Pilgrimage of Grace

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A rebellion of the Catholics in the north of England under the leadership of the lawyer Robert Aske (1500–1537) in October 1536 is called the Pilgrimage of Grace ("Pilgrimage of grace") . It grew into the greatest crisis during the reign of King Henry VIII (1491–1547, reign 1509–1547) and was directed against the secession of the English Church from Rome and the bastardization of Princess Maria . Within a few days, the uprising spread to the Yorkshire , Richmondshire , Sedbergh , Nidderdale and Mashamshire areas . The number of pilgrims grew into the thousands. Among them were members of the clergy , simple peasants, members of the gentry and the higher English nobility, some of whom used force to gain entry into towns and houses.

Since Heinrich's army was outnumbered by the insurgents, he had to negotiate with them. He offered a general pardon and made far-reaching concessions. Among other things, his wife Jane Seymour was to be crowned Catholic Queen in York . After the uprising had dissolved, Heinrich did not keep these concessions. At the beginning of 1537 there was therefore a new rebellion in the so-called Bigod uprising. As a result, Heinrich was no longer bound by his promises. He had the leaders arrested and executed for high treason .

The reasons for the uprising are still controversial in research. While it is considered certain that Heinrich's religious policy was a decisive trigger, it is not clear why only the north rose. Possible explanations are an increased alienation between the monarch and subjects for geographical reasons, as well as possible conspiracies of the conservative northern nobility against Heinrich's advisors, who were influenced by the Reformation.

backgrounds

Heinrich VIII., Against whom the rebellion was directed, painted by Hans Holbein the Elder. J. 1536-1537

During his endeavors to have his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled and to marry Anne Boleyn instead , Heinrich had broken with the Roman Catholic Church and declared himself head of the English Church in place of the Pope. The repudiation of Catherine and the bastardization of her daughter, Princess Maria, were highly controversial in the north of England. Katharina had made herself popular with the northern population in 1513 as a military leader against the Scots, while Heinrich was hardly present as a tangible ruler in the north.

Compared to the rest of the country, the monarch had comparatively little influence on the everyday life of the people in the north. Instead, they felt more connected to the old, local noble families, such as the Dacres, Cliffords and Percys. Many northerners served these families as bodyguards and administrators for generations, creating a strong sense of togetherness. The presence of the distant king in the south of the country was usually only noticeable through new laws and taxes, which quickly became another nuisance. In the case of legal disputes, the north had no separate jurisdiction. Instead, the plaintiffs had to travel to London, which was not only time-consuming but also dangerous at the time.

Tensions were exacerbated by the separation from the Roman Catholic Church and the excommunication of the king by Pope Paul III. Henry's Lord Seal Keeper Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex , had not only made it possible for the king to divorce Catherine of Aragon. He also encouraged the king to press ahead with the Reformation in England, which resulted in the closure and partial destruction of monasteries . Church institutions were heavily involved in everyday life, especially in the rural north. Aside from church services, they cared for the sick and poor in the community, offered shelter and hospitality to travelers, and were an important economic factor as they created jobs. The rural orders also often allowed impoverished families to cultivate fields that belonged to the church and thus to secure a livelihood. The church was thus a social and economic network that now collapsed after the Reformation. In addition, various traditional religious holidays were canceled, which led to further dissatisfaction, as the north was traditionally more conservative than the south of England.

At the end of September 1536, tensions reached a new high point and culminated in the so-called Lincolnshire Rising ("Lincolnshire Uprising"). It spread over Caistor, Lincoln and Horncastle. The rebels wrote several articles about their complaints. Heinrich then sent Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk , to pacify the north. But while Suffolk was still busy trying to end the Lincolnshire uprising, a new uprising arose in Yorkshire unnoticed by him.

Course of the uprising

Pilgrimage of grace

Although the Lincolnshire Rising is often viewed as the first phase of the Pilgrimage of Grace, recent research has confirmed that the first swearing-in for the pilgrimage began as early as September 25th in Dent, Yorkshire. However, they only spread slowly. The actual uprising began around October 8th in Beverley town . During the Lincolnshire uprising, the rebels picked up the lawyer Robert Aske and made him take their oath. On October 10th, Robert Aske took over the leadership of the East Riding uprising . It is unclear whether he felt obliged by his oaths, was compelled to rebel, as happened to other members of the gentry, or joined the rebels out of conviction.

