Edward VI & Rebellions

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  • Created by: cieran32
  • Created on: 08-11-18 20:41

The western Rebellion 1549

A combination of religious and socioeconomic factors led to the Western Rebellion. In conclusion, Somerset's government handled the rebellion badly

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causes of rebellion

  • A combination of reasons triggered the rebellion.
    • Resentment of religion reform - the New Common Prayer Book of 1549 sparked the rebellion.
    • Hostility to enclosure - The enclosure commission of 1548 had dashed people’s high hopes.
    • Increasing rents, rising prices and falling wages.
  • The local gentry could not deal with the situation
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course of rebellion

  • The rebellion began on Sunday 10 June in Cornwall and later spread to Devon.
  • On 29 June, Lord Russell was sent to find a peaceful settlement.
  • From 2 July to 6 July, the rebels besieged Exeter.
  • On 8 July, Russell's last attempt to find a settlement failed.
  • On 12 July, Lord Grey was sent to help Russell but was diverted to unrest in Oxford.
  • On 28 July, Russell began defeating groups of rebels in Devon.
  • On 17 August, the rebels were defeated.
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consequences of rebellion

  • The rebellion was put down.
  • Martial law (military government) was used to deal with the rebels. This indicates how dangerous the situation was.
  • Somerset's position in government was seriously weakened.
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Historical interpretation

  • Some historians call this rebellion the 'Prayer Book Rebellion'.
  • Historians have noted that most of the rebel articles focussed on religious grievances.
  • But this may reflect the disproportionate influence of the clergy who played a leading role in the rebellion rather than accurately representing the grievances of all the rebels.
  • Ferriby, Anderson and Imperato's view:
    • ‘Many of the riots were ill-focused and reflected a sense of desperation among the poorest classes
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Ketts Rebellion 1549

consequences of rebellion

  • Kett was hanged in November.
  • Most of the rebels were dealt with more leniently.
  • Somerset tried to be popular and wanted to cooperate with the rebels. This made him seem weak to his rivals at court
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Ketts Rebellion 1549 causes

  • Enclosure and bad government were higher priorities than religion.
  • Local government was a key issue. The rebels attacked the gentry and Justices of the Peace (JPs), accusing them of corruption and mismanaging government policy.
  • The New Common Prayer Book did not spark the rebellion. Kett's rebels wanted more religious reform, such as improving the quality of the clergy.
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course of the ketts rebellion

  • On 10 July, Kett led a march of yeomen and farmers to Norwich.
  • On 21 July, full pardon was offered to the rebels with promises to deal with corruption.
  • On 22 July, the rebels took Norwich. They set up a camp on Mousehold Heath.
  • Somerset wrote letters to the rebels to deal with their grievances.
  • On 30 July, the Marquis of Northampton arrived with a small army and retook Norwich. Negotiations with Kett failed.
  • On 23 August, the Earl of Warwick arrived with 12,000 men.
  • On 27 August, Kett's Rebellion was put down. 3,000 rebels were killed.
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Historical Interpretations

Studies of rebellions have become popular in recent years. Nowadays, historians consider rebellions a political tool that commoners used to exert pressure on the government.

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interpretations of rebellions

  • Previously, historians used to not think commoners could be involved in politics.
  • This was changed by social historians who studied ordinary people.
  • Now, rebellions are seen as sophisticated and political.
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what was the purpose rebellion

  • Historians such as Bush argue that rebellion was used as a form of negotiation in the Tudor period. This was because most commoners did not have a formal way to express their grievances.
  • Kett's and the Western rebellion can be seen as commoners calling for the government to restore harmony. They were not trying to overthrow the government.
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