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The Guardian
12 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘Tudor high drama': English Heritage looks for descendants of abbey rebels
They included a brewer, a tailor and a shoemaker – a hardy bunch of craftspeople prepared to stand up to the might of the Tudor regime to try to save their local monastery. Exactly five centuries on, English Heritage is appealing for people who think they may be descendants of those who took part in the uprising against Cardinal Thomas Wolsey's closure of Bayham Abbey to come forward. The idea is to get some of them together for a commemorative event this summer to mark the Bayham Abbey uprising, which took place on 4 June 1525 and is seen as a precursor to the turbulent years of religious reform that followed. Michael Carter, an English Heritage historian, described the Bayham Abbey uprising as a moment of 'Tudor high drama'. He said: 'It is a fascinating precursor to Henry VIII's religious reforms – a harbinger not only of the dissolution of the monasteries 10 years later but also of the Pilgrimage of Grace, a major revolt against the reforms in the north of England in 1536 and 1537. 'In 1525, Bayham was deeply embedded in the religious and social life of its locality. Many of its community – the canons – were local boys and their prayers were highly prized. In addition, a bed in which St Richard of Chichester slept had been preserved at Bayham Abbey as a relic and was believed to perform miracles.' The uprising was probably not just spiritual in nature. The abbey was also a significant employer and those who took part in the uprising were predominantly tradespeople. 'Whilst they will undoubtedly have feared the loss of their spiritual leaders, their loss of income would have been of equal concern,' said Carter. He said he feared for what happened to them. 'This act of rebellion could have cost them their lives. We are keen to remember and celebrate these brave men.' In advance of the dissolution of monasteries, Wolsey started suppressing some of England's smaller monasteries to fund his new colleges at Oxford and Ipswich. Bayham Abbey on the Kent/Sussex border was among those targeted, leading to its closure in 1525. Incensed, local people turned to violence, and on 4 June 1525 more than 100 men with painted faces and armed with longbows, crossbows, swords and clubs assembled at the abbey. They stormed the gatehouse and temporarily restored the community. The canons were again removed a week later and 31 men were indicted by the crown for rioting. It is the descendants of these men that English Heritage is hoping to find. They include Thomas Godfowle, a labourer; the tailor William Lamkyn; John Muge, a fuller (cloth worker); and the weaver William Mepam. Among their number are also a possible father and son, John Whitesyde, senior and junior. It is not clear what happened to most of the men but the abbot William Gale, who was among the 31, went on to head an abbey in Buckinghamshire until it was suppressed in 1536. Today Bayham Abbey, founded circa 1208 and built from golden sandstone, is a picturesque ruin with much of the church, gatehouse and chapter house remaining. The full list of those who took part in the uprising can be seen on the English Heritage website. Anyone who thinks they have a connection with the rebels can email press@
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Bangladesh opens trial of deposed ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
DHAKA, Bangladesh — A special tribunal set up to try Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina began proceedings Sunday by accepting the charges against humanity filed against her in connection with a mass uprising in which hundreds of students were killed last year. Accepting the charges, the Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal directed investigators to produce Hasina, a former home minister and a former police chief before the court on June 16.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
Bangladesh opens fugitive ex-PM's trial over protest killings
Fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a "systemic attack" to try to crush the uprising against her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial on Sunday. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when Hasina's government launched its crackdown, according to the United Nations. Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to her old ally India as the student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule, and she has defied an extradition order to return to Dhaka. The domestic International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is prosecuting former senior figures connected to Hasina's ousted government and her now-banned party, the Awami League. "Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack," Mohammad Tajul Islam, ICT chief prosecutor, told the court in his opening speech. "The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising." Islam lodged charges against Hasina and two other officials of "abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising." Hasina, who remains in self-imposed exile in India, has rejected the charges as politically motivated. As well as Hasina, the case includes ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun — who is in custody, but who did not appear in court on Sunday — and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who like Hasina, is on the run. The prosecution of senior figures from Hasina's government is a key demand of several of the political parties now jostling for power. The interim government has vowed to hold elections before June 2026. The hearing is being broadcast live on state-owned Bangladesh Television. Prosecutor Islam vowed the trial would be impartial. "This is not an act of vendetta, but a commitment to the principle that, in a democratic country, there is no room for crimes against humanity," he said. Investigators have collected video footage, audio clips, Hasina's phone conversations, records of helicopter and drone movements, as well as statements from victims of the crackdown as part of their probe. The ICT court opened its first trial connected to the previous government on May 25. In that case, eight police officials face charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters on August 5, the day Hasina fled the country. Four of the officers are in custody and four are being tried in absentia. The ICT was set up by Hasina in 2009 to investigate crimes committed by the Pakistani Army during Bangladesh's war for independence in 1971. It sentenced numerous prominent political opponents to death and became widely seen as a means for Hasina to eliminate rivals. Earlier on Sunday, the Supreme Court restored the registration of the largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing it to take part in elections. Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami during her tenure and cracked down on its leaders. In May, Bangladesh's interim government banned the Awami League, pending the outcome of her trial, and of other party leaders.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Bangladesh opens historic trial against fugitive ex-leader Hasina over crackdown that killed 1,400
