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The Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising
Popular revolt in late medieval Europe

Popular revolts in late medieval Europe were uprisings and rebellions by peasants in the countryside, or the bourgeois in towns, against nobleman, abbots and kings during the upheavals of the 14th through early 16th centuries, part of a larger "Crisis of the Late Middle Ages"....
 in York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
 during 1536, in protest against England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
's break with Rome
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
 and the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries

The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, denotes the administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII of England disbanded all monastery, nunnery and friary in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their income, disposed of their assets and provided f...
, as well as other specific political, social and economic grievances. Technically the term Pilgrimage of Grace refers specifically and inclusively to the uprising around York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
, though sometimes it is used in relation to the risings in general which took place around Northern England
Northern England

Northern England, the North, the North of England, or the North Country refers to the parts of England north of an ill-defined line....
; first from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire is a Counties of England in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire....
, twelve days before the actual Pilgrimage of Grace.

Lincolnshire Rising was a brief rebellion
Rebellion

Rebellion is a refusal of obedience. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors from civil disobedience and mass nonviolent resistance, to violent and organized attempts to destroy an established authority such as the government....
 of Catholics against the establishment of the Church of England
Church of England

The Church of England is the State religion Christianity Ecclesia in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches....
 by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lordship of Ireland and claimant to the Early Modern France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII of England....
 and the dissolution of the monasteries.






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The Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising
Popular revolt in late medieval Europe

Popular revolts in late medieval Europe were uprisings and rebellions by peasants in the countryside, or the bourgeois in towns, against nobleman, abbots and kings during the upheavals of the 14th through early 16th centuries, part of a larger "Crisis of the Late Middle Ages"....
 in York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....
 during 1536, in protest against England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
's break with Rome
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
 and the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries

The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, denotes the administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII of England disbanded all monastery, nunnery and friary in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their income, disposed of their assets and provided f...
, as well as other specific political, social and economic grievances. Technically the term Pilgrimage of Grace refers specifically and inclusively to the uprising around York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
, though sometimes it is used in relation to the risings in general which took place around Northern England
Northern England

Northern England, the North, the North of England, or the North Country refers to the parts of England north of an ill-defined line....
; first from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire is a Counties of England in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire....
, twelve days before the actual Pilgrimage of Grace.

Lincolnshire Rising

The Lincolnshire Rising was a brief rebellion
Rebellion

Rebellion is a refusal of obedience. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors from civil disobedience and mass nonviolent resistance, to violent and organized attempts to destroy an established authority such as the government....
 of Catholics against the establishment of the Church of England
Church of England

The Church of England is the State religion Christianity Ecclesia in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches....
 by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lordship of Ireland and claimant to the Early Modern France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII of England....
 and the dissolution of the monasteries. It began at St. James Church, Louth
Louth, Lincolnshire

Louth is a market town within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. ...
, after evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)

Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening. It is also commonly known as Evensong, especially when the office is rendered choir ....
 on October 1, 1536, shortly after the closure of Louth Abbey. It quickly gained support in Horncastle, Caistor
Caistor

See Caistor St. Edmund for the Roman settlement in Norfolk or Caister-on-Sea for the town in NorfolkCaistor is a Georgian town situated in Lincolnshire, England and was, as castrum, originally a Roman Empire fortress....
 and other nearby towns. Angry with the actions of commissioners, the rebels demanded the end of the collection of a subsidy, the end of the Ten Articles, an end to the dissolution, an end to taxes in peacetime, a purge of heretics in government, and the repeal of the Statute of Uses
Statute of Uses

The Statute of Uses is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England passed during the reign of Henry VIII of England which converted all England Equity estates that were created through "use " into legal estates....
. With support from local gentry, a rebel force estimated at up to 40,000 marched on Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of around 101,000 - the 2001 census gave the entire urban area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
 and, by October 14, occupied Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England and seat of the Diocese of Lincoln in the Church of England....
. They demanded the freedom to continue worshiping as Catholics, and protection for the treasures of Lincolnshire churches.