Banner of the Pilgrimage of Grace with the five wounds of Christ

Aske was an experienced lawyer and knew that any rebellion against the king would constitute high treason, since the king was considered to have been instituted by the grace of God. So he made it a point not to turn Heinrich against himself. In a letter he asked all rebels to swear to God, the king and the community and to support the church. He insisted on placing the emphasis on religion and turning the anger of the masses against the king's advisors, particularly the infamous Thomas Cromwell , whom many blamed for the Reformation and the closure of the monasteries. For this reason, he changed the articles of the Lincolnshire Rising to the effect that only the grievances in the kingdom should be remedied. He was also the one who first used the religious term "pilgrimage", probably on the train to York . He told two messengers that “they were pilgrims and had a pilgrimage ahead of them”. The rebels carried flags with the five wounds of Christ , the crown of thorns , the noun sacrum IHS and the eucharistic chalice as banners .

Since the main aim of the pilgrims was to restore the old ecclesiastical order, they were supported by various branches of the clergy. Robert Ashton, a member of the Knaresborough Trinitarian Order , spread the word of the uprising in the East Riding. John Pickering, former Prior of the Dominicans in York, acted for the rebels as mediator. The Beverley Franciscans sent encouragement to the pilgrims and religious orders whose monasteries had already been disbanded and officially turned to Aske's associates in the hope that their monasteries and lands would be returned to them. The Cistercians are believed to have written the rebel marching song.

Nevertheless, the clergy did not stand united behind the pilgrims. They received the greatest support from nuns and monks, whose monasteries had already been closed. The majority of the members of the houses still in existence tried not to be drawn into the uprising. There was also pressure from pilgrims to get clergymen to join them. So the abbot of Jervaulx Abbey was caught and brought back by them on his flight from the rebels and was then forced to provide them with money and men. The abbot of Whalley Abbey had a similar experience .

March on York

On October 13th, the united rebel bands of the East Riding and West Riding marched on York. On their way they recruited u. a. Sir Thomas and Sir Ingram Percy, the younger brothers of Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, who once courted Anne Boleyn . Very few of the pilgrims had military or diplomatic experience, which is why they always tried to win over members of the nobility for their cause. On the one hand, the nobles had bodyguards trained in the military, so-called retainers , and on the other hand they could negotiate with the king's ambassadors. By the time the pilgrimage finally reached York, the number had swelled to 20,000, many of them mounted. The news spread quickly, and riots broke out in East Anglia and Norfolk .

On October 9th, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy , called on the Mayor of York, William Harrington, to resist the rebels, as they had hardly any artillery. However, Harrington did not trust the townspeople and feared that they would support the rebels against his will. In fact, the townspeople sided with the insurgents, so that they marched into York on October 16 without resistance and in triumph. In York, Aske had the following proclamation read out:

“For this pilgrimage that we have undertaken serves to preserve the Church of Christ, the Kingdom of England, the King, our Supreme Lord, the nobility and the people alike, and aims to address a petition to His Majesty the King to reform the things that are in trouble in this his realm. "

Aske did everything possible to keep his pilgrimage as peaceful as possible. He forbade common foot soldiers to stay inside the city walls to prevent looting. He also insisted that his pilgrims pay for things they needed, such as food and clothing. According to him, the insurgents had “no bad grudge against anyone but those who are not worthy to dwell near our supreme lord,” but are ready “to fight and to fight against those who try to stop us die. ”His strategy during the uprising was to show strength without using direct force. Within the next few days, two small Benedictine religious houses were reopened in York , which had been closed in the summer.

Spread of the uprising

While the East Riding was rising, riots also took place in Richmondshire , Sedbergh, Nidderdale and Mashamshire around October 11th . These troops managed to occupy Jervaulx Abbey and reopen Coverham Abbey . Various meetings of the rebels of the North Riding took place in Richmondshire , where members of the gentry were sworn in as leaders. Not all of them sympathized with the rebels, but gave in to the pressure, such as John Nevill, 3rd Baron Latymer , then husband of future Queen Catherine Parr . Latimer's castle Snape Castle was strategically located as it controlled the main road and thus the access to the north. Between October 14th and 15th, Lord Latymer was captured and forced to take the pilgrimage. The Richmond gatherings coordinated the rebel actions. The pilgrims managed to capture the banner of St. St. Cuthbert , a relic from Durham Cathedral , and to carry the pilgrimage forward. Barnard Castle was taken with little difficulty. On October 18, they sent the majority of their troops to Robert Aske in York. On October 19, Hull also surrendered and opened the gates to the rebels.

