Dissolution Flashcards
Social causes for the dissolution of the monasteries?
Henry’s first Poor Law (1536) meant that the charitable role of monasteries was no longer so important
Printing press meant monastic scribes no longer needed
Political causes of the dissolution of the monasteries?
Henry needed to uphold ‘caesero papism’, which he felt was undermined by the existence of monasteries loyal to Rome
Monasteries typically contained clerics most loyal to the Pope, e.g. the London Carthusians
Economic causes of the dissolution of the monasteries?
The monasteries owned 1/3 of all landed property had an income which the Valor Ecclesiasticus revealed to be 10x that of the Crown
Henry needed to build up a war chest to prepare against an anticipated Habsburg-Valois alliance
Religious causes of the dissolution?
‘Black Book’ published in 1536 revealed that 2/3 of all religious houses were filled with ‘abominable living’
e.g. Cistercian Abbey of Hailes claimed to possess the blood of Christ, which turned out to be honey coloured with saffron
e.g. pregnant nuns at Lambley Abbey and a religious house in Lichfield
Negative - Social consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries?
Many of those employed by the monasteries became vagabonds
Beautiful buildings left ransacked (e.g. Thetford Priory, ancestral burial ground of the Dukes of Norfolk, Lindisfarne Priory, dating back to the 7th century)
Closure of hospitals, schools, places of accommodation and care for the poor
Cultural destruction - e.g. Worcester Priory had around 600 books, but after the dissolution, only 6 survived
Positive - Social consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries?
Henry invested some of the wealth into education, establishing cathedral grammar schools and donating to Christ Church, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge (however, this was a very small amount of the overall profit)
Gentry class expanded as they were able to buy ex-monastic land (e.g. site of Llanthony Priory sold off for £160)
Positive - Economic consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries?
Crown authority deepened by the 4 new courts set up by Cromwell in response to influx of wealth
Provided Henry with an extra £160,000 per year - his normal income was £100,000 per year
Beneficial to foreign policy - funded war with France and Scotland, allowed Henry to construct a strong Royal Navy
Negative - Economic consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries?
7000 monks were pensioned off. By 1551, this cost £44,000 per year
Positive - Religious consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries?
Six new bishoprics created in 1542 (e.g. in Chester, Gloucester, Peterborough)
Church of England boosted by 8000 priests (former monks) who were well-educated - addressing problem of ill-educated clergy
Dissolution represented final break of formal links between England and the Catholic Church
Negative - Religious consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries?
Huge loss of ancient religious scholarshipw - e.g. Worcester Priory had 600 books, but only 6 survived the dissolution
Positive - Political consequences of the dissolution? (no neg)
Henry’s authority was increased by removing abbots from the HoL, replacing them with compliant bishops
Lords were able to purchase monastic land at reduced rates - increased loyalty
Enabled Henry to impose his authority on England’s localities
Historiography on the dissolution?
Hoskins argues that the dissolution was an act of pure exploitation - ‘Stalin of Tudor England’
Haigh argues that the dissolution was an act of avarice cloaked in the language of spiritual reform
Youings - ‘a revolution in land ownership’
How many religious houses were there in England and Wales in 1530?
825
What had Wolsey done that pre-empted the dissolution?
Dissolved 29 ‘decayed’ monasteries in the 1520s
How did Cromwell assess Church wealth and standards?
Sent two commissioners, Legh and Leyton, who compiled the Valor Ecclesiasticus
