[starbase]

[Why? Were they intentionally destroyed?]

Oh, my, yes. Google "Dissolution of the Monasteries".

Well that stinks. I always hate to hear of beautiful art and literature that is destroyed, and in this case so many of the "priceless" monastic libraries were torched!!! There's so much of this destruction throughout history that it's amazing anything survived at all.

Boy, that Henry VIII was a real cur. Is there anything rotten he didn't do? This excerpt below stresses how the Dissolution of the Monasteries resulted in riots, to quell them Henry VIII promised amnesty, then when they stopped rioting Henry executed all the leaders! Was a nasty guy, yet he doesn't seem to be the most hated king in British history. I guess every likes a "winner", a la an Al Capone type. Source

Between 1536 and 1540, Henry dissolved all the monasteries that had not previously been dissolved. This proved very unpopular, as despite individual abuses, monasteries still played a major role both in the spiritual life of the population and in local economies. Furthermore, it led to exaggerated rumours that Henry intended to despoil the parish churches and to tax cattle and sheep.

As a result, in 1536 there were major risings in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire (30,000 strong) and, in 1537, a further rising in Norfolk. The rebels called for an end to the dissolution of the monasteries, for the removal of Cromwell, for the restoration of papal authority and for the Catholic Mary Tudor to be named as successor.

Henry's promise of pardon and concessions led the rebels to disband, but the king reneged on his promise and the rebel leaders were executed in 1537. Waltham Abbey was the last monastery to be dissolved in March 1540.

[agrarianlady]

Boy, that Henry VIII was a real cur. Is there anything rotten he didn't do?

At the time, there was a problem of power. The Church in Rome had an awful lot of it, and Henry wanted it. And remember that beginning with Henry VIII's reign the Renaissance brought so much to culture. A lot of good came out of his reign, and even more out of his daughter Elizabeth's. But he was quite fond of beheading everyone, and completely self-indulgent. It's difficult to find Monarchs who aren't, which is why we have this forum in the first place.