1- The role of the monarchy, nobility and gentry in Tudor England Flashcards
how was the power of the monarch different in theory vs in practice
in theory- chosen by god, could rule as wished
in practice- need support of nobility and gentry
what didnt tudor monarchs have
a standing army and a police force
who would handle local disorder
local nobility and gentry
in terms of nobility, what happened before and during henry 7 reign?
some nobles led or joined rebellions against the king- this continued into the years of henry 7 reign, but became increasingly infrequent under henry 8 and his children
what was the structure of tudor society
- god
- king
- the nobility-dukes, earls, viscounts, barons, lords
- gentry- knights
- yeomen and artisians
- peasants
- vagrants and beggars
how many men held the titles of nobility under the tudors
40-60
how did population of england grow from early 1500s to 1600
by 2 million
how much land (available for cultivation) did the nobility hold
around 10%
how were the king and his nobility dependant on each other
the king relied on them for carrying government locally
they relied on the king for protection of their lands and property
in most cases, why did members of the nobility become involved in rebellion against the monarch
because their co-dependant relationship had broken down
how many gentry families were there
5,000
how had the number of knights change
1490, 375
1558, 600
1603, 550
how were gentry estates different from nobility estates
generally less extensive
how could one move through the ranks in tudor england
GAIN-service to the king, marriage, inheritance
LOSE- political miscalculation or economic hardship
what were yeomen
prosperous farmers who tended to their own land
how many yeomen estimated by 1600
60,000
what were artisans
skilled craftsmen who often lived in towns or larger villages
why were yeomen generally more financially secure
they owned their own land so were less affected by price rises or rent increases
what industries were artisans normally propserous in
wool and cloth, the main english export in this period
what did yeomen and artisans do before 1549 and why
provided the leadership and shaped the demands of popular rebellion- they were better educated and natural leaders of their communities
what did the yeomen and artisans do after 1549
less involved in rebellion and more involved in local government
where did the majority of englands population live and work
rural communities- englands economy based in agriculture
why were peasants most vulnerable to social and economic changes
mostly didnt own the land they worked on, vulnerable in poor harvests, epidemics, price and rent increases. reliant on tge production of their own food for survival
what fraction of the population were living on the margins of subsistence
2/5- any social or economic crisis would easily push them into anger, hardship and rebellion
what were vagrants and beggars
people without masters who roamed the countryside
why were vagrants and beggars feared
every person was supposed to be under control of their social superiors
why were vagrants and beggars seen as a threat to social order
their movement around england could lead to the spread of rumours and dangerous ideas
what was the monarchs duty
protect from invasion, protect the rights and privileges of their subjects
how was the monarchs power curbed
by the Magna Carta, 1215, and by developments such as Parliament and Royal Council
what happened to monarchs who tried to ignore magna carta, parliament and royal council
richard 2 and richard 3 had been labelled tyrants and overthrown
what was included in the systems evoked by 1485
more informal bodies such as the royal court and from henry 8 reign, the privy chamber
what formal bodies evoked
the council, financial and judicial systems
how was the royal court different to the legal courts of justice
the royal court served the monarch- wherever the monarch was, the court would follow
why was the royal court important
for display and entertainment, an informal source of power
what did those seeking power or influence seek from the royal court
patronage- distribution of land, offices or favours through direct access to the monarch or chief ministers
what was the royal household responsible for
the monarchs domestic needs- hundreds employed in the kitchens, laundries and gardens
give an example of an attempt to reform how the royal household worked, in order to reduce expenses
thomas wolsey issued the Eltham Ordinances in 1526 to try and achieve this, but was unsuccessful because he did not have sufficient control over the wishes of the king himself
what were the eltham ordinances
reforms that proposed a smaller council of 20 men who would travel with the king, reduce size and cost of household. in reality an attempt to restrict access to the king and control the political influence of those close to him in the chamber
