List of Tudor rebellions facts for kids

The Tudor family ruled England and parts of Ireland for over 100 years, from 1485 to 1603. During this time, many people disagreed with their rulers. These disagreements sometimes led to rebellions. A rebellion is when people rise up against the government or monarch. Some rebellions happened because of new religious ideas. Others were about local problems or different groups of people wanting their own way. Most rebellions were a mix of these reasons. The last and biggest rebellion was called Tyrone's Rebellion, also known as the Nine Years' War.

Tudor Rebellions: When People Challenged the King or Queen

The Tudor period saw many challenges to the power of the king or queen. These rebellions happened for different reasons. Sometimes, people were unhappy with new laws about religion. Other times, they wanted a different person to be on the throne. Local issues or unfair taxes also caused people to rebel.

Early Challenges to Tudor Rule (1486–1497)

When the Tudors first took the throne, some people still wanted the old royal family, the Yorkists, back in power.

• In 1486, the Stafford and Lovell Rebellion tried to overthrow the new King Henry VII. It was quickly stopped.
• The Simnel Rebellion (1486–1487) saw a young boy, Lambert Simnel, pretend to be a lost prince. He gathered support but was defeated.
• The Yorkshire Rebellion in 1489 was about unfair taxes. People in Yorkshire felt they were paying too much.
• Another young man, Perkin Warbeck, also claimed to be a lost prince. His Warbeck Rebellion (1497) lasted for several years. He even got support from other countries.
• The Cornish Rebellion of 1497 happened because people in Cornwall did not want to pay taxes for a war far away. They marched all the way to London.
• Soon after, the Second Cornish Uprising of 1497 also took place in Cornwall.

Rebellions Over Religion and Power (1525–1554)

As the Tudor monarchs changed, so did the reasons for rebellion. King Henry VIII's decision to break away from the Pope caused big changes.

• The Amicable Grant (1525) was not a full rebellion but a strong protest. People refused to pay a new tax that was demanded without Parliament's approval.
• In Ireland, the Silken Thomas Rebellion (1534–1537) was led by a powerful Irish lord. He rebelled against King Henry VIII's rule in Ireland.
• The Pilgrimage of Grace (1536–1537) was a huge uprising in the north of England. People were angry about Henry VIII's religious changes and the closing of monasteries.
• Following this, Bigod's rebellion (1537) was another smaller uprising in the north.

When Henry VIII's son, Edward VI, became king, he brought even more religious changes.

• The Prayer Book Rebellion (1549) in the West Country was a major protest. People were angry about the new English prayer book. They wanted to keep the old Latin services.
• The Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire rising (1549) was another smaller protest against religious changes.
• Kett's Rebellion (1549) in Norfolk was about unfair land use and local government. It was a large uprising by common people.

When Queen Mary I came to the throne, she tried to bring back the old Catholic religion.

• The Northumberland Rebellion (1553) tried to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne instead of Mary. This was a power struggle among nobles.
• Wyatt's rebellion (1554) was against Queen Mary's plan to marry a Spanish prince. People feared England would become controlled by Spain.

Later Tudor Challenges (1558–1601)

Queen Elizabeth I faced many challenges during her long reign.

• In Ireland, the Shane O'Neill Rebellion (1558–1567) was led by a powerful Irish chief. He fought against English control in Ulster.
• The Rising of the North (1569) was led by powerful Catholic nobles in northern England. They wanted to restore Catholicism and put Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne.
• The Desmond Rebellions (1569–1583) were two major uprisings in southern Ireland. The First Desmond Rebellion (1569–1573) and Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) were led by the Earl of Desmond. They fought against English expansion and religious changes.
• The biggest and last major rebellion was Tyrone's Rebellion (1593–1603), also known as the Nine Years' War. This was a long and difficult war in Ireland led by Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, against English rule.
• The Oxfordshire Rebellion (1596) was a small protest by poor people. They were unhappy about harsh laws and economic hardship.
• The Essex Rebellion (1601) was led by one of Queen Elizabeth's own trusted advisors, the Earl of Essex. He tried to force the Queen to listen to his demands but failed.