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1<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
2<!-- saved from url=(0041)http://englishhistory.net/tudor/tudor/tudorlife.html -->
3<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Life in Tudor England</TITLE>
4<META http-equiv=Content-Language content=en-us>
5<META content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0" name=GENERATOR>
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9<P align=center>I am redesigning the Life in Tudor England website, mostly to
10include lots of pictures.<BR>Until I finish, you can explore some of the topics
11listed here.&nbsp; Thanks for your patience.</P>
12<P align=center>&nbsp;</P>
13<P align=left>
14<IMG height=43 src="life-morpheus.gif" width=333
15border=0 alt="Life in Tudor England"><BR>&nbsp;</P>
16<BLOCKQUOTE>
17 <P align=left>
18 <IMG height=371
19 alt="woodcut of a family going to market in Tudor England"
20 src="life.jpg" width=300 align=left border=3> <BR></P>
21 <P align=left><B>Click on a topic below:</B></P></BLOCKQUOTE>
22<BLOCKQUOTE>
23 <BLOCKQUOTE>
24 <P align=left>
25 <a href="tudorlife.html#Chronology">Chronology</a> -
26 <A href="tudorlife.html#Glossary">Glossary</A> -
27 <A
28 href="tudorlife.html#Government">Government</A> -
29 <A href="tudorlife.html#Religion">Religion</A> </P>
30 <P align=left><A
31 href="tudorlife.html#Population">Population</A> -
32 <A href="tudorlife.html#Money">Money</A> - <A
33 href="tudorlife.html#Food">Food</A><A
34 href="tudorlife.html#Food"> and Drink</A>
35<BR></P>
36 <P align=left><A
37 href="tudorlife.html#Houses">Houses</A> - <A
38 href="tudorlife.html#Clothing">Clothing and
39 Appearance</A> - <A
40 href="tudorlife.html#Marriage">Marriage</A>
41 <BR></P>
42 <P align=left><A
43 href="tudorlife.html#Sex">Sex</A> - <A
44 href="tudorlife.html#Diseases">Diseases</A> - <A
45 href="tudorlife.html#Arts">Arts and Education</A>
46 <BR></P>
47 <P align=left><A
48 href="tudorlife.html#Crime">Crime and
49 Punishment</A></P>
50 <P align=left><A
51 href="tudorlife.html#Travel">Travel</A> - <A
52 href="tudorlife.html#Sorcery">Sorcery</A> - <A
53 href="tudorlife.html#Rebellions">Rebellions</A>
54 </P></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>
55<DIV align=left></DIV>
56<DIV align=left></DIV>
57<DIV align=left></DIV>
58<DIV align=left></DIV>
59<P align=left><A href="tudorlife.html#Famous">Famous
60Names to Know in Tudor England</A><BR></P>
61<P align=left><A href="faq.html">Tudor FAQ</A>:
62frequently asked questions<BR></P>
63<P align=left><BR></P>
64<P align=left><BR></P>
65<P align=left><BR></P>
66<HR>
67
68<P align=left><BIG><A name=Chronology></A>Chronology<BR></BIG></P>
69<BLOCKQUOTE>
70 <P><B>22 August 1485</B> - Battle of Bosworth Field; Henry Tudor's army
71 defeats King Richard III; Henry becomes King Henry VII </P>
72 <P><B>18 January 1486</B> - King Henry VII marries King Edward IV's eldest
73 surviving child, Princess Elizabeth of York </P><B>28 June 1491</B> - Henry
74 Tudor is born to King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York
75 <P><B>8 August 1503</B> - Princess Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII,
76 marries King James IV of Scotland </P>
77 <P><B>21 April 1509</B> - Henry Tudor becomes King Henry VIII of
78 England<BR></P>
79 <P><B>9 September 1513</B> - Battle of Flodden Field between England and
80 Scotland; King James IV of Scotland is killed </P>
81 <P><B>24 December 1515</B> - King Henry VIII appoints Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
82 lord chancellor</P>
83 <P><B>7 June 1520</B> - Field of the Cloth of Gold occurs; this is the famous
84 meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France </P>
85 <P><B>11 October 1521</B> - King Henry VIII is given the title 'Defender of
86 the Faith' by the pope </P>
87 <P><B>18 October 1529</B> - King Henry VIII's great statesman, Cardinal
88 Wolsey, is driven from power and dies in disgrace </P>
