the dissolution of the manasteries

A detailed Summary of the dissolution of the manasteries

The Dissolution of the Monasteries and the events which followed, were all brought about as a direct result of the break with Rome. The reason for the break, lies simply in Henry's frustration at his inability to secure a divorce form his wife Catherine of Aragon, and a blessing from the Pope for his new marriage to Anne Boleyn, although arguably, there was a need for reformation within the church.

Prior to the break with Rome, the church was rife with pluralism, simony (one of the pope's main failings) and breaches of the vows of celibacy. It is therefore clear that there were problems with the English church prior to the break, but although it was unpopular, many people including Henry remained Catholic:

"A firm Catholic, he was keen to have papal approval, and the more unlikely this became, the more he was forced to question the Pope's jurisdiction in England" [2]

To accomplish a break, Henry needed some kind of justification, and he would also have to ensure that in implementing the break itself, he was not seen as supporting heresy and the Protestant reformation in particular. With the aid of advisor Thomas Cromwell, Henry aims to enact the break with Rome using statute authority; t

There were several main landmarks in the break with Rome, the first of which was the act in restraint of appeals. This was a justification and definition of royal supremacy, and was grafted by Thomas Cromwell. It was the act of supremacy in 1534 however, that would prove to be Henrys greatest step forward in the break. It confirmed Henry's headship of the church and explicitly reserved the crown the rights to the organizing and jurisdictional powers formerly held by the Papacy. By this, the crown would control the right o define the church's teachings and doctrinal decisions, ultimately resulting in the downfall of the monasteries.

Henry VIII's reasons for he dissolution of the monasteries therefore, were not at all justified in the way he had claimed. He sought only wealth, and it is this desire to gain control and achieve the riches that came with it which motivated Henry. His greed and the falsity of his many claims against the monasteries succeeds in revealing his real wishes, and nullifies any previous arguments based on his religious concerns for the dissolution.

Another factor that supports Henry's argument for the dissolution, were the results found from the "valor ecclesiasticus". Within this, it was discovered that on average, one quarter of a monastic houses wealth went to the head of the house, usually an absentee leader, living their life as a country gentleman, free form responsibility.

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Approximate Word count = 1065
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History