Why were Tudor governments able to deal with rebellions effectively? Flashcards
Why were Tudor governments able to deal with rebellions effectively?
Nobility Propaganda Rebellions failed to attract widespread support Government response Consulting advisers Pre-emptive measures
Nobility
• Nobility maintained order etc. - means of control on the ground.
- Along with Lords Lieutenants, Lords Presidents, sheriffs, JPs.
• Monarchs needed to have a good relationship with the nobility – get kinsmen in key positions
E.g. Butlers of Ormonde in Ireland, Elizabeth used Hunsdon in the North in the 1570s.
• Nobles could be a controlling influence.
E.g. Lord Derby during the PoG
• Nobility did not always maintain order - could be a source of instability
E.g. Kildare, Percy’s, Essex.
Propaganda
• Propaganda kept people in their place.
E.g. deference, custom, hierarchy.
• Respect for the Monarchy, stressed relationship between subject and master and need to keep one’s place in society.
E.g. Tudor Rose, Henry majestic court, coins etc to remind subjects.
• Great Chain of Being a very effective suppressor of rebellion.
• Sin against the monarch is sin against God.
E.g. propaganda in PoG reminding the rebels of this fact to try to deter them from rebelling - kept it peaceful?
• Henry VII and Elizabeth both toured the country – presence of monarch maintains stability.
• Less so with Edward (Sickly boy). Also with Mary – wasn’t popular.
• Commons unwilling to rise up and fight the crown.
E.g. Yorkist 1536 - reason why they dispersed.
- Why Northumberland failed 1553: Mary the rightful heir.
• Loyalty towards the Tudors also explained failure of Oxfordshire & Essex.
Rebellions failed to attract widespread support
• Most people felt that the aims weren’t worth it.
E.g. undermining the crown - Lovell & Stafford’s 1486. Wyatt 1554.
• Most people did not want to fight/ die - too much to lose
E.g. Warbeck 1490s, Northern Earls 1568-70.
• Foreign support put off English rebels
E.g. Simnel 1487, Warbeck 1490s.
• Rebellions were too localised/ regional to gain wider support
E.g. Ireland, West country, Wyatt
- No desire to link up with other disaffected areas or to broaden their appeal.
Government response
• Across the period, the government bought time with pardons.
E.g. Lovell & Stafford’s 1486, Lincolnshire 1536, Western 1549, Tyrone 1595.
Also played for time with negotiations.
E.g. PoG 1536, Ketts’ 1549.
• Legislation - monarchs consistently were not intimidated by rebellion and continued with planned legislation (Apart from tax rebellions).
E.g. After prayer book rebellion Edward pressed ahead with protestant reforms - in fact, Cranmer published a more Protestant book 3 years later.
Similarly - Elizabeth introduced penal laws specifically against catholic recusant after NE.
Although HVIII did intro Act of Six Articles after PoG, continued with plans to close down larger monasteries.
• Gov response effective if determination to stand their ground.
Consulting advisers
- Relied on advisers to help form a measured response to varying degrees.
- Henry VII: very involved in fighting rebellions – led his army to battle Stoke and Blackheath – only few trusted advisers used.
- Henry VIII: chief ministers ran gov, kept informed of plans – Wolsey, Cromwell dominated the council and formed strategy.
- Mary and Elizabeth relied on councillors – input central to response
- Mary: conflicting advice when Wyatt’s army closing in on London
- Elisabeth’s advisers: including the Cecil’s, successfully planned responses to defeat Essex in the Northern Earls quickly and efficiently.
Pre-emptive measures
• Tried to apply political pressure to undermine rebels weaken their cause.
• HVII:
- 1487 a papal bull that excommunicated all rebels.
- Papal condemnation used on eve of battle Simnel and Cornwall.
- Paraded real Earl of Warwick through the streets.
- Warbeck - put pressure on diplomats to deny support.
• Mary:
- Acted speedily when first heard whispers of 1553 plot to depose her - interrogated suspects, letters sent to counties for local authorities to take measures - discouraging people to join
• Elizabeth:
- 1569 plot to secure succession of Mary Stuart - Norfolk denied permission to marry Mary, Norfolk put in tower of London, Mary moved to Coventry.
- Rarely prevented rebellion from occurring
- Sometimes removed possible support
Buying time
• Avoid confrontations: outcome uncertain and always expensive
• Rebels could be unable to supply men and keep up morale
• Buy time with pardons
E.g. Amicable Grant and the pilgrims of 1536
- 1536 concessions used to divide rebels.
- Successful here – not against Western, refused pardons offered by Somerset in 1549.
• Concessions less effective in Ireland – Elizabeth many attempts to reconcile O’Neill – abandoned attempts in 1566 – military solution.
• Useful if needed time to raise troops – no more than delay - wait until they had enough men to defeat the rebels.
Trials and retribution
• HVII & Mary lenient: HVIII, Edward VI & Elizabeth vindictive.
• HVII rewarded loyalty.
- Bound men under surety of good behaviour
- Imposed bonds.
- Anxious to appease subjects and avoid excessive reprisals.
E.g Simnel spared.
• HVIII vindictive dealing with PoG.
- Lots incl Aske executed 1537.
- Harsh on clergy - set e.g.
• Edward VI.
- After Western determined to silence western counties.
- 100 rebels hanged.
- Kett to ToL, tortured, tried, convicted & to Norwich to hang from city walls.
• Mary.
- LJG: Northumberland & close associates executed. LJG and others imprisoned.
- Wyatt 600 pardoned, 71 executed.
• Liz.
- Oxfordshire, extensive arrests, no more than 20 men were involved.
- Leaders imprisoned, tortured & killed.
- Ireland, many punishments excessive and barbaric.
- Ireland, Geraldine Rebellion, massacred entire garrison. Head of Earl of Desmond on display in London.
Ireland
• Tudors treated Ireland like the northern counties.
• Main strategy to defend English interest, areas under English control & play for time.
E.g. O’Neill - Elizabeth bought time with pardons 1561, 1566 turned to military solution.
• Rarely had sufficient resources to deal with disturbances.
- Until 1534, small garrison of 700 troops in Pale.
- Periodically increased, 2000 in the 1570s. - Never enough if simultaneous rebellions broke out.
Gathering information
• Find out size, location and nature. Getting reliable information wasn’t easy, delays leading to inactivity & unwise decisions.
• PoG: HVIII - Sawley Abbey reoccupied by monks, not sufficient info, ordered Earl of Derby to execute, in no position to carry out order.
• Western rebellion: Duke of Somerset - faced communication difficulties - difficult to deal as 200 miles away, reliant on out of date reports.
• Elizabeth relied on Sir Francis Walsingham to gather intelligence.
- Over 50 agents home & overseas - detect conspiracies, identify & arrest, reduced the likelihood of rebellion.
- Ineffectiveness of continental schemes after 1572 owed great deal to his vigilance.
