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Mary 1553-58 - Coggle Diagram
Mary 1553-58
ACCESSION
1544 act of succession:
- Secured the crown to Ed and his heirs then to any children Henry might have by Katherine Parr.
- Following them both Mary and Elizabeth were reinstates, although they were still regarded as illegitimate.
19th July 1553:
- LDG was deposed as Queen and Mary finally takes the crown as Queen Mary I of England.
- Henry put Mary in his will as next successor in line after Edward.
- 37 when she comes to the throne. Childless and unmarried.
- Accession on the whole was greeted favourably by the English.
MARRIAGE
- Mary regarded it as essential to produce an heir so that a Catholic succession might be guaranteed and at the age of 37 she wanted to marry ASAP.
- 1 Eng candidate= Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon (Gardiner's choice- possibly to prevent a foreign marriage).
- HOWEVER, marriage to an Englishman brought the threat of faction rivalry.
- Philip spent minimal time in England. He was not interested in Mary herself.
OPPOSITION TO MARRIAGE:
- English public were hostile.
Marriage Treaty conditions April 1554:
- Philip was to be given King title but was to exercise none of the power that went ti the title.
- No foreigners were to be permitted to hold English offices.
- If Mary predeceased Philip then he could have no claim on the English crown.
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SOCIAL + ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Trade, exploration, prosperity + depression.
ECONOMIC
SUCCESSES:
- The Exchequer successfully pursued Crown debtors, some of whom had debts, which had been outstanding for 40 years. EG Sir Thomas Egerton owed £7497 and probably repaid the money in full after a spell in the Tower. Not everyone paid up though – especially those in favour EG Lord Williams.
- Mary did make a financial error by remitting (cancelling) Edward’s last subsidy (tax). This bought her popularity but at financial cost – the level of royal debt rose although not as dramatically as expected considering England was at war with France at the end of Mary’s reign.
- Rents on Crown lands were re-evaluated and raised. It has been estimated that this raised £40,000 per annum.
- The new Book of Rates fixed the level of duty to be paid on certain products. Customs had last been fixed in 1507 so the new Book of Rates was badly needed. The new rates were on average 100% higher. Customs revenues rose from £29,315 in 1556-7 to £82,797 in 1558-9 but too late for Mary to feel the benefit.
- Considering Mary’s country was at war, its financial record was satisfactory. The long-term security of Crown finances was boosted by plans for recoinage drawn up from 1556-1558 but implemented during Elizabeth’s reign. It was the thoroughness of preparation conducted during Mary’s reign which enabled efficient implementation under Elizabeth. Elizabeth reaped the benefit of a new Book of Rates in 1558.
- The Crown made improvements in financial administration. Edward’s premature death had meant that Northumberland could not instate a commission to investigate the shortcomings of revenue administration of the monarchy. These changes were implemented from 1554 even though Walter Mildmay, who made the recommendations, was regarded with suspicion on religious grounds.
FAILURES:
- Several factors drove prices up during Mary’s reign including pressure on demand brought about by a rapid increase in population, this was a key factor in long term increasing inflation. Also, the impact of the debasement of the coinage led to inflation. This was a medium term factor, which increased prices.
- The cost of garrisoning Calais was removed as Calais was lost to France as part of foreign relations in 1558.
- Walter Mildmay ensured that the Court of Exchequer took over the Court of First Fruits and Tenths and the Court of Augmentations but adopted some of the recent courts’ superior methods. Also during the reign of Mary I, the financial administration under Lord Treasurer Winchester was competent.
- Plans were made to reissue the coinage after the debasements during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI but this did not happen until the reign of Elizabeth.
-By 1559 the purchasing power of an agricultural worker’s wages had dropped by 59% of what it had been 50 years earlier as a result of inflation.
- Mary had begun her reign with debts of £185,000 but by her death this had increased only to £300,000, which Loades has regarded as a considerable achievement. The situation would have been considerably better if she had not been at war with France for the last 18 months of her reign. (could also be considered success)
Why was there continued inflation during Mary's reign?
- The continued pressure on demand brought about by the rapid increase in the population. This was the key long term factor in increasing inflation.
- The inflationary impact of debasement of the coinage. This was the key medium term factor.