Pontefract Castle by an unknown artist, circa 1620

Lord Darcy, who was holed up in the castle of Pontefract , the so-called "key to the north", played a special role . He himself did nothing to stop the pilgrims, but wrote letters to the mayor of York and to Henry. In his letters to the king, he emphasized again and again that there was nothing he could do about the attackers, as the castle's defenses were unusable. From October 17, he was completely cut off from the city because the citizens had sided with the rebels. He plays a shady role in the uprising. Although he said he had people ready to follow the king's orders, he gave up the castle relatively quickly on October 21 after a meeting with Robert Aske and immediately afterwards distributed banners with the five wounds of Christ to the pilgrims. After changing sides, Darcy became a new leader in the pilgrimage.

Not all cities and fortresses, however, made common cause with the pilgrims. Robert Aske's cousin Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland , refused to give his Skipton Castle to the rebels. The siege of the castle began around October 21st, which was to drag on for a week. In an attempt to bring the Earl to his knees, the rebels took two of his daughters and daughter-in-law Eleanor Brandon hostage, the youngest daughter of Charles Brandon and, through her mother, Mary Tudor, the king's niece. Cumberland's friendship with Robert Aske's brother Christopher saved his daughters and daughter-in-law. Christopher Aske was able to wrest the ladies from the rebels who had threatened to desecrate Eleanor and her sisters-in-law "and to impose lowly villains on them to inflict great pain on my lord." Due to Cumberland's influence, Carlisle refused to cooperate with the rebels. The residents of Scarborough Castle also resisted, and in Lancaster , Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, with the authority of the king, organized the resistance against Askes' troops. The citizens who declared themselves there for Askes cause did not succeed in winning the gentry as leader. They focused on restoring Sawley Abbey and keeping Derby's men at bay. The Dent rebels, on the other hand, won over the gentry and soon expanded their activities to northern Lancaster. On October 28th, they marched south to face the Earl.

Reaction of the king

Although Aske's forces had grown enough to pose a threat to the south of England, he had no intention of marching on without giving the king the opportunity to comply with the pilgrims' requests. They called for the North to have a say in national affairs, the disempowerment of Cromwell and an end or reversal of the Reformation. Historians agree that Aske was by no means striving to overthrow the king, although it was probably clear to him that such concessions could only be wrested from Heinrich by force. According to the view of the world at that time, this represented a gross violation of the God-willed order of the world. For this reason Heinrich was by no means willing to make concessions to the rebels. In his eyes, Aske in particular was a "rogue traitor" who trampled the divine order with his "madness". In addition, the uprising increased his distrust of the religious orders as centers of resistance against his authority.

Queen Jane Seymour around 1536–1537 by Hans Holbein

Even in private, the king no longer tolerated any objections to his policy. His new Queen, Jane Seymour , fell on her knees before him at the start of the uprising, according to a French reporter, begging him to reopen the abbeys. Heinrich's answer was sharp and indomitable. The French rapporteur writes:

“He told her to get up calmly enough. He told her several times not to interfere in his affairs, referring to the last queen. It was enough to frighten a woman who doesn't feel very safe. "

While the pilgrims, and to a lesser extent Jane Seymour, were concerned with religious goals, Heinrich was concerned with maintaining and recognizing his authority. The demands of the rebels interfered with two of his most important principles: the king's sovereignty over the church and the succession to the throne that he redefined. However, Heinrich would adhere to these principles undeterred until the end of his life.

When news of the Lincolnshire Rebellion reached Henry, he put Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk , and George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury , in command of the royal army. Other courtiers were also assigned to the armed forces, including a. Norfolk's nephew Francis Bryan and Henry's cousin Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter . Norfolk initially proposed a defensive strategy. He and Shrewsbury planned to build a line of defense along the River Trent to keep the rebels from marching south. However, Shrewsbury received orders to the contrary from the government, as news from the north only reached the court with a delay. The army was originally raised to pacify the Lincolnshire Rebellion, a much smaller movement. Because of this misunderstanding, the two armies split up. While Norfolk was in Newark-on-Trent on October 23, Shrewsbury's army had moved further north and was marching towards Pontefract. Thus, a defensive strategy was no longer possible, with Norfolk only 5,000 and Shrewsbury 8,000 men available, while Aske commanded between 30,000 and 40,000.

