Everything about Tudor Era totally explained
The
Tudor period usually refers to the period between
1485 and
1603, specifically in relation to the
history of England. This coincides with the rule of the
Tudor dynasty in
England whose first monarch was
Henry VII (
1457 1509). The term is often used more broadly to include
Elizabeth I's reign (
1558 1603), although this is often treated separately as the
Elizabethan era.
Social and economic revolution
Following the
Black Death plagues and the agricultural
depression of the late
14th century population growth began to increase. The
export of
woolen products resulted in
economic upturn with products exported to mainland
Europe.
Henry VII negotiated the favourable
Intercursus Magnus treaty in
1496.
The high wages and land plenty seen in the late
14th century and early
15th century were replaced with low wages and land shortage. Various
Inflationary pressures, perhaps due to influx of
New World gold and rising population, set the stage for social upheaval with the gap between the rich and poor widening.. This was a period of significant change for the majority of the
rural population with
manorial lords beginning the process of
enclosure.
Significant events of the period
Battle of Stoke (1487)
In
1487 Henry VII's enemies from the
House of York had crowned a pretender and landed a small army off the coast of
Cumbria with the intention of stealing the crown. Henry VII defeated them at
East Stoke. This was perhaps the last battle in the
War of the Roses.
English Reformation
This was perhaps the most significant series of events which took place during the Tudor period. It began as a result of Henry VIII's grievance at
Pope Clement VII regarding his refusal to grant a divorce. It ended with the
Church of England breaking away from the
Roman Catholic Church and perhaps contributed to the
Civil War.
Norfolk Rebellion (1549)
Beginning in
1549, this was to be the largest popular uprising during the Tudor period. It was at first intended as a demonstration against
enclosures of common land. The instigator, Robert Kett, was
hanged for
treason.
Daily Life in the period
Poverty
About a
third of the
population lived in
poverty with the wealthy expected to give
alms to assist the
impotent poor. Tudor law was harsh on the
able bodied poor i.e, those unable to find work. Those who left their
parishes in order to locate work were termed
vagabonds and could be subjected to punishments including whipping.
The idea of the
workhouse for the
able bodied poor was first suggested in
1576.
Health
» See also: Health and diet in Elizabethan England
Average life span was 35. High rates of childhood
mortality saw only 33-50% of the population reaching the age of 16.
Although home to only a small part of the population the Tudor
municipalities were overcrowded and unhygenic. Most
municipalities were unpaved although this differed in larger towns and cities.
There were no
sewers or drains and
rubbish was simply abandoned in the street. Animals such as
rats thrived in these conditions. In larger
towns and
cities, such as
London, common
diseases arising from lack of
sanitation included
smallpox,
measles,
malaria,
typhus,
diphtheria,
Scarlet fever, and
chickenpox.
Outbreaks of the
Black Death pandemic occurred in
1498,
1535,
1543,
1563,
1589 and
1603.
Food and diet
The food consumed by the very rich in this period consisted largely of venison, and often of blackbirds and larks. However, potatoes hadn't reached the table to any great extent, because farmers had only just begun growing them, although explorers such as Sir Walter Raleigh had brought them to Britain. Honey was normally used to sweeten food; sugar was only rarely available, but when they did have it, they put it on all their food, including meat. The poor never had sugar or potatoes and seldom ate meat. They would occasionally catch rabbits and fish but most of the time they ate bread and vegetables such as cabbage and turnips.
Homes and dwellings
The majority of the population lived in small villages. Their homes comprised, as in earlier centuries, of
thatched huts with one or two rooms. Furniture was basic with
stools being commonplace rather than
chairs .
The very rich usually lived in large
mansions in the
countryside, with up to 150
servants. The mansions had many
chimneys for the many fireplaces required to keep the vast rooms warm. These fires were also the only way of cooking food.
Education
Poorer children never went to school. Children from better-off families had tutors to teach them reading and French. However, boys were often sent to schools which belonged to the monasteries and there they'd learn mainly Latin in classes of up to 60 boys.
Pastimes
The rich used to go hunting to kill deer and wild boar for their feasts. They also enjoyed fencing and jousting contests. Most rich people watched bear fighting and the poor played a kind of football where the posts were about a mile apart, they jumped on each other, often breaking their necks and backs. There were some theatres and people enjoyed watching plays, particularly those of the young playwright
William Shakespeare.
Monarchs
The
House of Tudor produced five English monarchs who ruled during this period.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Tudor Era'.
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