1.2 How effectively did Henry handle the nobility?

Question 1

Why did Henry need nobles on his side?

Answer 1

He needed them to run the country.

Question 2

What was Henry’s concern about the nobles?

Answer 2

He feared they might revolt and overthrow him.

Question 3

How many earls did Henry create during his reign?

Answer 3

Only 3.

He tried to limit the size of the nobility.

Question 4

When was the Order of the Garter introduced? By who?

Answer 4

Edward III did in the 14th century.

Question 5

Why did Henry reinstate the Order of the Garter?

Answer 5

It was a cheap way of boosting nobles’ loyalty.

Question 6

How many knights of the Garter did Henry create?

Answer 6

Henry created 37 Knights of the Garter.

Question 7

What changed about the way Henry used patronage?

Answer 7

Patronage was used to reward loyal service rather than hope of service.

Question 8

Which non-nobles did Henry grant patronage to?

Answer 8

Edmund Dudley was a lawyer and became one of Henry’s right hand men.

Question 9

Quote about Edmund Dudley Henry’s councillor?

Answer 9

He ‘used the title of King’s councillor as proudly as any peerage’.

Question 10

What was the Great Council?

Answer 10

Meetings of noblemen called together by the King to discuss high matters of state.

Usually in emergencies when the Parliament would have taken too long.

Question 11

Why did the Great Council help loyalty from nobles?

Answer 11

They had a chance to discuss decisions therefore they were less likely to rebel against them afterwards.

Question 12

How did the King’s Council induce loyalty in the nobles?

Answer 12

Being appointed to it was a sign of trust and a great honour.

Question 13

Why were Acts of Attainder a serious sanction?

Answer 13

They ruined the family which they concerned. All land and possessions were stripped away.

Question 14

How many Acts of Attainder did Henry issue during his reign?

Answer 14

138

Question 15

How could Acts of Attainder also turn into rewards?

Answer 15

They could be reversed if the family which it concerned showed good behaviour.

Question 16

What were bonds?

Answer 16

Written agreements in which people promised to pay a sum of money if they failed to carry out their promise.

Question 17

What were recognisances?

Answer 17

A formal acknowledgement of a debt that already existed with a promise to pay it back.

Question 18

What can be said about the severity of the bonds and recognisances towards the end of Henry’s reign?

Answer 18

They got worse by the end of Henry’s reign.

Question 19

What was retaining?

Answer 19

The practice of recruiting local fighters for nobles’ armies.

Question 20

Why did Henry place a limit on retaining?

Answer 20

He didn’t have a standing army and feared his nobles would become too powerful.

Question 21

How did Henry control retaining in 1485?

Answer 21

He made the Lords and Commons swear not to retain illegally.

Question 22

How did Henry control retaining in 1504?

Answer 22

Nobles needed a licence to retain. If they didn’t that would mean £5 fine per retainer.

Question 23

How was controlling retaining solving two problems for Henry?

Answer 23

It limited retaining and it also boosted the king’s finances through fines.

Question 24

What was the Act of Resumption?

Answer 24

It recovered for the Crown all the land granted away since 1455.

Before the War of the Roses

Question 25

When was the Act of Resumption passed?

Answer 25

1486

Question 26

What did Henry do to ensure he kept the Crown estates?

Answer 26

He would reward his loyal nobles with land that was taken by attainder from other nobles rather than his own land.

Question 27

What does S.J Gunn estimate the amount of land the Crown regained to be?

Answer 27

S.J Gunn estimates that the amount of Crown land was five times larger by the later years of Henry VII than in Henry VI’s reign.

Question 28

What was wardship?

Answer 28

The estates of minors were under the Crown’s care until the minor came of age. Meanwhile, the Crown profited as much as possible.

Question 29

What was relief? (tax)

Answer 29

A payment to the king when land was inherited.

Question 30

What was livery?

Answer 30

A payment to the king to recover land from wardship.