Attempts at arbitration and intrigues

When it became more and more apparent that the royal army could not solve the situation militarily, Heinrich's military leaders instead entered into negotiations with the rebels in order to gain time and to persuade the rebels to give up. Norfolk, for example, sent a messenger to Pontefract with the request to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Instead, four pilgrims were to meet him in Doncaster to explain the reasons for their uprising. Norfolk had made a name for itself in the north at the Battle of Flodden Field , and Aske now hoped to find a powerful ally. In fact, Norfolk was only interested in gaining time. He managed to negotiate a truce.

Aske deliberately formulated the pilgrims' demands vaguely so as not to offer the king a surface to attack. On October 27, Robert Bowes and Sir Ralph Ellerker, with Norfolk's consent, were sent to Windsor to present their petition to the King. Heinrich, however, called the petition "vague, difficult to understand and opaque," which is why he rejected it. On November 21st, the Pilgrims' Council met in York, where Robert Bowes assured them of the king's goodwill. But already now the pilgrims were divided.

Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk by Hans Holbein , approx. 1539–40

Sir Robert Constable and his followers hated Cromwell and feared his influence on the king. So they would not agree to a meeting until the land was secured as far as the River Trent . The reason for this was a letter from Cromwell, read by the Constable, in which Cromwell threatened the sharpest retaliation if the rebellion was not ended. It was also now known that the amnesty that Heinrich had promised explicitly excluded the leaders of the pilgrimage, including Robert Aske. Nevertheless, the peaceful faction prevailed and Aske set about formulating the articles clearly. They included u. a. the following requirements:

  • A general pardon for all pilgrims without exception
  • A parliament is convened in the north to discuss the pilgrims' demands
  • Legitimacy of Princess Maria
  • Restoration of papal authority
  • Suppression of heretical books and appropriate punishment of heretics
  • Restoration of the closed monasteries
  • Repeal of various parliamentary acts
  • Jurisdiction in York for every man north of Trent
  • Dismissal of Thomas Cromwells, Richard Richs and Thomas Audley from the Privy Council

While the negotiations were in progress, there were double games and intrigues on both sides. Hostages were requested and informers were used. So Francis Bryan sent a servant to Yorkshire to spy on December 13 or 14. The servant was arrested twice by the rebels, but each time he was able to pull himself out of the affair by lying. The situation was particularly delicate for men like Bryan and Henry Courtenay. Though they were loyal to the king, their sympathies were with the pilgrims, who too viewed Cromwell's power with suspicion and opposed the Reformation. With them, the rebels were able to drive a wedge between the loyal nobility and Heinrich. Aske tried to get a pardon through Bryan for a while, but received the answer that he would have to break away from the rebels.

However, Aske's own ranks were nowhere near as closed as they appeared. On the one hand, there was still the conflict with Sir Robert Constable and his supporters; on the other hand, the clergy did not stand united behind the pilgrims. Edward Lee, the incumbent Archbishop of York , had joined the rebels only by force. Aske, hoping for his support, had him hold the service on Sunday, December 3rd. But instead of the backing they had hoped for, the rebels received a sharp reprimand from Lee that only princes had the right to wield a sword. Instead of encouraging them, he exhorted the pilgrims to passive obedience to their rightful ruler, which outraged and partially discouraged those present.

Double play

For a long time Heinrich insisted that no conditions should be dictated to him and that the ringleaders of the uprising should be punished. It was only when Norfolk urged him to at least pretend to accept the pilgrims' demands, since the army was hopelessly inferior to them, that Henry agreed. He gave Norfolk on December 6th the authority for a general pardon, the extension of the armistice and the promise to convene a separate parliament to discuss the concerns of the pilgrims. These powers strengthened Norfolk's position so that he could appease the rebels regarding the closed abbeys as well. Although he did not have the authority to reopen it, he promised that the abbeys that submitted to the king would be restored by him until the special parliament had made a decision. Not all pilgrims believed the promises, and others were not satisfied with the conditions received. They threatened Aske with another uprising. It was only with difficulty that he managed to convince her. The army was officially disbanded on December 8th and the banners of the five wounds of Christ were removed. One now waited for the royal promises to be redeemed.

