a4) economy Flashcards
Positive changes in AGRARIAN EC?
- suggestion of small recovery as pop rose again in 80s + 90s
- greater move to sheep farming at this time
- improved profitability of sheep f
- increase D for WOOL as pop rose + trade OVERSEAS developed
- SPECIALISMS eg horse breeding in the Fenlands
- efficiency gains l- improved production
Negative changes in AGRARIAN EC?
- income from land had DECLINED in aftermath of BLACK DEAFB of 130”s + early 1400s
- DEPRESSED PROFITIBILITY if ARABLE (crop) farming
- sheep f profitability came at price for PEASANTS- lost access to COMMON RIGHTS- left DESTITUTE- became more widespread in first 1/2 of 16th cent- MORAL OUTCRY- hard to contain
-^ But in general Eng agrarian f had no signif changes at end of 15th/ start of 16th
How was agrarian ec dif in dif regions?
- Eng divided into LOWLAND ZOBE and HIGHLAND ZONE(N and W of drawn line)
- MIXED farming in low, PASTORAL farming mainly in high, w a bit of grain and fruit, specialisms eg horse breeding in the fenlands
- trad system of OPEN-FIELD HUSBANDRY in low land
What was OPEN-FIELD HUSBANDRY
Manorial system
Predominated lowland
The manor was a specific landed estate whose tenants farmed strips of land found in open fields and who enjoyed common rights, particularly for keeping animals.
System came under increasing pressure by enclosure in some parts of the country in the 16th cent.
Positive changes in cloth trade?
- responsible for ~90% of value of Eng X- trade flourished at end of 15th cent- up 60% in value of cloth de ports during H’s reign
- earlier, exports mainly RAW WOOL- shipped from east coast ports and exported through CALAIS by the merchants of the staple.
- increase in FINISHED CLOTH- dominating- development of WEAVING- usually as a DOMESTIC PROCESS+ fulling + dyeing- gave opportunities for RURAL EMPLOYMENT to SUPPLEMENT AGRARIAN INCOMES
- some cloth towns eg Leches in Sussex v PROSPEROUS
- increases finished cloth from London by merchant adventurers - reinforced L’s COMMERCIAL DOMINANCE (bab thing too) within the country + est a commercial AXIS w ANTWERP- Eu’s main money market- Eng clothe exported from here all over Eu
Negative changes in cloth trade?
- some towns eg Lincoln signif decay as cloth industry tended to move from older corporate boroughs to newer manufacturing centres in smaller market towns + villages
- merchant ad- NOT COMPLETELY DOMINANT- unable to enjoy trading privileges reasserted x2 by H to the HANSEATIC LEAGUE so they wouldn’t offfer support to Y pretender E of Suffolk
Positive changes in other industries?
- most industrial activities small scale craft operations- need little capital investment eg weaving or brewing- most supplied basic necessities of life food and shelter
- small export of cole trade to Germany and netehrlands
-^ intro of basic pumping technology from around 1486 enabled greater production
What was the mining industry like?
- small scale but needed more capital investment
- ton mines in Cornwall, leas in upland areas eg high Pennines, coal in Durham and Northumberland, iron ore mined and smelted in Sussex and Kent- a blast furnace there
- much of coal shipped to London to meet growing demand for domestic and industrial fuel
Negative changes in other industries?
- Eng dependent on cloth industry
- other industries small + failed to compete w continental superiors - eg Germany and Bohemia superior in mining + metallurgy, Spain, Portuguese and Dutch sup in shipbuilding
What was the context economically in H’s reign?
