One of the questions on last week’s AS-level exam asked students to consider the opposition to Henry VIII’s religious reforms.
The most immediate thought is placed on the Pilgrimage of Grace, which reacted to the dissolution of the monasteries,
But are there any others?
If there were to be four people who take position on a Tudor rebels “Mount Rushmore”, who would you pick?
I’m going for Michael Flamank and Michael Joseph (“An Gof”) who led the Cornish rebellion of 1497.
They disagreed with heavy taxation and ended up marching to the outskirts of London to deliver their demands.
Unfortunately, they were overwhelmed at the battle of Blackheath, and both met a bloody end. But An Gof has become something of a Cornish Braveheart, particularly in uttering his final words of having a name immortal whilst being cut open.
If you had the following “leagues”, where would you place the Tudor monarchs?
Premier League: elite monarch
Second Division: good elements but also poor decisions
Bottom Division: poor monarch
This picture is of the “Hanse House” in King’s Lynn built by merchants associated with the Hanseatic League. This trading organisation had bases in numerous ports in the Baltic and North seas.
Henry VII attempted to combat the influence of the League by passing navigation acts to promote English trade. But these were largely unsuccessful.
What happened to the League during the Tudor period? Does anyone know if it remained influential by the time of Elizabeth?
Thomas Seymour is one of the most charismatic and erratic Tudor politicians.
Uncle to Edward VI, Thomas believed he had a leading role to play in governing the kingdom. However, his older brother - Edward Seymour (aka Earl of Hertford, aka Duke of Somerset) - secured power for himself as Lord Protector.
Thomas was not happy with being excluded from a leading role, however he set out to elevate his position by marrying Katherine Parr (wife #6 of Henry VIII). Furthermore, many have speculated about an inappropriate relationship with Princess Elizabeth. After Parr’s death, Thomas may have hoped for a marriage to the princess.
However, matters came to a head in 1549. After attempting to win over the young king’s affections, there appears to have been a botched kidnapping (or should that be “king napping”) of young Edward.
Thomas was arrested and executed. But was he justified in criticising his brother’s hold of the kingdom? Ultimately Edward Seymour was also deposed from power due to a disastrous war with Scotland, economic issues, and the outbreak of rebellions.
Would things have been better under Thomas’s direction?
Has anyone got any interesting facts or experiences of visiting Hampton Court Palace?
I had the pleasure of visiting it back in 2023, and I was so impressed with its history, particularly its links with Thomas Wolsey, and it being the place where Henry VIII married his sixth and final wife Catherine Parr.