As early as November 5th, the Spanish ambassador Eustace Chapuys had expressed fear that the king merely wanted to lull the rebels into safety so that he could later take revenge. In December Heinrich invited Robert Aske to spend Christmas at court in Greenwich Palace . Lord Latimer was also called to court, though he was called back halfway to aid Norfolk. An invitation from the king was a special honor, but sowed distrust among the pilgrims. Some suspected an ambush, others feared that Heinrich wanted to win Aske over. So it is said of an anonymous contemporary: "The departure of lords, knights and gentlemen ... will lead the commoners to a new revolt."

Greenwich Palace, where Robert Aske was invited for Christmas 1536; Artist and time of origin unknown

Heinrich received Aske in a friendly manner and gave him a jacket made of scarlet velvet. He also reaffirmed his promise to grant a general pardon to convene his next parliament in York and even promised to have Jane Seymour crowned queen in York. Aske was full of confidence. At Heinrich's instruction, he wrote his memoirs about the pilgrimage during this time and added recommendations on how Heinrich could recapture the hearts of the north. In January he returned to Yorkshire. There, however, distrust was already fermenting. Lord Latimer's family, especially his wife Catherine Parr , felt the consequences first hand. While Latimer was still on the road, his wife received an uninvited visit from the pilgrims, who forcibly entered, tore a page from a book, and took stock of Latimer's possessions. Latimer wrote to Admiral Fitzwilliam on his return journey north:

“I hear that the Richmondshire brats, angry at my coming [to London], have broken into my house in Snape and will destroy it if I don't get home soon. If I'm not at their will, I don't know what they will do to me, my property, my wife and my children. "

After the army went home, Henry and Cromwell set out to further alienate the gentry and the lower classes. Among other things, the king sent letters in which he sharply condemned the pilgrims' attempts to interfere in politics.

“And we, along with Our Council, find it extremely strange that you, who are only brutes and unsuspecting, presume to tell Us who is worthy or unworthy to sit on Our Council. We will therefore not tolerate such interference from you, since it is contrary to the duty of good subjects to intervene in these matters. "

The pilgrims felt betrayed, especially when Norfolk was sent back north at the end of January to swear an oath on the king. The purpose of this oath was to negate the pilgrims' oath and to get them to recognize the things they had fought against: Heinrich as head of the church, the changed succession regulation and the dissolution of the monasteries. Heinrich ordered that anyone who refused to take the oath should be treated as a traitor. Although this act of the king would undoubtedly have provoked new uprisings, the pilgrims were preparing for a new uprising before Norfolk ever returned to Doncaster with these orders. The reason for this was the long time lag between the king's promises and their hoped-for fulfillment. Rumors spread that Norfolk would be returning with an army. The distrust grew. In late January, Sir Ralph Sadler reported that calls for rioting had been nailed to church doors at night. This also showed the division of the estates, because the appeals were aimed exclusively at the citizens, as the nobility had betrayed them.

Heinrich's retribution

Heinrich's opportunity to revenge for disregarding his authority came in the so-called Bigod uprising. It got its name from Sir Francis Bigod of Settrington, who had served as captain for Robert Aske. Bigod questioned Heinrich's promises and thought it safer to keep the north under control until the promises were fulfilled. He also hoped to be able to capture Norfolk and extort the pilgrimage from him. Robert Aske himself hurriedly distanced himself from Bigod in order not to lose the king's concessions. He called on the population not to jeopardize the results of the Doncaster armistice, but the damage was already done. On January 16, 1537, the uprising began again, organized by Bigod and his comrade John Hallam. Their plan was to take Hull and Scarborough and coordinate riots in the north. However, they seriously overestimated their support in the population and failed because of the two cities. Royal forces captured Hallam and found a letter from Bigod in his pocket. Since Bigod's son Ralph was also engaged to Catherine Parr's stepdaughter Margaret Neville, the future queen and her husband Lord Latimer came under suspicion again.

