2. Strengthening royal government Flashcards
what problems did henry face? - nobles, economy or control?
nobles whose wealth and territorial power made them potential rivals to the crown
uneven control the crown had over the kingdom it was stronger in more populated areas of the south and east
control was looser at borderlines with the lack of development of local administration
poor finances of the crown and that was depleted (used up) by the wars at home and abroad
how did Henry approach these problems? plan, popularity, decision making?
no master plan as these problems and most solutions tented to be reactions
did not make himself popular by wanting to run the government on his own and not take help from advisors - not much power
harsh decisions and acted firmly due to suspicion and anxiety about potential rivals
‘more feared than loved’ according to visitor from Florence
why was the monarch’s relationship with the nobility so important?
nobles maintained law and order in areas as they held the land and estate - needed to make sure their arrogance and power was controlled.
rewarded nobles with land and titles or he showed unwelcome consequences to opposition to maintain power - mostly used second opinion he was feared.
nobles needed land, wealth and support to stay powerful in Henry exploited this during his reign but was not careful to push them into rebellion
in the 15th century why had the nobility grown so powerful?
gained land at expense of crown and gained more power and their large estates generated income on rents and leases and some built impressive strongholds to recruit and retain private armies
war helped Henry as big nobilities like houses of Warwick Northumberland were then headed by children
what were attainders?
special laws passed by parliament that allowed someone to be guilty of treason without having to go through a trial
how did Henry use attainders?
seize titles and possessions of nobles he believed to be disloyal
when did he first use attainders?
after the battle of Bosworth to men who fought against him and then used them periodically throughout his reign
when did Henry reverse attainders?
reverse attainders and restore titles and land if he thought that it would gain him gratitude and future loyalty of the victim and used them to gain more support
how many attainders were passed and reversed during Henry’s reign?
138 attainders were passed during his reign and 46 were reversed
how many attainders were passed in the last 5 years of his reign?
51 attainders were passed
example of attainder that was reversed for what price and by who?
Sir Thomas Tyrell (crisps) had to pay £1,738 for the reversal of his father’s attainders
what was patronage and why did Henry do this instead of distributing crownlands?
redistribute land of attained people
abandoned the idea of distributing land to loyal followers like Edward IV
he was concerned not to create a new group of nobles that could rise to become a potential threat to him
by what amount did the amount of nobles fall during his reign and through what?
one quarter through deaths and attainders
what was done with vacant land?
absorbed by Henry’s domains and made him the largest landowner in the country
how did attainders and patronage and the loss of some nobles help him control the localities?
looked to men lower down the social scale foe his royal agents in local communities due to them not having as much land and therefore not as much power and therefore became dependant on Henry for position and status and were not distracted by competing loyalties
what was retaining?
practice by which noblemen kept many men as his personal staff and in theory to be used as household servant but in fact acted as gangs and enforcers
why did he use them?
put pressure on tenants to pay rent or juries to return verdict master told them to
when were laws passed against illegal retaining?
1485 and 1504
