Protestant ideas were responsible for the development of the English Reformation in the

years 1529-47. Assess the validity of this view.

Intro

Context – During the early-mid 1500s new protestant ideas begun to emerge with multiple
groups preaching protestant ideas and the reform of the English church such as the
Lollards and humanists. During this period there was a significant shift towards these
protestant ideas in England, which was given the name the protestant reformation and the
reformation parliament was called in 1529.

Criteria - the extent of the influence of protestant ideas on the change in comparison to
other factors in the development of the…

J – Despite protestant ideas heavily influencing the reformation, it was ultimately the
king’s greed that was responsible as the king was the sole person with the power to
develop the reformation

Protestant ideas – to an extent

Protestant ideas gave henry the ideas to change it – e.g William Tyndale influenced by
Lutheran/protestant ideas – in his book “the obedience of a Christian man” 1528 published
– argued king was head of kingdom – not pope – influenced H8’s decision. Tyndale also
translated the bible into English 1525 which was the basis of the English (vernacular) bible
that Cromwell implemented called the “great bible’ 1539 first printed in Eng. By 1547 could
be found in almost every church in England

1529 – simon fish – supplication for the beggars = a pamphlet – called for reform of eng
church + argued poor and needy needed help – gov could help if they dissoved mons

Evaluate – could be argued that without the ideas it never would have happened without
the king

The king’s greed

Act of supremacy 1534 allowed him to do whatever he wanted - From beginning of reign
H8 made it clear he wanted an aggressive fp “warrior king” = expensive. Dissolution of
mons = one of biggest reasons for dev of ref. H8 did that for money – Cromwells 1535 valor
ecclesiastics survey showed that religious houses brought an annual income of abt
£160,000 and that 1/3 of all land owned by church = estimated when he dissolved them –
value of dissolution = abt 10% of entire wealth of the kingdom and with the land he gained
by 1847 abt £850,000 worth of land sold off

Love

Look at sheet
Political

H8 wanted son’s – needed to get divorced with Catherine – main motivator for it

Cromwell’s influence politically as vice gerunt from 1534 = protestant reformist. Cromwell’s
injunctions = clergy defend supremacy + no of holy days reduced + pilgramages abandoned +
10 articles (1536) = steady move towards prot e.g only 3 sacraments recognised. 1538
cromwell’s second draft similar but more prot – e.g all parishes to have a enlgish bible by
1540.