Clifford's Tower at York Castle , the place where Robert Askes died

As soon as he received the news, Heinrich declared all negotiations and concessions null and void. In his view, he had been betrayed by the rebels, whom he had treated mildly despite their disobedience. The gentry tried desperately to distance itself from the insurgent population, as it had become, in part, their target. Many of them joined Norfolk to work with him against the people and took the oath he took them. Martial law was now imposed over the north and bloody examples made. A total of around 200 rebels were executed in the aftermath of the pilgrimage. Norfolk itself appeared to be concerned, for he wrote:

“Truly, if I had to judge twelve men, I think not a fifth of them deserved to atone because most of them say 'I was afraid for my life' or 'I was afraid of losing all my belongings 'and' I came for fear that my house would be set on fire and my wife and children destroyed '. Small excuses are often believed here, where there is solidarity and compassion for the neighbor. And sir, although the number of those who are to atone is no more than they deserve, I believe that never before have so many been executed at once. "

Heinrich's anger was now directed against the leaders of the pilgrimage. His long refusal to include them in general pardon is interpreted by some historians as meaning that he planned all along to destroy them. Although Robert Aske had tried to stop the insurgents and was traveling with Norfolk, he, Lord Darcy and Sir Robert Constable were ordered to London. It is not certain why they voluntarily took this trip. Perhaps they thought they had nothing to fear because they had not participated in the renewed riots. It is also conceivable that they believed they had no choice. Their trials took place in May. Some of their co-defendants, such as Lord Latimer and the Earl of Westmoreland, convinced the court that they had been forced into the ranks of the pilgrims. Latimer insisted that the rebellion "was a very dangerous and painful time for me," and Norfolk itself affirmed in favor of Latimer and the also indicted Vicar General of York: "No man was in greater mortal danger." Aske, Lord Darcy, Lord Hussey, Bigod, Hallam and Sir Constable, however, were all found guilty. Darcy was beheaded on Tower Hill , Bigod was executed in Tyburn . Constable and probably Hallam were executed in Hull, while Hussey met the same fate in Lincoln. Robert Aske was sent to York on July 12, 1537 and was hung in chains at the Clifford's Tower of York Castle until he died.

Not only the population and some nobles, but also the church had to atone for the uprising. The king's orders were now taken against the clergy. In his eyes it was confirmed that monasteries and religious houses were cells of resistance against him. In the autumn he had ordered the Earl of Derby , should Sawley Abbey reopened, "forcibly arrest the abbot and the monks in question and hang them up without delay in their monk's clothing as brazen traitors and rebels." Now he gave Norfolk the express order to take action against monks. Abbots who participated in the uprising were now treated like secular traitors and the possession of their monastery fell to the crown. Meanwhile, news had also been leaked that Cardinal Reginald Pole had been given by Pope Paul III. had been sent to Flanders to cross over to England and assist the rebels. Although the uprising had been quelled before Pole left Rome, the news fueled the king's distrust of Pole's family, which would have disastrous consequences in the Exeter conspiracy .

Effects

Ruins of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, closed in 1539

After the riots were finally over, not a single goal of the pilgrimage had been achieved. The parliament, which was supposed to deliberate on the pilgrims' complaints, was never convened. Cromwell remained in power and the old religion was not restored. The closure of the monasteries and abbeys continued. The few religious houses that still existed up to 1539 despite the constant closings, such as the Cistercian monastery Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, finally lost their right to exist in the so-called second act of dissolution ( act of dissolution). Heinrich's biographer Lucy Wooding describes the dissolution of the monasteries as "the most destructive act by an English monarch".

At the same time, however, a second act was passed that created six new dioceses, for the first time not by the Pope but by the King. In a preamble, Heinrich stated that the dioceses should take over the functions that the monasteries had previously exercised: teaching, nursing and alms. Instead of splintered small religious houses, he planned schools and churches under the auspices of the unified dioceses. In this way, Heinrich continued, albeit violently, the development that began in the 15th century from church welfare to state welfare.

The trip to York with the coronation of Jane Seymour did not take place. Heinrich pretended that he would cancel it out of consideration for his pregnant wife. Only with his wife but one, Queen Catherine Howard , was Heinrich supposed to travel north in 1541. On entering the cities of York, Barnsdale, Newcastle, and Hall, the king was awaited by nobles, priests, and landowners who kneeled before him, begging his forgiveness, and giving him gifts of money. The French ambassador Marillac accompanied the king on the journey and wrote about Henry's entry into Pontefract, where he was expected by his subjects:

