The Pilgrimage of Grace (AQA GCSE History)

Summary

Henry’s dramatic changes to religion in England were far from popular with everybody. In fact, some people felt so strongly about the English Reformation that they rose up in their thousands in rebellion. This uprising, which occurred across the north of England, became known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. The rebels, or Pilgrims, wanted to see the Pope's return as the head of the Church in England, the closure of the monasteries to stop and for those that had already been closed to be reopened. They also wanted Cromwell dismissed from his role as Henry’s chief minister.

Why were people unhappy with the English Reformation?

• The Catholic way of worship had been central to most English people’s lives for many centuries.

• Monasteries and nunneries fulfilled important roles in communities including:

  • Providing hospital care for the sick

  • Food for the poor 

  • Shelter for travellers

• The Catholic religious services were familiar and provided great comfort and reassurance to many people

• The closing of the monasteries, dismissal of the priests and break away from cherished traditions caused great distress

  • Religious faith was extremely important to large numbers of people and they felt their faith was under threat

• At the same time, ordinary people were struggling due to the rising price of food caused by poor harvests

  • Landowners were also unhappy about the growing power of Thomas Cromwell and their loss of influence at court

Events of the Pilgrimage of Grace

• The Pilgrimage of Grace was two separate uprisings 

  • The first took place in Lincolnshire

  • The second, much larger and more significant revolt occurred in Yorkshire

The Lincolnshire rising

Events of the Yorkshire rising

• Robert Aske was a lawyer who got caught up in the Lincolnshire rebellion whilst on his way to London

  • He and others carried news of the revolt in Lincolnshire with them to Yorkshire

  • Aske became the leader of the Yorkshire Rebellion

• In Yorkshire, the revolt took hold and grew rapidly

  • Hull, Beverley and the castles at York and Pontefract were soon under rebel control

  • Over 50,000 people across the north swore the ‘Pilgrim’s Oath’ to defend the Catholic faith in England

  •  The rebels included lords and knights, such as Lord Hussey, as well as common people 

Henry’s reaction to the Pilgrimage of Grace

• The king sent the Duke of Norfolk to confront the rebels but his army of 5,000 was vastly outnumbered

• Norfolk agreed to meet with the rebel leaders in Doncaster to negotiate on the king’s behalf

  • It was agreed:

    • All of the rebels would be pardoned

    • No more monasteries would be closed 

    • A parliament would be held in York

  • In exchange, the rebels agreed to abandon the uprising and return to their homes

  • The leader of the Yorkshire rebellion, Robert Aske, even travelled to London to spend Christmas with King Henry

• Meanwhile, Henry continued to send troops north

• People began to suspect the king was not going to stick to his word

• The rebels were frustrated by the:

  • Lack of progress

  • Ever-increasing number of troops arriving from the south

• The rebels once again attacked castles in Scarborough, Beverley and Hull

  •  Henry used the attacks as evidence that the rebels had broken their word 

  • He demanded revenge 

  • The leaders were rounded up and 216 were executed for their role in the rebellion – including Robert Aske who was hung at York Castle

Impacts of the Pilgrimage of Grace

Religious impacts

• The monasteries were not reopened

• The Pope was not returned as Head of the Church in England

• It was not long before every single monastery in England was closed and religious services continued to change

Political impacts

• Henry emerged from the revolt as strong and as powerful as ever

  • Henry strengthened his control over the north of England by revamping the Council of the North

    • This placed powerful Lords who were loyal to Henry in charge of the northern areas that were far away from London

  • There were no more rebellions during Henry’s reign 

  • He remained in full control of both the Church and government of England

Economic impacts

• Much of the monastery land was sold to wealthy landowners which helped increase Henry's wealth

  • The monasteries were stripped of their valuables such as gold crosses

  • The lead from their roofs was also stripped and sold meaning they fell into disrepair and soon became ruins