89 <P><B>25 January 1533</B> - King Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn </P>
90 <P><B>7 September 1533</B> - Elizabeth Tudor is born to King Henry VIII and
91 Anne Boleyn<BR></P>
92 <P><B>17 November 1534</B> - the Act of Supremacy is passed by Parliament; it
93 declares the English monarch to be the Supreme Head of the Church of England;
94 under Elizabeth this title is changed to Supreme Governor<BR><BR><B>June and
95 July 1535</B> - Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More are executed<BR></P>
96 <P><B>18 March 1536</B> - dissolution of the monasteries begins <BR></P>
97 <P><B>14 April 1536</B> - Wales is officially incorporated into
98England<BR></P>
99 <P><B>19 May 1536</B> - King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, is
100 executed </P>
101 <P><B>12 October 1537</B> - King Henry VIII's only son, Prince Edward, is
102 born; his mother is the king's third wife, Jane Seymour, who dies shortly
103 thereafter<BR></P>
104 <P><B>28 July 1540</B> - King Henry VIII's great statesman, Thomas Cromwell,
105 is executed<BR></P>
106 <P><B>18 June 1541</B> - King Henry VIII is titled king of Ireland<BR></P>
107 <P><B>13 February 1542</B> - King Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard,
108 executed<BR></P>
109 <P><B>24 November 1542</B> - Battle of Solway Moss between England and
110 Scotland </P>
111 <P><B>20 July 1545</B> - the Mary Rose, the flagship of King Henry VIII's
112 navy, sinks </P>
113 <P><B>28 January 1547</B> - Edward Tudor becomes King Edward VI </P>
114 <P><B>10 September 1547</B> - Battle of Pinkie between England and
115 Scotland<BR></P>
116 <P><B>23 September 1548</B> - the Protestant Book of Common Prayer comes into
117 use </P>
118 <P><B>6 July 1553</B> - King Edward VI dies </P>
119 <P><B>10 July 1553</B> - the Tudor cousin Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed queen
120 of England; she rules for just nine days </P>
121 <P><B>3 August 1553</B> - Mary Tudor becomes Queen Mary I </P>
122 <P><B>11 April 1554</B> - Sir Thomas Wyatt is executed after leading a
123 rebellion against Queen Mary I </P>
124 <P><B>25 July 1554</B> - Queen Mary I marries King Philip II of Spain </P>
125 <P><B>16 October 1555</B> - the Protestant churchmen Latimer and Ridley are
126 burned at the stake<BR></P>
127 <P><B>21 March 1556</B> - Thomas Cranmer, former archbishop of Canterbury,
128 burned at the stake</P>
129 <P><B>17 November 1558</B> - Elizabeth Tudor becomes Queen Elizabeth I
130<BR></P>
131 <P><B>29 April 1559</B> - the Elizabethan religious settlement is passed by
132 Parliament </P>
133 <P><B>22 February 1560</B> - Treaty of Berwick between England and Scotland
134 </P>
135 <P><B>19 June 1566</B> - King James VI of Scotland, son of Mary queen of
136 Scots, is born </P>
137 <P><B>24 July 1567</B> - Mary, queen of Scots abdicates her throne in Scotland
138 and comes to England </P>
139 <P><B>24 August 1572</B> - the St Batholomew's Day massacre of Protestants
140 occurs in Paris<BR></P>
141 <P><B>18 October 1585</B> - the English colony at Roanoke in Virginia is
142 established </P>
143 <P><B>8 February 1587</B> - Mary, queen of Scots is executed at Fotheringhay
144 Castle </P>
145 <P><B>31 July 1588</B> - defeat of the Spanish Armada<BR></P>
146 <P><B>6 February 1595</B> - Sir Walter Raleigh leaves England to sail to the
147 New World </P>
148 <P><B>14 August 1598 </B>- Tyrone's Rebellion occurs in Ireland </P>
149 <P><B>25 February 1601</B> - Robert Devereux, the earl of Essex, is executed
150 for leading a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I </P>
151 <P><B>17 December 1601</B>- the Elizabethan 'Poor Law' is passed; it has a
152 profound effect upon English society </P>
153 <P><B>24 March 1603</B> - Queen Elizabeth I dies; the Tudor dynasty ends; King
154 James VI of Scotland becomes king of England</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
155<P></P>
156<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