- Harvest failures in 1555 + 1556 which brought severe food shortages and severe strain on real wages for the poor.
- The devastating impact of the ‘sweating sickness’, a virulent form of influenza which swept through the country in 1557 + 1558. (The death toll was probably the worst of the century, possibly the worst since the black death).
How did Mary attempt to improve finances?/FINANCIAL REFORMS:
- The Duke of Northumberland had sough to improve the revenue of administration of Crown finances by setting up a commission to investigate the shortcomings of the system and to recommend reforms.
- Edward's premature death prevented any of the recommendations from being implemented in his reign.
- However, some of the changes were implemented in 1554 even though the person largely responsible for making the recommendations, Walter Mildmay, was regarded with suspicion on religious grounds: the Court of Exchequer took over both the Court of First Fruits and Tenths and the Court of Augmentations, but in the process adopted some of the more recent courts' superior methods.
- HOWEVEr, Mary made a mistake by remitting the final part of Edward’s last subsidy. This bought her cheap popularity at a financial cost.
It was the thoroughness of preparation under Mary that enabled efficient implementation under Elizabeth.
- The Court of First Fruits and Tenths and the Court of Augmentations were both set up in the 1530s to deal with new 'revenue streams' which the Crown had acquired. The former dealt with funds which had previously gone to the papacy; the latter dealt with the income from monastic lands.
- As new institutions, they had operated more efficiently than the old-fashioned Court of Exchequer.
WHAT CAUSED ECONOMIC CHANGE DURING M's REIGN???
- Continued pressure on demand brought about rapid increase in population. This was LONG TERM factor in INCREASING INFLATION.
- the inflationary impact of debasement of the coinage.
- 1555 + 56 harvest failures brought severe food shortages + strain on real wages for the poor.
- Devastating impact of 'sweating sickness' in 1557 + 58 (possibly worst death toll since the Black Death.
SOCIAL
FAILURES:
- Other factors which encouraged inflation were harvest failures in 1555 and 1556 which brought severe food shortages and severe strain on real wages for the poor. Also, the devastating impact of the ‘sweating sickness’ swept the country 1557 and 1558.
- In 1556-8 typhus epidemics were followed by an epidemic of influenza. This killed 1 in 10 people. This was the only time since records began that death rates were twice as high as normal. The population which had been rising up to this point, fell and may have dropped as much as 5% 1556-1561.
- 1556-1558 mortality rates were enormous due to the influenza epidemic of those years as well as harvest failures and high taxation to pay for the war against France. Emphasis was placed on enforcement of laws against grain hoarders and there was encouragement from the government for people to turn pasture land to tillage. It is difficult to assess the effect of these measures.
The Poor Relief:
- poor relief refers to government and ecclesiastical action to relieve poverty.
- Marian government became more active in poor relief, especially 1556-8. This was due to the influenza epidemic and harvest failures, and the high taxation to pay for the war against France.
- Emphasis was placed on enforcing laws against grain hoarders, and there was encouragement to turn pasture land to tillage (land for animals to graze on into land that can grow crops).
Social + Economic Problems which Mary had no control over:
- Typhus epidemics from 1556-1558 were followed by an outbreak of influenza and killed 1 in 10 people.
- In 1555 persistent rainfall led to flooding which led to extreme famine, and then a drought followed in 1556.
- Harvests at the beginning of Mary’s reign were average – only 23% below the normal cost.
- Turbulent weather meant no crop was viable or successful which led to further famines.
- Mortality rates grew to 2x average in 1556, 4x normal in 1557 and 7x normal in 1558.
- Famine ended in 1558.
Problems:
- Long term: population growth combined with a limited increase in productivity which caused inflation.
- Medium: Effects of the debasement of the coinage which made inflation worse.
- Short term: Harvest failures caused severe food shortages + also the impact of sweating sickness 1557-58
Solutions:
- 1555-56: Re-coinage plans drawn up but not implemented till Elizabeth's reign.
-1555: poor law act extended the act of 1552 and ordered licensed beggars to wear badges, this was intended to encourage fellow parishioners into donating more alms for poor relief.
- Agriculture: encouragement was given to the conversion of pasture land to crop farming.
- Movement of industries from town to countryside was discouraged in an attempt to reduce urban employment.