DHAKA, June 1 — Fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a 'systemic attack' to try to crush the uprising against her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial on Sunday. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when Hasina's government launched its crackdown, according to the United Nations. Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to her old ally India as the student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule, and she has defied an extradition order to return to Dhaka. The domestic International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is prosecuting former senior figures connected to Hasina's ousted government and her now-banned party, the Awami League. 'Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack,' Mohammad Tajul Islam, ICT chief prosecutor, told the court in his opening speech. 'The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising.' Islam lodged charges against Hasina and two other officials of 'abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising'. 'Not an act of vendetta' Hasina, who remains in self-imposed exile in India, has rejected the charges as politically motivated. As well as Hasina, the case includes ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun — who is in custody, but who did not appear in court on Sunday — and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who like Hasina, is on the run. The prosecution of senior figures from Hasina's government is a key demand of several of the political parties now jostling for power. The interim government has vowed to hold elections before June 2026. The hearing is being broadcast live on state-owned Bangladesh Television. Prosecutor Islam vowed the trial would be impartial. 'This is not an act of vendetta, but a commitment to the principle that, in a democratic country, there is no room for crimes against humanity,' he said. Investigators have collected video footage, audio clips, Hasina's phone conversations, records of helicopter and drone movements, as well as statements from victims of the crackdown as part of their probe. The ICT court opened its first trial connected to the previous government on May 25. In that case, eight police officials face charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters on August 5, the day Hasina fled the country. Four of the officers are in custody and four are being tried in absentia. The ICT was set up by Hasina in 2009 to investigate crimes committed by the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war for independence in 1971. It sentenced numerous prominent political opponents to death and became widely seen as a means for Hasina to eliminate rivals. Earlier on Sunday, the Supreme Court restored the registration of the largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing it to take part in elections. Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami during her tenure and cracked down on its leaders. In May, Bangladesh's interim government banned the Awami League, pending the outcome of her trial, and of other party leaders. — AFP
CNA
3 days ago
- General
- CNA
Bangladesh opens fugitive ex-PM's trial over protest killings
DHAKA: Fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a "systemic attack" to try to crush the uprising against her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial on Sunday (Jun 1). Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when Hasina's government launched its crackdown, according to the United Nations. Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to her old ally India as the student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule, and she has defied an extradition order to return to Dhaka. The domestic International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is prosecuting former senior figures connected to Hasina's ousted government and her now-banned party, the Awami League. "Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack," Mohammad Tajul Islam, ICT chief prosecutor, told the court in his opening speech. "The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising." Islam lodged charges against Hasina and two other officials of "abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising". "NOT AN ACT OF VENDETTA" Hasina, who remains in self-imposed exile in India, has rejected the charges as politically motivated. As well as Hasina, the case includes ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun - who is in custody, but who did not appear in court on Sunday - and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who, like Hasina, is on the run. The prosecution of senior figures from Hasina's government is a key demand of several of the political parties now jostling for power. The interim government has vowed to hold elections before June 2026. The hearing is being broadcast live on state-owned Bangladesh Television. Prosecutor Islam vowed the trial would be impartial. "This is not an act of vendetta, but a commitment to the principle that, in a democratic country, there is no room for crimes against humanity," he said. Investigators have collected video footage, audio clips, Hasina's phone conversations, records of helicopter and drone movements, as well as statements from victims of the crackdown as part of their probe. The ICT court opened its first trial connected to the previous government on May 25. In that case, eight police officials face charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters on Aug 5, the day Hasina fled the country. Four of the officers are in custody and four are being tried in absentia. The ICT was set up by Hasina in 2009 to investigate crimes committed by the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war for independence in 1971. It sentenced numerous prominent political opponents to death and became widely seen as a means for Hasina to eliminate rivals. Earlier on Sunday, the Supreme Court restored the registration of the largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing it to take part in elections. Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami during her tenure and cracked down on its leaders.