157<BIG><A name=Government></A>Government</BIG><BR>Tudor England's government was
158an <B>absolute monarchy</B>. In this system, the monarch (king or queen) has
159control over all aspects of government.<BR>Parliament did exist during the 16th
160century but its role was often merely advisory. As the years passed, it became
161increasingly powerful. Its main power was passing taxation. Whenever the king or
162queen needed money, they first had to convince Parliament to order more
163taxation. Parliament was only assembled when the king or queen ordered it,
164unlike modern times.<BR><BR>
165<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
166<BIG><A name=Religion></A>Religion<BR><SMALL>England was a Catholic nation under
167the rule of Henry VII (1485-1509) and during much of Henry VIII's (1509-1547)
168reign. In 1534, King Henry VIII declared himself Supreme Head of a new Church of
169England. This coincided with the rejection of papal authority and dissolution of
170the English monasteries. Protestantism was introduced to England. Under King
171Edward VI (1547-1553), England was a Protestant nation. Under Queen Mary I
172(1553-1558), England was again a Catholic nation. Under Queen Elizabeth I
173(1558-1603), England was again a Protestant nation. It was under Elizabeth that
174the Anglican church became firmly established and
175dominant.</SMALL><BR></BIG><BR>
176<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
177
178<P align=left><BIG><A name=Population></A>Population: includes England and
179Wales.</BIG><BR></P>
180<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT color=#000000><B>1524.....2.3 million</B>
181 <BR><B>1541.....2.7 million</B> <BR><B>1550.....2.9 million</B>
182 <BR><B>1569.....3.2 million</B> <BR><B>1599.....4.0
183million<BR></B></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><FONT color=#000000>In </FONT><FONT
184color=#000000>1520</FONT><FONT color=#000000>, 6% of the population lived in
185urban areas (towns of over 4,000 people.)</FONT><BR><FONT color=#000000>In
186</FONT><FONT color=#000000>1520</FONT><FONT color=#000000>, 3% of the population
187lived in London.<BR><BR>Around 5% of the population were considered gentlemen.
188Their numbers increased throughout the 16th century. 'Gentlemen' are people who
189do not work with their hands. The middle class was larger; they were usually
190literate and included craftsmen and tradesmen. The vast majority of the
191population is poor and termed 'peasants' or 'common people'. They were mostly
192illiterate and suffered the most when famines occurred and the currency was
193debased.<BR><BR>In 1509, there was one duke, one marquis, ten earls, and thirty
194barons in England. The peerage increased to 51 by the end of Henry VIII's reign
195and had reached 57 when Elizabeth I became queen. But she was stingy with
196granting peerages and the only duke left in England (Norfolk) was executed in
1971572. A new duke was not titled until 1623.<BR></FONT><B><FONT
198color=#000000></FONT></B>
199<P></P>
200<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
201
202<P></P>
203<P><BIG><A name=Money></A>Money</BIG><BR>The currency in Tudor England is
204divided into pounds, shilling, and pence. The pence/penny is the basic unit of
205currency; 12 pennies make a shilling and 20 shillings make a pound.<BR></P>
206<P>There are numerous coins in circulation throughout the 16th century. When
207money becomes tight, the monarchs are fond of reducing the amount of precious
208metal in the coins. This debases the real worth of English money and causes
209problems for everyone.<BR></P>
210<P>Among the coins in circulation are the royal (a gold coin worth 10
211shillings); this was introduced during the reign of King Henry VII. Under his
212grandson, King Edward VI, the angel was introduced; it was another gold coin
213worth 10 shillings. There were also groats, farthings, sixpences, etc Around the
214mid-16th century, a common laborer would make around 1 shilling per day.
