Amicable Grant
Encyclopedia
The Amicable Grant was a tax imposed on England in 1525 by the Lord Chancellor
Thomas Wolsey. Called at the time "a benevolance", it was essentially a forced loan that was levied on one-third of both the clergy and laity's incomes. The Amicable Grant should have been levied with Parliamentary authority, but was not, and so the legal framework for its collection was extremely weak.
of England
wanted to mount an invasion of France
(the Great Enterprise.) The King of France, Francis I, had been captured by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor at the Battle of Pavia
in 1525. He required additional funds of £800,000. In order to gain said money Wolsey resorted to a benevolence, the Amicable Grant. The English Parliament was at this time unlikely to support war, since it was proving to be expensive. Furthermore, Henry's previous French endeavors had proved less than successful.
and a taxpayer strike. Wolsey was forced to abandon the Grant and reduce the payments for the 1523 subsidy
which was still be collected at the same time as the grant and had made a lot of the population too poor to afford the amicable grant. Major rebellions took place at cloth manufacturing towns of Lavenham
and Kent, which spread across East Anglia. These were suppressed for the King by the Dukes of Norfolk
and Suffolk
, but the damage had already been done to Wolsey's tax.
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
Thomas Wolsey. Called at the time "a benevolance", it was essentially a forced loan that was levied on one-third of both the clergy and laity's incomes. The Amicable Grant should have been levied with Parliamentary authority, but was not, and so the legal framework for its collection was extremely weak.
Causes
In 1525 Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
wanted to mount an invasion of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(the Great Enterprise.) The King of France, Francis I, had been captured by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor at the Battle of Pavia
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
in 1525. He required additional funds of £800,000. In order to gain said money Wolsey resorted to a benevolence, the Amicable Grant. The English Parliament was at this time unlikely to support war, since it was proving to be expensive. Furthermore, Henry's previous French endeavors had proved less than successful.
Short Term
Resistance to Wolsey's demands was on the increase and this finally boiled over in the wake of the Amicable Grant. It provoked an open rebellion in SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and a taxpayer strike. Wolsey was forced to abandon the Grant and reduce the payments for the 1523 subsidy
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
which was still be collected at the same time as the grant and had made a lot of the population too poor to afford the amicable grant. Major rebellions took place at cloth manufacturing towns of Lavenham
Lavenham
Lavenham is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is noted for its 15th century church, half-timbered medieval cottages and circular walk. In the medieval period it was among the 20 wealthiest settlements in England...
and Kent, which spread across East Anglia. These were suppressed for the King by the Dukes of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, but the damage had already been done to Wolsey's tax.