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  • Textbook
  • © 1992

The Mid-Tudor Crisis, 1545-1565

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Part of the book series: British History in Perspective (BHP)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-v
  2. Introduction: The Concept of ‘Crisis’

  3. The State

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-7
    2. Crown and Council

      • David Loades
      Pages 9-41
    3. Parliament and Finance

      • David Loades
      Pages 42-70
  4. Society

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 71-71
    2. Towns and Trade

      • David Loades
      Pages 73-98
    3. Agriculture and Order

      • David Loades
      Pages 99-128
  5. The Church

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 129-129
    2. Policy and Doctrine

      • David Loades
      Pages 131-160
    3. The Faith of the People

      • David Loades
      Pages 161-183
  6. Epilogue: The Legacy of the Mid-Tudor Period

  7. Back Matter

    Pages 191-215

About this book

Historians, like politicians, thrive in crises. Was there really a crisis in England between 1545 and 1565, or is this just a way of describing a period in history when a lot of interesting things where happening?

In reality the twenty years from 1545 to 1565 contained no more elements of crisis than other comparable periods. There were crises: a brief, but serious collapse of the overseas cloth trade in 1551-52, and a confused royal succession in 1553. Inflation began to be a problem in about 1545, and remained so for the remainder of the century. The Church had already undergone a major revolution in the 1530s, and the mid-century period could be described as the 'search for a stable settlement', a search had succeeded by 1565.

Indeed, the machinery of central and local government worked throughout this period, with only minor fluctuations in its efficiency and effectiveness. Although, therefore, there were crises within in the mid-Tudor period, there was no fundamental threat to the state or society

Mary and Northumberland's achievements in particular have been much underrated as governors in order, originally, to magnify those of Elizabeth propaganda. DAVID LOADES rights the record and argues for the surprising stability of government during this period

About the author

DAVID LOADES, previously a lecturer at the University of St Andrews and the University of Durham, is presently Professor of History at the University of North Wales, Bangor. His most recent books include Mary Tudor: a Life (Blackwell, 1989), The Tudor Court (Batsford, 1986), Politics and the Nation 3rd edition (Collins, 1989) and the Reign of Mary Tudor 2nd edition (Longman, 1991)

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