215&nbsp;So it would take a laborer twenty days to earn a pound! &nbsp;<BR></P>
216<P>Coins are made at royal mints located in several large cities. Forgery often
217occurs. Often, the royal treasurers are implicated.<BR></P>
218<P>Because of debasement and famine, inflation is a constant problem. <BR></P>
219<P>It is difficult to translate Tudor prices into contemporary money. Also,
220prices varied widely throughout the 16th century. <BR></P>
221<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
222
223<P><BIG><A name=Food></A>Food and Drink</BIG><BR>There are three main components
224of the Tudor diet - bread, beer, and meat (usually beef or mutton.) Like us,
225they had three meals - breakfast, dinner, and supper. <B>Breakfast </B>was early
226in the morning and a relatively simple meal. &nbsp;<B>Dinner </B>was the largest
227meal and held between 11 am and 1 pm. &nbsp;<B>Supper </B>could be held anytime
228between 5 pm and 8 pm, depending upon the person's social class. <BR></P>
229<P>Everyone in Tudor England ate bread and cheese. The only difference between
230classes was the quality of bread and cheese. &nbsp;The cheapest bread was called
231'Carter's bread'; it was a mixture of rye and wheat. &nbsp;The middle classes or
232prosperous tenants ate 'ravel', also called 'yeoman's bread' and made of
233wholemeal. &nbsp;The most expensive bread was called 'marchet' and made of white
234wheat flour. Aristocratic households ate marchet, particularly during banquets.
235&nbsp;Everyone from the poorest peasant to the wealthies monarch drank beer.
236&nbsp;It was brewed without hops and was not particularly alcoholic. People
237drank beer liberally. However, water was considered unhealthy - and for good
238reason. &nbsp;Under Henry VII, French wines were imported in greater quantities
239but only aristocrats drank them. <BR><BR>The poor and wealthy alike lived off
240the land.&nbsp; England was self-sufficient, able to feed its population without
241resorting to imports, at least during good harvests.&nbsp; Most peasants had
242small bits of land in villages and towns. They kept chickens, pigs, and perhaps
243a cow. &nbsp;Those with animals slaughtered them in November. &nbsp;The meat was
244smoked, dried, or salted so it could be kept for meals in the cold months.
245&nbsp;Bacon was the most common meat of poor people. Smoked bacon and salted
246beef were most popular during the winter. <BR></P>
247<P>Of course, meat could not be eaten on Fridays for religious reasons.
248&nbsp;Instead, fish - dried cod or slated herring, most likely - was eaten. It
249was <I>not</I> fresh since there was no efficient or speedy way to transport
250fresh foods. &nbsp;Vegetables were plentiful, particularly beans, peas, carrots,
251and onions. &nbsp;Fruits were available, too - apples, plums, pears,
252strawberries, cherries, etc &nbsp;But potatoes and tomatoes were not available.
253<BR></P>
254<P>As you can see, diets were most interesting and varied in the warmer months
255but cold weather meant preserved meats and little else. &nbsp;Everyone, rich and
256poor alike, suffered from malnutrition, particularly Vitamin C deficiency (which
257we call scurvy.) &nbsp;Molds in certain breads could also cause health problems.
258<BR></P>
259<P>There were 2 great famines in Tudor England - in the mid-1550s during Mary
260I's reign and mid-1590s during Elizabeth I's reign.<BR></P>
261<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
262
263<P><BIG><A name=Houses></A>Houses<BR><B><SMALL>Types</SMALL><SMALL> of Houses:
264</SMALL><SMALL></SMALL></B><SMALL>There are castles, mansions, manor houses, and
265cottages. The materials used to build them depend upon the wealth of their
266owners. Castles and churches were always built of stone, but it was expensive.
