REBELLION & UNREST 1547-58
Economic Causes
Economic Problems; Population rise,inflation, enclosure, decline in living standards, poverty, rising rent, poor
harvest, epidemics
Rise in Population
- 1525-51 population rose from 2.3 mil to 3 mil. Agricultural productivity couldn't keep up therefore prices
rose. Serious problems during a bad harvest, which were many. Grain price rose more than dairy/meat
- Young population, dependency ratio increased. Children consumed but did not contribute
- Increased farming hard, most land not fertile. Wanted to turn into sheep fmr which used less labourers
Rise in Prices & Rent
- 1520 prices 37% higher then 1508, 69% 1530
- To fund wars, debased coinage, more money to circulation but not more food
- Peasants in poverty, wages failed to keep up. Standard of living falling
- Dissolution of monasteries removed institution that helped poor
- Depression in cloth trade added to number of unemployment
- Large number of poor worried authorities as most became beggars/criminals. Lacked police force,
government forced to use harm measures
Enclosure
- Government's response provoked unrest, to finance the war against Scotland debasement continued
increased rising inflation. Some say greed of landowners caused enclosure
- Somerset commission 1548/49 looked into enclosure. Landowners blocked attempt to legislate, forced
proclamations so landowners reverse policy
- Lost landowners support, said to sympathetic. Legistatinon failed, took law into own hands threw down
illegal enclosure with hope of somerset support
Unrest in East Anglia Due to Enclosure
- Kett rebellion named after leader Robert Kett. Started as enclosure riot in Norfolk. Angry with lawyer John
flowerdrew
- Brought local abbey church, demolished half and enclosed the rest. Kett enclosed land, John attempted to
turn protestant against him but he instead assumed leadership
- 16,000 men marched to Norwich. Local forces couldn’t disperse rebels and pardon offer didn't work.
Seized Norwich, second largest city
- Government sent 14,000 troops, but defeated. Finally Earl of Warwick massacre rebels
- Drew 29 demands
Agricultural Demands Economic Grievances Religious Grievances Social Grievances
-No enclosed saffron grounds -Concern of rising -More protestant -Social structure of local
-Common land;stop forcing rents;to counter effect of (supported by Mousehold government
peasant to allow sheep inflation Heath) -To stop officials using
-Fishing rights;rivers open to -Use new Prayer book position to gain in land
all market
- Demands reflect grievances. Dislike of gentry and local government reflected in Mousehold Heath.
Showed through maintenance of discipline at camps used to maintain order and prevent mob rule
- Justices administered in camps, trial revealed society