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Wolsey's reign - Coggle Diagram
Wolsey's reign
Wolsey and Church reform
Instructed English bishops to carry out their duties more scrupulously, and ordered inspections of the quality of religious life in monasteres and other religious institutions. As a result, over two dozen religious houses were dissolved.
W also interested in promoting religious learning to improve the quality of the clergy, partly funded by closing some monasteries: papal permission for monastic reform was obtained on the condition the money gained would be used to promote education.
In 1528 W drew up more plans to close monasteries with fewer than 6 inmates and amalgamate those with under 12. People saw nothing wrong with this, as it was to benefit religious learning.
As a cardinal of the CC, W strongly opposed heresy. Encouraged H8 to take a stand against the new ideas of the Luther, which led to public burnings of Luthers texts in 1521: H8 rewarded title of 'defender of the faith' by pope. Several groups suspected of prot. sympathies were arrested and punished. However, anticlericalism was fairly limited.
However, W's position in the church didn't always get him praise. He collected lots of titles with big incomes but couldn't fill them, so he was permamnenty absent while a deputy acted for him. He attracted criticism for the twin vices of absenteeism and pluralism (Holding more than one office at a time).
Government under Wolsey
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Legal reforms: main concern was slow and unfair delivery of justice. By 1516, he planned to promote civil law (based on natural justice and evidence) instead of common law (decisions made through similar cases in the past).
centre piece of his plans was a strengthened star court (established by H7 but slow). W used it frequently to attack nobles and local officials who abused their power. He encouraged commoners to bring their cases to the court: now heard about 120 cases a year. Gave him rep as friend to the poor.
W also used court of requests to hear cases from poor people. it was popular because of the low cost and quick decisions
Financial reforms: money a serious problem for H8 as he spent it on expensive f.p to get himself noticed by other rulers. W realised current modes of finance couldn't be exploited anymore. In 1522 he organised a national survey to assess who could pay tax and how much: the first systematic investigation into finances since the Domesday survey of 1086. Gained about 200,000: however it wasn't enough due to inflation and expensive f.p.
to overcome the national survey not being enough, he proposed a more flexible tax: a subsidy, which was passed in 1523. was based on income rather than property. didn't raise as much as hoped: wolsey also levied a tax on the church.
In 1525 he proposed an amicable grant from church and ordinary taxypayers based on valuations of their property. provoked only significant rebellon in H8's reign.
Economic policies: W got involved in enclosure. He thought the conversion of arable land to sheep pasture by enclosing fields destroyed village life and jobs. In 1517 he began a national enquiry to find out how much land was enclosed and what effects it was having. Further investigations conducted in 1518, but opposition from landowners in parliement in 1523 force him to suspend these enquiries until 1526.
f.p also disruoted trade in late 1520s. W's alliance w/France against spain caused problems. england had little money to fight and the main embargo was a trade embargo against spain which controlled the netherlands as part of burgundy. this affected english cloth trade badly and coincided with a bad harvest. widespread unemployment made worse by high prices. in 1526 W undertook a recoinage but just lead to inflation.
Wolsey and parliement: could be accused of trying to rule without parliament, as only two called: 1515 (problems over Hunne's case) and 1523 (so parliament could agree to a tax as a result of expensive f.p).
Wolsey and the Church
Had an important role in the Church as eventually Legatus a latere which meant papal legate but with additional powers in 1524.
Condition of the church in the 1520s: most people fully accepted christian beliefs: substantial enthusiasm. Most people, educated or unedcuate, stayed loyal to Catholic Church and its teachings. However, there was a definite strand of anti-clericalism which wolsey did nothing to reduce: strand increased by printing: people were more aware of the shortcomings of the church, personified by wolsey with all his pomp, two illegitimate children and living openly with his mistress until 1514.
When the reformation began in europe, there were already those in england who would be sympathetic. For example, Lollards (descendants of John Wycliffe, a church critic) and those follwing Martin Luther's criticisms of catholicism.
Luther's arguments criticising some aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices was reaching england by the 1520s, especially through merchants and traders. e.g. a group of lutheran supporters met in cambridge at the white horse pub to discuss luther's theology. Helped by William Tyndale, who started to publish parts of the bible in english.