“Those who remained faithful during the rebellion were separated from the others, graciously received by the king, and praised for their loyalty. The others who had been part of the conspiracy, including the Archbishop of York, were on their knees a little further away. One of them, speaking for all, gave a long speech in which he admitted that marching against their ruler and his advice had been treason. He thanked him [the king] for forgiving such a great offense and begged him to let go of any remnants of displeasure. Then they handed him several extensive, written submissions. "

It was Heinrich's first contact with his northern subjects since the pilgrimage. He showed himself gracious and willing to reconcile. Not only did he officially forgive the population for the uprising, but in some cases also offered compensation. He also took up the point with a jurisdiction for the north. Up until now the northern population had to come to London for any legal battle. Now Heinrich established “His Majesty's Council in the Northern Parts” instead, a court consisting of a president and a 22-member council of gentlemen, nobles and lawyers.

Princess Maria, who accompanied Heinrich and Catherine Howard on this trip to the north, was finally reassigned to the throne in the will of the king, albeit not legitimized.

Interpretation in Research

The uprising is interpreted differently by historians, because today it is no longer clearly ascertain what the decisive cause or who was the main carrier. While much see it as a protest by the lower clergy and the lower classes against Heinrich's religious and economic policies, others suspect a conspiracy by the conservative northern nobility against the unpopular Thomas Cromwell. In the eyes of many nobles, Cromwell was a low-born upstart. Henry's cousin Henry Courtenay allegedly called Cromwell a villain who controlled the king. In addition, Cromwell's reformatory policy was a thorn in the side of the Catholic nobility. The nobility regarded it as certain that “the false flatterer” had promised to make Heinrich the richest prince in the world with the church treasures, but in reality he ran it into his own pocket.

The rumor that the King was planning to marry Princess Maria to Cromwell was the culprit that broke the barrel. Two things in particular speak in favor of the theory that the uprising was specifically directed against Cromwell. On the one hand, it is the pilgrims' demand formulated by Aske to dismiss Cromwell from the service of the king. Second, there was a faction around Sir Constable who hated Cromwell and insisted on continuing the pilgrimage until Cromwell could no longer dictate terms to them. However, since Sir Constable's faction failed to prevail, it is unlikely that it was a larger-scale conspiracy.

Thomas Cromwell around 1533 by Hans Holbein , enemy image of the pilgrims

It is also often debated why the north of all things rose against its rightful king and not the west, which experienced Heinrich's policy much more directly. One thesis says that Heinrich was hardly present as ruler in the north. He never extended his regular summer trips through the kingdom to show himself to the people to the north. Historians assume that the northern unrest did not spread to the West because the local population felt closer to Heinrich through his travels and the associated closeness to the people.

The northern population, on the other hand, often perceived the central government in London as the interference of strangers in local affairs, which was particularly displeasing to the local nobility. Historians also see this as an explanation of the pilgrims' hostility towards Henry Clifford, Earl of Cumberland. The Cliffords quickly became an extremely unpopular family in the north after Eleanor Brandon , the king's niece, married the earl's son. Through this marriage, the royal family had gained a foothold in the north and thus disturbed the balance between the noble families. According to this thesis, the insurrection would be the result of an alienation between the king and his subjects.

Robert Aske's role in the uprising is a matter of great controversy. There is some suspicion that he was planning a conspiracy during the Lincolnshire uprising. An indication of this would be the early swearing in around September 25th. However, Aske's leadership cannot be clearly proven until about October 9th. The researchers are also divided as to whether he actually believed Heinrich so unconditionally or whether he just wanted to protect himself on all sides. During the negotiations with Francis Bryan, he incriminated two men (Horncliffe and Curtis) who had allegedly pledged allegiance to him and drove Yorkshire into rebellion. But now, Aske said, they would deny their involvement and should be punished by Bryan. Aside from Aske's claims, there is no evidence that the two swore allegiance to him. Therefore, a conspiracy by Askes is suspected here, possibly to show himself cooperative and to make the king more merciful. Ultimately, however, the real motivation for his actions remains unclear.

literature

  • Madeline Hope Dodds, Ruth Dodds: The Pilgrimage of Grace 1536-1537 and the Exeter Conspiracy 1538. Two volumes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2015.
  • Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch : Tudor Rebellions . Pearson Education, 2008, ISBN 9781405874328
  • RW Hoyle: Participants in the Pilgrimage of Grace (act. 1536-1537) . In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford University Press, 2004
  • David Starkey : Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . Harper Collins Perennial, 2004, ISBN 9780060005504
  • RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 9780199259069

