Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-1-resistance-to-tax-and-subsidies

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [History](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history.md) › [Edexcel](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel.md) › Resistance to Tax & Subsidies

# Resistance to Tax & Subsidies

History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603, topic 3.3.1

## Rebellion Under Henry VII

Raising taxes for war was met with severe discontentment. In 1489 and 1497, this manifested itself as rebellion.

### Impact of taxation

![Impact of taxation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/91927448-437c-4af6-9978-61cc1aab2d74/Money-Tax-Bag-Sack-MoneySack-Taxation-.jpg)

- Taxation fuelled sporadic and erratic violence in localities during the 15th and 16th centuries.
 - E.g. Between 1548 and 1647 there were 11 attacks (which were recorded) on tax collectors.

### The Yorkshire Rebellion, 1489

![The Yorkshire Rebellion, 1489](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/5a3f02bf-913f-4a44-8baf-c9e7e7101ea5/tax-money-.jpg)

- Cause: Henry VII raised taxes to fund a campaign in Brittany.
- Course: 
 - The tax was met with popular hostility (of the intended £100,000, only £29,000 was raised).
 - Rebels in Yorkshire murdered the Earl of Northumberland (who conveyed Henry VII’s message that he would not end the tax).
 - The rebellion was quashed by forces led by the Earl of Surrey.
- Consequence: Henry visited Yorkshire and pardoned many rebels. The Earl of Surrey became a Lieutenant of Yorkshire, as the new Earl of Northumberland was too young to govern the area.

### The Cornish Rebellion, 1497

![The Cornish Rebellion, 1497](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/c1efc007-13e0-40cc-8edf-54194f99e8c7/taxes-646512_1920.jpg)

- Cause:
 - Henry VII raised a tax to wage a campaign against King James IV of Scotland and Perkin Warbeck. 
- Course: The rebels (reaching 15,000)  marched towards London, led by Lord Audley, Joseph and Flanmank.
- Consequence: 
 - Henry ruthlessly put an end to the rebellion.
 - He made an example out of all rebels. Audley was executed, and Flanmank and Joseph were hanged, drawn and quartered.

## Rebellion Under Henry VIII

The primary rebellion in response to tax was seen in 1525. The public opposed the Amicable Grant. This was the start of Wolsey’s downfall.

### Cause of the Amicable Grant

![Cause of the Amicable Grant](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/6.1.1%20Calculating%20rates%20of%20reactions/6.1.1_profit-min.jpg)

- The Amicable Grant was designed to fund Henry VIII’s war in France.

### Course of the Amicable Grant

![Course of the Amicable Grant](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/815c4c02-fb6a-4a63-bee6-cb458e01ba69/Uprising-Fist-Power-Rebellion-Rebel-Resistance-.jpg)

- The Grant was met with hostility.
- Across East Anglia people refused to pay and some rebelled.
- Up to ten thousand marched on Lavenham, Suffolk.

### Consequences of the Amicable Grant

![Consequences of the Amicable Grant](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/fc4cdf60-ab92-4ba6-ba9b-84f4c01a0c36/shock-hands-horror-woman.jpg)

- The Grant was abandoned.
- This was a shock to Henry VIII. It showed him that he was not infallible and did depend upon his relationship with tax payers.
- Henry VIII made peace with France instead, giving up his claim to the French throne. Wolsey was blamed. He raised no further taxation.

## Significance of Rebellion in Tudor England

Historians stress that popular rebellion was used as part of a negotiation between the people and the state.

### Conciliatory politics

![Conciliatory politics](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/ceef0317-0275-4ff2-9074-a6e03a3199b2/unequal-balance-.jpg)

- Historians argue that rebellion was conciliatory in nature.
- It was a protective and defensive measure used to restore society to its equilibrium.

### A form of negotiation

![A form of negotiation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/c8040921-3e2d-40bb-9542-c17d1dc6cd66/shaking-hands.jpg)

- Bush (1991): “The essential purpose of a rising of the commons was to denote that the body politic was out of joint"...It released the commons "from their duty of obedience not permanently but as a temporary emergency measure, in order to put things to right".
- MacCulloch: "The insurgent leaders were seeking good government, not rejecting all government…it is a moot point whether one should consider the affair a rebellion at all".

### Social order

![Social order](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/c0021ce1-75ac-4e97-8232-12e5d380133c/Order-Chaos-Structure-Lines.jpg)

- Social hierarchy was fundamental to rebellions.
- Shagan (2000): The Amicable Grant depended upon the commons’ respect for traditional hierarchy and the regime's willingness to listen to their grievances and grant pardons.
 - Bush (1991): Rebellion relied on the principle of answerability to the commons.