The rebellion effectively ended on October 4, 1536, when King Henry sent word for the occupiers to disperse or face the forces of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk , was the son of William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII of England....
, which had already been mobilised. By October 14, few remained in Lincoln. Following the rising, Thomas Kendall, the vicar of Louth and its spiritual leader, was captured and executed. Most of the other local ringleaders met the same fate over the next twelve months. Soon, however, the Lincolnshire Rising helped inspire the more widespread Pilgrimage of Grace.

Pilgrimage of Grace, the early Tudor crisis

The movement broke out on 13 October 1536, immediately following the failure of the Lincolnshire Rising, and at this point was the term 'Pilgrimage of Grace' used. The causes of the rebellion have long been debated by historians, but several key themes can be identified:

  • Economic grievances. The northern gentry had concerns over the new Statute of Uses. There were also popular fears of a new sheep tax. The harvest of 1535 had also led to high food prices, which may have contributed to discontent.
  • Political grievances. Many people in northern England had disliked the way in which Henry VIII had 'cast off' Catherine of Aragon
    Catherine of Aragon

    Catherine of Aragon also known as Katherine or Katharine; was the List of English consorts as the Wives of Henry VIII of Henry VIII of England, and Princess of Wales by her first marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales....
    . There was also anger at the rise of Thomas Cromwell
    Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex

    Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex was an England statesman who served as Henry VIII of England's chief minister from 1532 to 1540....
    .
  • Religious grievances. The local church was, for many in the north, the centre of community life. Many ordinary peasants were worried that their church plate would be confiscated. There were also popular rumours at the time which hinted that baptism might be taxed. The recently released Ten Articles and the new order of prayer issued by the government in 1535 had also made official doctrine more reformed. This went against the conservative beliefs of most northerners.


Robert Aske
Robert Aske (political leader)

Robert Aske was an England lawyer who became the leader of rebellion in York. He led the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 and was executed by Henry VIII of England for treason in 1537....
 was chosen to lead the insurgents; he was a London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
 barrister
Barrister

A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions that employ a split profession in relation to legal representation. In split professions, the other type of lawyer is the solicitor....
, a resident of the Inns of Court
Inns of Court

The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations to one of which every Barristers in England and Wales must belong. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members....
, and the youngest son of Sir Robert Aske of Aughton
Aughton, East Riding of Yorkshire

Aughton is a village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north west of the market town of Howden and south west of the market town of Pocklington....
 near Selby
Selby

Selby is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Situated south of the city of York, along the course of the River Ouse, Selby is the largest and, with a population of 13,012, most populous settlement of the wider Selby ....
. His was an old Yorkshire family from Richmondshire
Richmondshire

Richmondshire is a Non-metropolitan district of North Yorkshire, England. It covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales, including Swaledale and Wensleydale and includes the major settlements of:...
 (Aske Hall
Aske Hall

Aske Hall is a Georgian architecture English country house, with parkland attributed to Capability Brown, north of Richmond, North Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, England....
). In 1536 Aske led a band of nine thousand followers, who entered and occupied York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
. There he arranged for the expelled monks and nuns to return to their houses; the king's newly installed tenants were driven out and Catholic observance resumed. The success of the rising was so great that the royal leaders, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk

Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk was a prominent Tudor dynasty politician. He was uncle to two of the wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, as well as the king's mistress Mary Boleyn, and played a major role in the machinations behind these relationships....
 and George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury

George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford Order of the Garter was the son of John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury and Catherine Stafford....
, opened negotiations with the insurgents at Doncaster, where Aske had assembled between thirty and forty thousand men.

Henry authorised Norfolk to promise a general pardon and a Parliament to be held at York within a year. Trusting in the king's promises, Aske dismissed his followers.

End of the rebellion

The King's promises were not kept, and in January 1537 a new rising took place in Cumberland
Cumberland

Cumberland is one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an Administrative counties of England from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
 and Westmoreland
Westmoreland

Westmoreland is a historic county in England. It may also refer to:...
 (which Aske attempted to prevent) under Sir Francis Bigod, of Settrington
Settrington

Settrington is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It once had a Settrington_railway_station that lay on the Malton and Driffield Railway....
 in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire

The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan district with unitary authority status, and is a ceremonial counties of England of England....
. Upon this the king arrested Aske and several of the other leaders, such as Lords Darcy
Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy

Thomas Darcy, first Lord Darcy de Darcy , was an English statesman and rebel leader, who was executed for his part in an English rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace....
, Constable, and Bigod, who were all convicted of treason and executed. Aske was hung in chains from the walls of York Castle
York Castle

York Castle is a fortification in the city of York, England. The principal remains of the 13th century - 14th century castle are the keep and some of the Curtain wall ....
 as a warning to other would-be rebels. Sir John Bigod, Sir Thomas Percy, Sir Henry Percy, Sir John Bulmer, Sir Stephan Hamilton, Sir Nicholas Tempast, Sir William Lumley, Sir Edward Neville, Sir Robert Constable
Robert Constable

Sir Robert Constable was the eldest son of Sir Marmaduke Constable. He helped Henry VII of England to defeat the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 at Blackheath, London....
, the abbots of Barlings, Sawley, Fountains
Fountains Abbey

Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, England, is a ruined Cistercians monastery, founded in 1132. Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved Cistercian houses in England....
 and Jervaulx Abbey
Jervaulx Abbey

Jervaulx Abbey in East Witton near the city of Ripon, was one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire, England, founded in 1156. It was Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, and its last abbot was hanged for his part in the Pilgrimage of Grace....
s, and the prior of Bridlington were executed in July 1537. In all, 216 were put to death; lords and knights, half a dozen abbots, 38 monks, and 16 parish priests. The loss of the leaders enabled the Duke of Norfolk
Duke of Norfolk

The Duke of Norfolk is the Premier Duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the Premier Earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England....
 to quell the rising and martial law was imposed upon the rebellious regions, ending the rebellion.

Successes and failures

The Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace have traditionally been seen as complete failures. However, they did achieve several results.

Successes

  • The government postponed the collection of the October subsidy. This had been a major grievance amongst the Lincolnshire rebels.
  • The Statute of Uses was negated by a new law, the Statute of Wills
    Statute of Wills

    The Statute of Wills was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England. It made it possible, for the first time in History of England, for landholders to determine who would inherit their land upon their death, by permitting bequest by Will ....
    .
  • Four of the seven sacraments that were omitted from the Ten Articles, were restored in the Bishop's Book of 1537. This marked the end of the drift of official doctrine towards Protestantism
    Protestantism

    Protestantism is a movement within Christianity that originated in the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. It is considered to be one of the three principal traditions of Christianity, together with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy....
    . The Bishop's Book was followed by the Six Articles of 1539.
  • An onslaught upon heresy
    Heresy

    Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief....
     was promised in a royal proclamation in 1538.
  • Thomas Cromwell was pushed from power in 1540.
  • Lady Mary (later Queen Mary I
    Mary I of England

    Mary I , was Queen of England and Monarchy of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death. The fourth crowned monarch of the Tudor dynasty, she is remembered for restoring England to Roman Catholicism after succeeding her short-lived half brother, Edward VI of England, to the English throne....
     of England) was restored to the succession in 1543.
  • The Council of the North
    Council of the North

    The Council of the North was an administrative body originally set up in 1485 by king Richard III of England, the last House of York monarch to hold the Crown of England; its intention was to improve government control and economic prosperity, to benefit the entire area of Northern England....
     was re-established in 1537.


Failures

  • The dissolution of the monasteries continued unabated, with the largest monasteries being dissolved in 1540.
  • Great tracts of land were seized from the Church and divided among the monarchy and its supporters.
  • The moves towards official Protestantism achieved by Cromwell were not reversed (except in the reign of Mary I 1553–1558).


See also

  • John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford
    John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford

    John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford was Chief Butler of England from 1521 until his death. He was a member of the House of Lords, and a Chamberlain to King Henry VIII's daughter, Mary I of England....
    , beheaded because of his involvement.
  • John Longland
    John Longland

    John Longland was the English bishop of Lincoln from 1521 to his death in 1547. He was King Henry VIII's confessor.He was among the conservative bishops during the English Reformation, recognizing the Real Presence of the Eucharist....
    , Bishop of Lincoln
    Bishop of Lincoln

    The Bishop of Lincoln heads the Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. The bishops were in communion with the See of Rome until the English Reformation of the 1530s....
     during the period.


External links

  • can be found at William Howard School*