The Role of the Piligimage of Grace in the Henrican Reformation - Essay Example

The consequence of the separation from the Catholic Church was the birth of the Protestant denomination. This change was not without challenge however, and in 1536 an uprising of more than 40,000 insurgents in Yorkshire. This uprising, known as the Pilgrimage of Grace, was the largest that the King had faced and as a consequence he was forced to respond to it carefully, resulting in the Pilgrimage having a significant role in the Henrican Reformation. The Pilgrimage of Grace The title the Pilgrimage of Grace is used to refer to one of two things.

First, it can refer to the series of revolts that occurred between 1936 and 1937. The revolts are well-documented and were rebellions against Henry VIII and his rule, specifically the dissolution of monasteries and charities. From October to December of 1536 there was a revolt specifically titled the Pilgrimage of Grace which bore a banner with the five wounds of Christ. Technically, the term Pilgrimage of Grace only refers to the second example, but the use of the term to refer to the general revolts of the period is common.

In the Yorkshire uprising, lawyer Robert Aske organised and led the men, with the aim of making the uprising appear more legitimate and encouraging other nobles to join. The aim of Aske and many of the other insurgents was to get the King to reconsider the way in which he was handling the country. Specifically, the nobles of the company presented a document that the King was to see, which contained 24 articles, which were religious, economical, social and political. They agreed to dissolve the revolt, if their demands were considered in a parliament and they were pardoned for their role .

The pilgrimage was a significant threat to the King. Not only were his own men significantly outnumbered, but he was limited in who he could use to fight the insurgents for fear that any local soldiers that were hired would join the cause. An additional source of concern was that Henry VIII was not able to call on the nobles for support, as he would normally have, because the nobles were part of the uprising. The promised pardon was never given, and instead Henry VIII heavily prosecuted those who were involved in the rebellion.

Effect on the Henrican Reformation The reformation was already well underway by the time that the revolts began. The causes for the revolts are often assumed to be of economic basis, or as a result of conflict occurring between the nobles and the common people. An alternative proposal is that the revolts were essentially religious in nature, spurred on by members of the clergy in the North. Throughout England, but especially in the North, the church was a very important part of the community.

The reforms that Henry VIII was instigating represented a large threat to these values . The Pilgrimage was for the most part ineffective at its goals, England did not return to the Catholic Church but instead pressed on towards Protestantism, and the dissolution of monasteries and churches continued. The articles that the insurgents presented to the King were largely ignored, and despite the promise of a pardon, those that played a role in the revolts were prosecuted heavily and often