OCR Specification focus:
‘domination of Suffolk; Act of Resumption (1450); Cade’s Rebellion (1450)’
Richard II’s later years created tensions, but Henry VI’s minority and rule intensified instability. By the 1440s and 1450s, Suffolk’s dominance and widespread unrest shaped events.
Suffolk’s Domination
Rise of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk
William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, emerged as Henry VI’s closest advisor in the 1440s. His prominence owed much to Henry VI’s reliance on favourites and his own diplomatic role in negotiating peace with France.
Suffolk’s influence peaked after the withdrawal of Gloucester and decline of Cardinal Beaufort.
He secured the king’s trust, directing both foreign policy and domestic appointments.
His control over royal patronage provoked resentment among magnates excluded from influence.
Patronage: The granting of offices, lands, and privileges by the monarch to reward loyalty or secure support.
Suffolk’s dominance created the perception of a corrupt royal court, with accusations of self-enrichment and poor military leadership. His critics accused him of engineering unfavourable deals with France, especially the loss of Maine and Anjou.
Factional Opposition
Suffolk’s authority coincided with severe financial and military decline:
Losses in France undermined his credibility as chief councillor.
Magnates like Richard, Duke of York, resented exclusion from royal affairs.
Parliament increasingly voiced hostility, reflecting wider discontent with war taxation and mismanagement.
By 1450, Suffolk was widely blamed for England’s deteriorating fortunes.
The Act of Resumption (1450)
Context of Financial Crisis
By the mid-1440s, Henry VI’s government faced a dire financial situation. The Crown’s income was inadequate, while war costs remained enormous. Suffolk’s patronage aggravated the problem by dispersing royal lands and revenues to favourites.
The Crown was virtually bankrupt.
Parliament pressed for reforms to recover lost revenues.
The solution was the Act of Resumption, passed in 1450.
Content and Impact of the Act
The Act of Resumption was designed to reclaim lands and revenues previously granted away.
Manuscript of the Act of Resumption (1451) from the Parliamentary Archives. Although dated a year later than the 1450 Act, it illustrates the statute’s form and financial intent to restore crown lands and revenues. Source
However, Henry VI’s weakness undermined the measure.
He allowed many exemptions, protecting grants to Suffolk and other favourites.
As a result, the Act failed to resolve financial difficulties and deepened suspicion of corruption at court.
Act of Resumption: A parliamentary statute aimed at resuming lands and revenues previously alienated by the Crown, returning them to royal control.
The ineffective implementation of this Act highlighted the failure of governance and intensified criticism of Suffolk’s regime.
Cade’s Rebellion (1450)
Causes of Rebellion
The Cade’s Rebellion erupted in 1450, reflecting accumulated grievances against Suffolk’s regime and broader royal misrule.
Key causes included:
Resentment at military defeats in France, particularly Normandy.
Economic hardship caused by taxation and loss of trade.
Anger at corruption and patronage under Suffolk’s dominance.
Local grievances in Kent and Sussex, particularly fears of punitive measures after Suffolk’s execution.
The rebellion was fuelled by the execution of Suffolk in May 1450, murdered at sea while exiled, which created a power vacuum but did not ease public discontent.
Illustration of the murder of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, at sea in May 1450. His death inflamed popular anger at corrupt councillors and destabilised Henry VI’s regime. Source
Leadership and Demands
The rebellion was led by Jack Cade, who adopted the alias ‘John Mortimer’ to imply connections with the Yorkist cause.
Cade’s manifesto, the Complaint of the Poor Commons of Kent, demanded reform of government, removal of corrupt officials, and justice for grievances.
Rebels claimed loyalty to the king but condemned his councillors.
The Mortimer name suggested Yorkist sympathies, though Cade himself had no formal link to Richard, Duke of York.
Events of the Rebellion
Engraving of Jack Cade in London during the rebellion of 1450. Though a later artistic depiction, it shows the rebels’ assertion of control in the capital and their political theatre. Source
They entered the city after victory at the Battle of Sevenoaks, where royal forces were defeated.
In London, Cade’s forces sought to enforce reforms, executing unpopular officials.
