Cornish

Question 1

Dates

Answer 1

1497

Question 2

Evil Advisers

Answer 2

Cornish rebels declared that Reginald Bray and John Morton were Evil Advisers

Question 3

Taxation

Answer 3

Main cause of rebellion. January 1497 parliament voted for £60,000 to fund war with Scotland.
When news reached rebels in May there was widespread anger as wars with Scotland were traditionally funded by the North of England.

Question 4

Financial Advisors impact

Answer 4

John Morton (Lord Chancellor) and Reginald Bray (King’s chief financial adviser) were blamed
They had tried to find ways of increasing revenue from the royal estate in the 1490’s

Question 5

Tax collection

Answer 5

The second tax was not collected and war did not break out.

Question 6

Government demonstrations

Answer 6

Anti-government demonstrations took place, the rebels only wanted unpopular taxes to be removed

Question 7

Why was Cornwall significant

Answer 7

Had strong cultural traditions and was geographically isolated from England

Question 8

Location

Answer 8

Blackheath, this had also been used in 1380 by Wat Tyler and John Ball and in Jack Cade’s rebellion in 1450.

Question 9

Size of rebellion

Answer 9

15,000 including; 44 parish priests, several abbots, 22 local gentry, 4 sheriffs, 3 MP’s, monks and more
Thousands of rebels deserted by the fourth week to get home in time for the June harvest.

Question 10

Involvement of the nobility

Answer 10

Rebels looked to Lord Audley an impoverish Somerset peer whose father had once been treasurer for England but was dismissed by Richard III and never trusted by Henry VIII.

Question 11

Strength

Answer 11

Rebellions needed people who were physically strong. Michael Joseph (a local blacksmith) led rebels into Blackheath in 1497.

Question 12

What happened to Provost of Penryn

Answer 12

Was murdered in a marketplace, as Penryn was responsible for collecting taxes.

Question 13

How did Henry deal with rebels?

Answer 13

He expected leading families to deal with the rebels as his attention was with the possible war with Scotland.

Question 14

Popes involvement

Answer 14

produced Papal Condemnation of Eve of Blackheath. Many rebels surrendered rather than have the eternal risk of eternal damnation.

Question 15

Rebels in Blackheath

Answer 15

Lord Daubeny couldn’t prevent rebels from entering Blackheath due to insufficient men.
He held back until Ryhs ap Thomas (Earl of Oxford) and the King joined him.

Question 16

Rebels died

Answer 16

Over 1000 Cornish rebels died at Blackheath

Question 17

Involvement of Warbeck

Answer 17

Arrived in Taunton with 6,000. Earl of Devon was waiting in Exeter and Willoughby de Broke gathered ships in Portsmouth to block escape. Warbeck fled at approach of Daubeny’s army.

Question 18

Impact on Cornwall and it’s people

Answer 18

Ring leaders rounded up and executed and 3 years was spent investigating the rebellion.
4000 + people in Somerset were fined in 1500
Fines of £14,000 were levied over Cornwall.
Lutnell and Speke (ex-sheriffs) were fined £100 each.
In October 1497 Henry reasserted authority by taking 10,000 troops into Cornwall

Question 19

Maintenance of Political Stability in Cornwall post- rebellion

Answer 19

Anyone who fought against Henry at Blackheath was excommunicated
Cornwall was unstable due to a history of unrest and resentment towards government interference.