The Pilgrimage has been described as a religious crusade, which was provoked by the changes that were made in the Church in the 1530's. Monastic houses were at the centre of community life, therefore restoring the monasteries proved vital to the rebels. It is important to note, that Robert Aske, the leader of the rebellion, referred to his followers as pilgrims, not rebels, therefore, suggesting that the Pilgrimage was a religious movement. Anthony Fletcher suggests that in defence of the monasteries, this was the rallying call for rebels in many areas of the north, and though the risings owed much to social and economic grievances, it is hard to deny the potent force of religion in sustaining rebellions2. This is supported by C.S.L Davies who suggested that religion was an essential feature of the Pilgrimage as it figured large among the causes, it served to give the movement cohesion and binds together different classes with widely different interests3. Consequently, it can be argued that the Dissolution of the Monasteries was one of several motivations of the Pilgrimage; it was not the primary focus, nor was it a minor factor. .
For the Commonwealth, 'the subversion of Christ's faith' had to be undone, suggesting that it was not just the restoration of the monasteries, which was important to the rebels. It is essential to distinguish what we mean by religion as a cause. The rebels wanted to restore all aspects of religion, doctrinally and liturgically. For example they wanted to re-establish Papal Supremacy, by returning overall spiritual control to the clergy, which would re-establish Catholicism. In addition, restoring saints to their former recognition as an effective intermediate between God and man, therefore being able to justify intercessory practices, such as pilgrimages and masses and institutions like monasteries and chantries 4, proved vital. Yet, as a whole, the Pilgrimage of Grace cannot be regarded as a devout crusade to save the rights of Holy Church, to re- edify the monasteries and to restore England to a papal Christendom.
