Religious activism was central to European military activity up to the 1500’s, and despite their failures at times, the mentality of Catholic Europe acted as the driving force, as no Crusade could embark without answering the call made by the Pope. In this, it is important to first put attention on the religious aspect of a Crusade. Despite the lack of an unambiguous definition of ‘Crusade’, a plight Mayer saw as necessary, it was impossible for a Crusade, or its ‘Crusaders’ to set off to the Holy lands without good reason. Papal dictation was the key component to military action in the Baltic regions, Spain, and Jerusalem. Natural resentment towards the Muslim settlers was instilled through the church, and it was because of this the Papacy was able to use Crusades from the 1200’s onwards to remove threats in Spain and to the east.
This essay intends to prove that although the rebellion did not stop the reformation, it did pose a substantial threat to Henry’s religious plans in the short term. It will achieve this aim by studying the deposition of Robert Aske, the York and Pontefract Articles, as well as the Oath of Honourable Men; all in the attempt to evaluate the motivations of the rebels and the consequences of their actions. Contemporaries suggested that the Pilgrimage of Grace posed a significant threat to Henry’s plans for religious reformation; Edward Hall, an English chronicler writing in 1536, said “after the king’s highness was informed of this newly arisen insurrection he, making no delay in so weighty a matter, caused with all speed the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk accompanied by his mighty and royal army which was of great power and strength, immediately to set upon the rebels”. Hall was a great admirer of Henry VIII and his policies, so this must be taken into account when reading his work as there is a danger of bias, for example the royal army was not “mighty” in fact it was badly outnumbered. However, it is still a good indication that it was a significant threat- “making no delay in so weighty a matter”.
How far do the sources suggest that genuine concern for the state of religion lay behind Cromwell’s visitations? To begin with, Source 1 suggests that the concern for the state of religion was a significant reason for the visitations. This letter written by Richard Layton, a Royal Commissioner, claims that ‘the King intends reformation and correction of religion’. This clearly suggests that the visitations occurred in order to improve and cleanse the religious system. This is then reinforced by Source 2, written by Edward Lee, the Archbishop of York, which says that ‘all ecclesiastical persons should preach the sincere Word of God’.
(p. 160) The Puritans were well aware of the abuses of the Church of England and wished to “purify” it. Of the Puritans there were two basic mindsets: reform can come from within and we must separate, as the Church is too corrupt to be fixed. The Separatists of course came to America. What they created in America is of significant importance. First and foremost in my mind was the concept of equality.
In order to keep the Huguenots peaceful, Henry knew he would have to settle them in a way that tackled their demands. Finally, one thing that Henry was always desperate for was the loyalty of all his people, united as one. The phrase, ‘One king, one faith, one law’ was particularly popular in France at the time, and a saying that Henry wished to use in his own methods of ruling. To conclude, Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598 so as to help the ordinary people living in France at the time whose lives had been completely twisted upside down as a result of the religious wars. He also wanted to keep peace with the
The emergence of Wishart’s protégé John Knox in the pre-reformation years further illustrate the Catholic faith’s need for reform following centuries of hypocrisy, immoral behaviour, abuses of power and nepotism and this is clearly shown by the text from Hamilton. A staunch supporter of the monarch, Archbishop Hamilton saw the predicament facing his Queen on her return with the political and religious forums beginning to incorporate Protestantism and with its influence spreading further through society, he possibly viewed this as an opportunity to get back to basics, to stem the flow and to return his flock to pious deeds under the Catholic strand of Christianity. Another possible reason for this text may lie in the Regency of Mary of Guise and the increasing French influence once again in the Scottish Royal Court coupled with Cardinal Beaton’s overzealous hunting of heretics in the years prior to his murder creating definite anti-French, anti-Catholic feeling
I found this primary source particularly interesting because Roger Williams was a strong contributor to the idea of separation of church and state, and it is interesting on how he views the subject. What’s also intriguing is that his ideals are still used today. Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts in 1636 due to his overwhelming conviction of separation of church and state. From his banishment he started his own colony and called it Rhode Island. Rhode Island was soon known for its religious freedom and many flocked there to experience it themselves.
He is known for being an untrustworthy, shady character throughout all of England. Alice More says, “It’ll be up quick and down quick with Master Cromwell” (pg 14). This means that Cromwell will help you quickly, but then hinder you quickly; he will appear to be helping you, but with cruel intentions. In other words, he will always have power over you. Even King Henry himself knew of Cromwell’s deceit.
This is known as the Counter-Reformation. During this meeting they united and defined the Christian beliefs and doctrines. Changes were made within the beliefs of Salvation which was achieved through good deeds and scripture (tradition and scripture). Due to Martin Luther’s contributions created during his life time and today, adherents have more clarity around the doctrine and consistent engagement with Christianity. An example of these attitudes is the founding of Jesuit’s in 1543 who are also known as soldiers of the Pope.
During the 1400- 1517, the conditions of the church changed. With the papal conflict with the German emperor Frederick II, followed by the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism it damaged the prestige of church leaders badly. The Renaissance was a period of rebirth and renewal. During the Renaissance, essential figures such as Martin Luther, Pope Leo X and Pope Nicholas, were accountable for the Protestant Reformation. According to(2000), “The four main Protestant traditions that emerged from the Reformation were the Lutheran (known in continental Europe as Evangelical), the Calvinist (Reformed), the Anabaptist, and the Anglican.