267Middle-class homes were timber-framed but wood was too expensive to use for the
268entire house. <BR>Instead, bricks were sometimes used, or white-washed wattle
269and daub. When timbers were coated with black tar, the famous Tudor
270'black-and-white' effect was achieved. Many houses had steep, thatched roofs and
271upper stories which hung over the lower ones. <BR></SMALL></BIG></P>
272<P><B>Rooms:</B> The rooms in a nobleman's house would include a great hall for
273feasting and entertaining, a great chamber used for sleeping and receiving
274visitors and playing games, a cellar which was not necessarily below ground and
275was used primarily for storage, a closet used as a private office or study, a
276gallery (either enclosed or open on one side) which ran parallel to the house
277and was used for exercise, a private bedchamber for the master of the house), a
278kitchen, a parlor used as either a sitting room or small entertaining area, and
279a privy which was a small, windowless room used as a bathroom. There were also
280withdrawing rooms where wardrobes were kept or the owner could go for more
281privacy. Often these rooms connected two bedrooms. <BR></P>
282<P><B>Noble Households:</B> In Tudor England, a person's social status and
283prestige were determined by two main things: the lavishness of their standard of
284living and the number of their servants and attendants. The successful
285maintenance of a large household also indicated a person's ability to govern,
286albeit on a much smaller scale than the king.</P>
287<P>A nobleman of sufficient rank and skill was often called to serve the monarch
288in London. To that end, they would purchase and maintain - often at great
289expense - townhomes in or just outside London. In London, the most affluent
290street was known as The Strand. These homes were built on the riverside and so
291were equipped with docks; the nobles could travel by personal barge from their
292homes to various royal palaces. Nobles also owned homes in the counties near
293their largest estates. Naturally enough, the maintenance of these various
294residences was expensive, and became increasingly so as the century progressed.
295But the greatest expense - and worry - was their principal estate, always
296situated in the countryside. At these estates, their spiritual, public, private,
297and economic worlds merged. They were an opportunity for the proud noble to
298demonstrate his standing in the nation and to dominate local affairs thoroughly.
299Also, they could play host to the reigning monarch on a royal progress. </P>
300<P>Many of the most famous noble country homes can still be seen today. For
301example, view Compton Wynyates in Warwickshire where Henry VIII often visited
302and the duke of Buckingham's beautiful Penshurst Place in Kent. Five centuries
303ago, estates such as these were managed by noblemen and their principal
304officers, primarily knights and esquires. Together, they governed the estates
305and surrounding lands. They gathered in the official presence chamber where
306petitions were presented from tenants and neighbors. The councilors would judge
307their claims and mediate disputes. </P>
308<P>When the nobleman traveled to London or his lesser homes, a large group of
309servants would accompany him - this was his 'skeleton' household. They journeyed
310in carts packed with people and possessions. As Henry VII's rule impressed some
311degree of stability upon England, such travel became less dangerous. But it
312remained uncomfortable, even for the wealthy in padded coaches. </P>
313<P>The presence of such wealthy and accomplished landowners was both a blessing
314and a curse to Tudor monarchs. For early Tudor kings, these nobles could help
315secure their rule, particularly in the North where trouble traditionally brewed.
316Henry VII had no family ties to northern England; this made him even more
317reliant on the great Northern lords to maintain peace and effective government.
