.
       • Aske was naive and agreed to these conditions.
   • October 1536 to early 1537

5. 1) Lincolnshire Rising

   • Oct 1536
     • Lasted 9 days
   • 10,000 rebels
     • Gained support quickly
   • Spark for the PoG
   • Earl of Sussex managed to suppress the rising quite easily.
   • Rebels were in contact with those involved in PoG
     • Gave them time to plan the next rebellion as Sussex was preoccupied in Lincolnshire
   • Medium threat