## Test yourself on Resistance to Tax & Subsidies

- Between 1548 and 1647 how many (recorded) attacks were on tax collectors?
- The Amicable Grant was designed to fund Henry VIII's war with which country?
- Who was blamed for the failure of the Amicable Grant?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/c32e8aa5-abeb-44ce-b7ad-e2162a2d0658/section/bcd5fb75-b2ee-4a8e-af99-520e1db26855/session)

- Previous topic: [3.2.3 Role of Charities](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-3-role-of-charities.md)
- Next topic: [3.3.2 Uprisings Against Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-2-uprisings-against-henry-viii.md)

## History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603 contents

### 1 Monarch & Government
- 1.1 Tudor Monarchs
  - [1.1.1 Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-1-henry-vii.md)
  - [1.1.2 Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-2-henry-viii.md)
  - [1.1.3 Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-3-edward-vi.md)
  - [1.1.4 Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-4-mary-i.md)
  - [1.1.5 Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-5-elizabeth-i.md)
  - [1.1.6 Succession Disputes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-1-6-succession-disputes.md)
- 1.2 Changing Role of Parliament
  - [1.2.1 Parliament & Henry VII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-1-parliament-and-henry-vii.md)
  - [1.2.2 Parliament & Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-2-parliament-and-henry-viii.md)
  - [1.2.3 Parliament After the Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-2-3-parliament-after-the-reformation.md)
- 1.3 Principal Servants to the Crown
  - [1.3.1 Principal Servants to the Crown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/1-3-1-principal-servants-to-the-crown.md)

### 2 Religious Changes
- 2.1 Tudor Monarchs & Religious Change
  - [2.1.1 The Henrician Reformation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-1-the-henrician-reformation.md)
  - [2.1.2 Impact of Religious Change Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-2-impact-of-religious-change-under-henry-viii.md)
  - [2.1.3 Religious Change Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-3-religious-change-under-edward-vi.md)
  - [2.1.4 Religious Change Under Mary I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-4-religious-change-under-mary-i.md)
  - [2.1.5 Elizabethan Settlement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-1-5-elizabethan-settlement.md)
- 2.2 Catholicism & Survival
  - [2.2.1 Popular Attitudes to Catholicism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-1-popular-attitudes-to-catholicism.md)
  - [2.2.2 Catholicism Under Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-2-catholicism-under-henry-viii.md)
  - [2.2.3 Catholicism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-3-catholicism-under-elizabeth-i.md)
  - [2.2.4 Catholic Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-2-4-catholic-nobility.md)
- 2.3 Protestantism & Puritanism
  - [2.3.1 Protestant Influences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-1-protestant-influences.md)
  - [2.3.2 Protestantism Under Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-2-protestantism-under-edward-vi.md)
  - [2.3.3 Protestantism Under Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/2-3-3-protestantism-under-elizabeth-i.md)

### 3 State Control & Popular Resistance
- 3.1 Tudor Control of the Country
  - [3.1.1 Councils](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-1-councils.md)
  - [3.1.2 Role of Nobility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-2-role-of-nobility.md)
  - [3.1.3 Justices of the Peace](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-3-justices-of-the-peace.md)
  - [3.1.4 Lord Lieutenant](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-1-4-lord-lieutenant.md)
- 3.2 The State &  the Poor
  - [3.2.1 Reasons for Growth of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-1-reasons-for-growth-of-poverty.md)
  - [3.2.2 Punishments for Paupers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-2-punishments-for-paupers.md)
  - [3.2.3 Role of Charities](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-2-3-role-of-charities.md)
- 3.3 Resistance to Tudor Rule
  - [3.3.1 Resistance to Tax & Subsidies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-1-resistance-to-tax-and-subsidies.md)
  - [3.3.2 Uprisings Against Henry VIII](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-2-uprisings-against-henry-viii.md)
  - [3.3.3 Uprisings Against Edward VI](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-3-uprisings-against-edward-vi.md)
  - [3.3.4 Uprisings Against Elizabeth I](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-4-uprisings-against-elizabeth-i.md)
  - [3.3.5 Decline of Popular Resistance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/3-3-5-decline-of-popular-resistance.md)

### 4 Economic, Social & Cultural Change
- 4.1 Patterns of Domestic & Foreign Trade
  - [4.1.1 Wool & Cloth](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-1-wool-and-cloth.md)
  - [4.1.2 Exploration & Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-1-2-exploration-and-trade.md)
- 4.2 Changing Structure of Society
  - [4.2.1 Population](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-1-population.md)
  - [4.2.2 Dissolution of Monasteries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-2-dissolution-of-monasteries.md)
  - [4.2.3 Enclosure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-2-3-enclosure.md)
- 4.3 Cultural Change
  - [4.3.1 Education & Literature](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-1-education-and-literature.md)
  - [4.3.2 Impact of Religious Change](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-2-impact-of-religious-change.md)
  - [4.3.3 Patronage](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-3-patronage.md)
  - [4.3.4 The Arts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-4-the-arts.md)
  - [4.3.5 Cult of Gloriana](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/4-3-5-cult-of-gloriana.md)

### 5 Historical Interpretations
- 5.1 Significance of Threats to National Security
  - [5.1.1 Spain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-1-spain.md)
  - [5.1.2 The Spanish Armada](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-2-the-spanish-armada.md)
  - [5.1.3 Ireland](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-1-3-ireland.md)
- 5.2 Court Politics
  - [5.2.1 Court Factions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-1-court-factions.md)
  - [5.2.2 Essex's Rebellion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-2-2-essexs-rebellion.md)
- 5.3 Elizabeth & Parliament
  - [5.3.1 Conflict with Parliament](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-3-1-conflict-with-parliament.md)
- 5.4 Social Distress in the 1590s
  - [5.4.1 Social Distress in the 1590s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/edexcel/5-4-1-social-distress-in-the-1590s.md)