318</P>
319<P>Knights and esquires wore their lord's livery; they also promised the support
320of their tenants and servants in case of conflict. In this way, great households
321could also serve as sources of rebellion and treason.<BR></P>
322<P><B>Gardens </B>are very popular in Tudor England. As the century goes on,
323they become increasingly ornate and expensive. Even noble families grow their
324own fruits and vegetables when they can. <BR></P>
325<P><SMALL>I will add more information about homes of the poor, as well as
326pictures, soon. 17 October 2002</SMALL><BR></P>
327<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
328
329<P><BIG><A name=Clothing></A>Clothing</BIG> <BIG>and Appearance</BIG><BR>Tudor
330England is famous for its beautiful and ornate clothing, particularly during the
331reign of Queen Elizabeth I. <A
332href="http://www.geocities.com/marilee-cody/eliz1-images.html">Click here</A> to
333view portraits of the queen and her courtiers. <BR></P>
334<P>Medieval sumptuary laws remained in force throughout the 16th century. These
335laws dictated what each member of society could wear, depending upon their
336social class. The laws are not enforced often. And fabrics such as silk, satin
337and velvet are so expensive that only the wealthy can afford them. Cloth of gold
338and the color purple are reserved for royalty. </P>
339<P>During the reign of King Henry VIII, Spanish and French style gowns are very
340popular. Clothes become more form-fitting and ornate. Men wear colorful tights
341to emphasize well-developed calves. Women often have such low necklines that
342preachers condemn them. Both sexes wear as much jewelry as they can afford. And
343everyone, rich and poor, wears a hat. Certain clothing dyes are not expensive,
344and so even the poor can wear green and brown outfits. Foreign visitors comment
345upon the colorful outfits of the English poor. </P>
346<P>Women have long hair which they wear loose until marriage. After the reign of
347King Henry VII, men typically have short hair and beards and mustaches. It is
348Henry VIII who makes beards popular; during his father's reign, men are
349clean-shaven.<BR></P>
350<P>The poor wear homespun woolen clothing with knitted hose and hobnail shoes.
351In the field, they wear tunics and breeches.<BR></P>
352<P>Children are dressed as miniature adults from the age of six onwards. Before
353then, both boys and girls wear simple shifts or gowns. They are swaddled as
354infants, a constricting practice which is believed to prevent illness. In fact,
355for the first four months of their lives, infants are completely immobilized in
356swaddling bands.<BR></P>
357<P>Men generally wear flat-heeled shoes while women wore overshoes outside.
358These were clogs which raised her feet so her gown wouldn't drag in the
359dirt.<BR></P>
360<P>Blonde hair is the most prized haircolor, but auburn and red hair are also
361popular. Very white skin and red lips are achieved through the use of dangerous
362cosmetics; lead, borax, and sulphur were sometimes used. Every woman hated
363spots, whether freckles or pimples. <BR></P>
364<P>As for bathing, most Englishmen think baths are unhealthy. Queen Elizabeth I
365is considered strange for bathing as much as four times a year. <BR></P>
366<P>Everyone uses perfume. Perfume is splashed on bodies and clothing,
367particularly the gloves. The most popular scents included marjoram, lavendar,
368musk, and rose.<BR>Noblemen and women carry pomanders, a hollow sphere holding a
369waxed perfume ball. Pomanders are often highly decorative and expensive
370accessories. Women attach them to their girdles and men dangle them from a
371chain. <BR></P>
372<P>Dentists are surgeons who remove rotten teeth and also perform other small
373operations. People clean their teeth by rubbing them with a mixture of white
374wine and vinegar boiled with honey. Fashionable noblewomen will sometimes
375deliberately blacken their front teeth. <BR></P>
376<P></P>
377<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
378
379<P><BIG><A name=Marriage></A>Marriage</BIG><BR>Marriage usually occurred during
380the mid-twenties for most Tudor citizens. The wealthy and aristocratic tended to
381marry earlier because of inheritance issues. But contrary to popular belief,
382there were few child marriages in Tudor England. Of course, you could be
383pre-contracted or betrothed at a much earlier age. Any marriage contract was
384legally binding if the girl was 12 and the boy was 14. </P>
385<P>Annulments and divorces were uncommon because they required special religious
386dispensations. Most marriages ended with the death of a spouse. At any time in
387the 16th century, roughly a third of marriages are the second or third marriage.