However, disorder and looting alienated Londoners. The city eventually resisted, and Cade retreated. He was later captured and killed.
Significance and Consequences
Cade’s Rebellion was the most serious popular rising of Henry VI’s reign. Its importance lies in:
Demonstrating widespread anger at Suffolk’s misrule and government corruption.
Highlighting fragility of royal authority, as rebels briefly controlled London.
Undermining confidence in Henry VI’s ability to govern effectively.
Strengthening the position of Richard, Duke of York, who returned from Ireland later in 1450 as a potential reforming leader.
Although the rebellion failed, it revealed the depth of discontent that would fuel the Wars of the Roses.
Interconnection of Suffolk, the Act of Resumption, and Cade’s Rebellion
These three elements were deeply interlinked:
Suffolk’s dominance created resentment through corruption, failures in France, and favouritism.
The Act of Resumption represented Parliament’s attempt to reform finances but was weakened by Suffolk’s influence.
Cade’s Rebellion exploded from longstanding grievances, worsened by Suffolk’s fall and the failure of meaningful reform.
Together, they marked a critical point in the breakdown of Henry VI’s government, exposing the collapse of royal authority and paving the way for factional struggle in the 1450s.
FAQ
Suffolk negotiated peace with France, culminating in the marriage of Henry VI to Margaret of Anjou. As part of this deal, the English crown surrendered Maine and later Anjou.
Although intended to secure peace, many in England viewed this as a humiliating concession. Suffolk’s role in arranging the marriage meant he was blamed for territorial losses, reinforcing the perception of betrayal and poor leadership.
Parliament attacked Suffolk indirectly by criticising his use of royal patronage and demanding inquiries into financial mismanagement.
In 1450, Suffolk was formally impeached for treason. Although Henry VI tried to protect him by ordering exile rather than execution, this intervention only highlighted Suffolk’s unpopularity. His eventual murder at sea reflected the depth of hostility towards him.
Beyond anger at corruption, rebels faced real local hardships:
Rising taxation to fund the failing war in France.
Economic decline due to disrupted trade in Kent and Sussex.
Land disputes and abuses by local officials.
The rebellion was not purely political; it drew strength from the intersection of local grievances with national frustrations.
The Mortimer family had a dynastic claim to the throne through descent from Edward III. Richard, Duke of York, was heir to this line.
By calling himself ‘John Mortimer’, Cade tapped into discontented Yorkist sympathies. This suggested the rebellion was not simply local anger but tied to questions of succession and legitimate rule, even if Cade himself had no formal Yorkist backing.
The rebellion exposed widespread anger at Suffolk’s regime and disillusionment with Henry VI’s government.
York, returning from Ireland in 1450, positioned himself as a reformer who could restore justice and order. Cade’s rising had already articulated demands for purging corruption, which York later echoed.
Thus, while Cade was defeated, his rebellion created a political opening for York to emerge as a significant challenger to Henry VI’s authority.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks):
In what year was the Act of Resumption passed during Henry VI’s reign?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for identifying the correct year 1450.
1 additional mark if the answer also makes clear it was under Henry VI.
Question 2 (6 marks):
Explain two reasons why Suffolk’s domination of government created widespread resentment in England.
Mark scheme:
Up to 3 marks for each valid reason, clearly explained.
Award 1 mark for identification of a reason, 1 mark for a basic explanation, and 1 mark for a developed explanation with context.
Possible valid reasons:
Corruption and patronage: Suffolk was seen as using royal favour to enrich himself and his supporters, excluding other magnates from influence. (1 mark for identifying corruption; 1 mark for linking it to patronage; 1 mark for explaining resentment among nobles and commons).
Military failures in France: Suffolk was blamed for defeats and the loss of territories, especially Maine and Anjou, leading to disillusionment with his leadership. (1 mark for identifying losses in France; 1 mark for linking Suffolk to the failures; 1 mark for explaining why this caused resentment).
Other acceptable reasons: association with Henry VI’s weak rule, the perception of manipulating foreign policy, or the financial crisis exacerbated by Suffolk’s grants of crown lands. Each must be explained to access full marks.
