unit 5 - wales (after 1530) Flashcards
(36 cards)
what is primogenture?
the law of passing land onto the eldest son
what is gavalkind?
the law of passing land onto all sons
what was wales like pre-1530?
very divided between the marches and principality
what was the principality?
these were more english areas of land - anglesey, caernarfon.. - they had english methods of admin
what were the marches?
these were more welsh areas of land, established in 1100s, these were eld by their own lordships over which the king had little control
when were the marches all given to henry viii by lordships?
1521
why were the marches threatening?
they were areas of which the king had unenforced authority
who was rowland lee?
president of the council of wales and the marches
how many criminals is rowland lee said to have hanged?
5000
when were the acts of union?
1536
what did rowland lee do after the acts of union?
he sacked all welsh speaking maginates,
use only English law,
change all welsh gentry names to english,
what did rowland lee think of the welsh?
‘the welsh disease’
when was rowland lee made president of the council of wales and the marches? what did he do?
1534:
- gave english JP’s the right to intervene in the marches
- reduced amount of lords
- recognised that the marches and the principality could be one
(pre-union legislation)
were there any rebellions against the acts of union?
no, indicated rowland lee was successful
what were the 8 reasons for the acts of union?
- difficult to control the marcher lords (had own land, castles)
- lack of uniformity in the marches (criminals could take advantages and hide in areas of less strict laws)
- trade benefits
- increased taxes (henry could collecte money more directly)
- henrys lack of control (marcher lords were too powerful)
- reformation (wanted more direct relgious control of the historically catholic wales)
- welsh threat (backdoor to england)
- welsh social discontent (people couldnt progress socially, couldnt own land in england)
what did the 1536 acts of union involve?
- JP’s introduced to wales
- welsh could own land and houses in england
- gavalkind was replaced with primogenture
- english was official language
- marches were abolished
what evidence is there to show that henry thought the acts of union did not work?
- made lee build castles around wales coast - still a threat
why were the acts of union very advantageous to the gentry?
they could go to england, or become sheriffs in each shire in Wales
when was the second act of union?
1543
what did the 1543 act of union involve?
-gave the council of wales legal existance
- created the ‘kings great sessions’
- territorial boundaries were set between england and Wales
- more detailed than the 1536
how many welsh MP’s were implemented in the 1543 act of union?
27
what were the social impacts of the acts of union?
- english became official langauge of the courts
- gavalkind was replaced by primogenture
- whole of wales used english courts
- promotoed economic activity (trading wool)
- welshmen could down houses in england
what was the language clause?
- all administration and judges must be in english
- essentially eradicated the welsh language
- was a result of the acts of union, but not the acts aim
what was the impact of henry viii’s religious policies in wales?
- wesh people loved catherine of aragon so were displeased
- dissolution of the monasteries gave the welsh gentry more social mobility
- first regular book published in welsh by sir John price
-church life remained generally unaffected