388</P>
389<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
390
391<P><BIG><A name=Rebellions></A>Rebellions</BIG><BR>People in Tudor England
392suffered through famine, poverty, and immense religious changes. Life was
393uncertain and dangerous. Most riots in the country were small and local; they
394usually involved food or the hated enclosure policies. Enclosure was the process
395by which noblemen seized public land for themselves. They would build hedges
396around the land to keep people out. But peasants needed the land to graze their
397animals and would often tear the hedges down.<BR>There were also larger
398rebellions throughout the 16th century. Here is a list of the most
399important:<BR></P>
400<P><B>The Pilgrimage of Grace (1536)</B> - This rebellion occurred in November
4011536 in the north of England; it was a result of King Henry VIII's religious
402changes. Northern England was always more conservative and Catholic than the
403rest of the country. When their monasteries were destroyed and the lands and
404money seized by Henry's prominent noblemen, the northerners rebelled. There were
405roughly 30,000 people involved, a mix of lords, middle-class laborers, and
406peasants. They called themselves 'pilgrims' and were led by an attorney named
407Robert Aske. They chose the five wounds of Christ as their symbol. They did not
408specifically rebel against King Henry VIII, but rather his councilors such as
409Thomas Cromwell. The king promised clemency if the rebels dispersed but
410eventually executed about 100 rebels.<BR></P>
411<P><B>Kett's Rebellion (1549) </B>- In 1549, King Edward VI ruled England,
412though the government was under control of the Protestant Lord Protector
413Somerset. In East Anglia, a Norfolk gentleman named Robert Kett led a rebellion
414against the king's religious policies, the dissolution of the monasteries, and
415the very unpopular enclosure of common lands by greedy noblemen. The rebels were
416defeated at Norwich by an English army supported by foreign
417mercenaries.<BR><B><BR>Wyatt's Rebellion (1554)</B> - In spring 1554, Sir Thomas
418Wyatt led a rebellion against Queen Mary I's proposed marriage to King Philip II
419of Spain. Despite an army of 3,000 men, Wyatt was unable to enter London. He was
420executed on 11 April 1554, after explicitly denying that Princess Elizabeth was
421involved in the rebellion. Nonetheless, Elizabeth is temporarily imprisoned in
422the Tower of London and Lady Jane Grey is executed. </P>
423<P><B>The Northern Rebellion</B> <B>(1569)</B> - In 1569, the north of England
424again rebels against the Tudor monarchy, this time inspired by the imprisonment
425of Mary, queen of Scots and Catholic discontent. The rebels are led by the earls
426of Westmorland and Northumberland and the duke of Norfolk; they choose the five
427wounds of Christ as their symbol, as had the Pilgrimage of Grace rebels. The
428duke of Norfolk plans to depose Queen Elizabeth I and marry Mary, queen of
429Scots, thus becoming king of England. The rebellion is crushed and several
430hundred rebels are hanged. </P>
431<P><B>The Throckmorton Plot (1583) </B>- This was the second plot to free Mary,
432queen of Scots. In 1583, Sir Francis Throckmorton, a Catholic nobleman, works
433with the Spanish ambassador to use Spanish troops to depose Queen Elizabeth I
434and free Mary. He was arrested in November 1583 and later
435executed.<BR><BR><B>The Babington Plot</B> <B>(1586)</B> - This was the third
436and final plot to free Mary, queen of Scots. In 1586, Sir Anthony Babington, a
437Catholic nobleman, conspired with a Catholic priest and others to assassinate
438Queen Elizabeth I and proclaim Mary queen of England. The plot is discovered by
439the secretary of state Sir Francis Walsingham and Babington and Mary are
440executed. </P>
441<P><B>The Essex Rebellion (1601)</B> - Robert Devereux, the earl of Essex, was a
442great favorite of Queen Elizabeth I's, but he was also arrogant and ambitious.
443Disgraced and sent from court on numerous occasions, he attempted to lead a
444rebellion against the queen on 8 February 1601. Essex protested that he did not
445intend to harm the queen but to free her from the bad influence of other
446councilors. He marched through London with 300 men but no others rallied to his
447side. He was later executed. <BR></P>
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