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Lucy Wooding: Henry VIII . 2009 Routledge, p. 64
  2. ↑ Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 7
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Pilgrimage of Grace on Tudorplace.com
  4. ↑ Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, pp. Xvi
  5. ↑ a b Lucy Wooding: Henry VIII . 2009 Routledge, p. 207
  6. ↑ a b c Lucy Wooding: Henry VIII . 2009 Routledge, p. 212
  7. ↑ a b c Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 31
  8. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Claire Cross: Participants in the Pilgrimage of Grace . In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . 2004 Oxford University Press
  9. ↑ Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 35
  10. ↑ Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 31 f .: "For thys pylgrymage, we have taken, hyt is for the preservacyon of Chrystes Churche, of thys realm of England, the Kynge, our Soverayne Lord, the Nobylyte and Comyns of the same, and to the entente to make petycion to the Kynges Highnes for the reformacyon of that whyche is amysse, within thys hys realme. "
  11. ↑ a b c d e f Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 32
  12. ↑ a b c Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 33
  13. ^ A b David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 699
  14. ↑ Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 46
  15. ↑ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 1: January-May 1537, Christopher Aske : "to violate and enforce them with knaves, unto my Lord's great discomfort."
  16. ↑ a b c d e Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 34
  17. ^ Letter from Henry VIII on October 28, 1536 to the Earl of Derby
  18. ^ A b Instructions from Heinrich to Lancaster on November 2, 1536
  19. ↑ a b c d Lucy Wooding: Henry VIII . 2009 Routledge, p. 210
  20. ↑ David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 602
  21. ^ Letter to the Cardinal du Bellay of October 24, 1536, "he told her, prudently enough, to get up, and he had often told her not to meddle with his affairs, referring to the late Queen, which was enough to frighten a woman who is not very secure. "
  22. ↑ a b Susan Bridgen: Bryan, Francis. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Volume 8: Brown Burstow. 2004 Oxford University Press
  23. ↑ a b c J. PD Cooper: Courtenay, Henry . In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Volume 13: Constable-Crane. 2004 Oxford University Press
  24. ↑ a b c d Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 37
  25. ^ A b c d R. W. Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 338
  26. ^ A b Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 38
  27. ^ A b David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 604
  28. ↑ David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 702
  29. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 369
  30. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 368
  31. ^ A b David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 703
  32. ↑ David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, pp. 702–703: "I learn that the commons of Richmondshire, grieved at my coming up, have entered my house at Snape, and will destroy it if I come not home shortly. […] If I do not please them, I know not what they will do with my body and goods, wife and children. "
  33. ↑ Pilgrimage of Grace on Tudorplace.com "And we, with our whole council, think it right strange that ye, who be but brutes and inexpert folk, do take upon you to appoint us who be meet or not for our council; we will , therefore, bear no such meddling at your hands, it being inconsistent with the duty of good subjects to interfere in such matters. "
  34. ^ A b R. W. Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 371
  35. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 374
  36. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 378
  37. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 383
  38. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 380
  39. ↑ a b c d Lucy Wooding: Henry VIII . 2009 Routledge, p. 211
  40. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 390
  41. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 393
  42. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 397
  43. ↑ David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 700
  44. ↑ David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 605
  45. ↑ David Starkey: Six Wives. The Queens of Henry VIII . 2004 HarperCollins Perennial, p. 665: "Those who in the rebellion remained faithful were ranked apart and graciously received by the King and praised for their fidelity. [...] The others, who were of the conspiracy, among whom appeared the Archbishop of York , were a little further off on their knees. [...] One of them, speaking for all, made a long harangue confessing their treason in marching against their sovereign and his Council, thanking him for pardoning so great an offense and begging that if any relics of indignation remained he would dismiss them. […] They then delivered several bulky submissions in writing. "
  46. ↑ Lucy Wooding: Henry VIII . 2009 Routledge, p. 246
  47. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 62
  48. ^ RW Hoyle: The Pilgrimage of Grace and the Politics of the 1530s . 2003 Oxford University Press, p. 78
  49. ^ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 11: July-December 1536. Preface
  50. ↑ Anthony Fletcher and Diarmaid MacCulloch: Tudor Rebellions . 2008 Pearson Education, p. 44
  51. ↑ RW Hoyle: Aske, Robert . In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography October 2008 version
This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on November 22, 2011 .