- population 2.2million
- maj ppl live in COUNTRYSIDE, rely on some form of farming for a living
- ~10% pop URBAN DWELLERS- most lived in towns- small by continental standards w exception of London- pop probs >50,000
- estimate no more than 20 towns had more than 3,000 ppl
- Next largest-
NORWICH pop 10,000, BRISTOL, YORK and COVENTRY 8,000-10,000 inhabitants
- WOOL and CLOTH trade main industries in these towns
- Other industries incl tin, lead + coal/ metallurgy/ leatherwork/ shipbuilding/- H had NO CLEAR ec policy for making Eng wealthir- REACTIONARY- responding when needs are required- waits for MERCHANTS who LOBBY parl for them to pass any ec acts- so more PASSIVE- more concerned w threats to auth. paperworking
- H had NO CLEAR ec policy for making Eng wealthir- REACTIONARY- responding when needs are required- waits for MERCHANTS who LOBBY parl for them to pass any ec acts- so more PASSIVE- more concerned w threats to auth.
MIXED FARMING
Growing crops as well as the raising of animals and livestock
PASTORAL FARMING
Farming involving the rearing of animals- either for animal by-products such as milk, eggs or wool, or for meat
COMMON RIGHTS
Denotes the legal right of tenants to use common land, eg for keeping animals; the exact nature of these rights varied from place to place.
MERCHANTS OF THE STAPLE
Incorporated by royal charter in 1319, they controlled the export of wool; the staple was based at Clalais (an Eng possesion) from 1363, but the eventual decline in the wool trade reduced the company’s importance.
FULLING
A step in woollen cloth making which involves the cleansing of cloth (esp wool) to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, making it thicker in the process.
HANSEATIC LEAGUE- OR HANSA
A group of free cities originating in the 13thcent, came together to form a COMMERCIAL UNION w the intention of controlling trade in the Baltic Sea; the League DOMINATED COMMERCIAL activity in Northern Eu from 13th to 15cent.
Had a MONOPOLY ON TRADE
Largely Germanic
H7 gradually chipped away their priviliges
METALLURGY
The scientific study of extraction, refining, alooying and fabrication of metals, and of their properties.
SECTIONAL INTERESTS
The interests of a particular group within a community of country
How did H7 chip away at the Hansa’s infl?
1486- Confined the rights of Hansa
1487- H banned the export of unfinished cloth by alien merchants
1489- PROHIBITION on Hansa’s exportation of BULLION (a metal).
1493- H paid MINIMAL COMPENSATION when the Hansa’s London HQ were attacked by a mob angry at the league’s priviliges
BUT
1504- H supported an act RESTORING all the Hansa’s priviliges at a time when he was desperately trying to GAIN CUSTODYof the Y claimant, Eo Suffolk, who was a FUGITIVE in Germany.
Timeline of trade relations w Netherlands?
- 1493: EMBARGO (ban) on trade w N after fear + insecurity of MoB’s support for PW, instead of tradind DIRECTLY w N, merchants forced to move trade through CALAIS, this simply invited RETALIATION from N.
1499- Philip of B confirms INTERCURSUS MAGNUS- ends embargo. Eng Merchants could export to any part od DoB’s lands apart from FLANDERS. Merchants would be granted swift and fair justice + effective arrangements would be put in place for the resolution of disputes. A SOLID BASIS FOR TRADE RELATIONS.
1503- H PANICS as the EoSuffolk taken seriously around Burg- attempts to reimpose the embargo - negotiates…
1506- INTERCURSUS MALUS EXTORTED from Philp as a result of his weakness- never becomes fully operative.
1507- Trading relations w N restored to basis of intercursus magnus
Timeline of trade outside of Netehrlands?
1486- REMOVES trading regulations in place since EDward IV’s reign
1487- trade restrictions restored bc of H’s support for Brittany
1492- TREATY OF ETAPLES- largely removes again, not primarily a trade treaty, did try to encourage anglo-french commercial relations
1497- most of trade restrictions removed
1485+89 NAVIGATION ACTS- to encourage eng shipping by trying to ensure that only eng ships should carry certain products to + from eng ports.
Only had limited usefulness- foriegn vessels continued to transport a substantial proportionof eng exports
What was H7’s general trading policy like?
- WEAKNESS in trading policy showne when the attempt to make a signif breakthrough in Mediterranean trade proved a failure + H league largely succesful in limiting development of eng trading interets in the Baltic
- Several trade treaties concluded but of minor imp + showed H rated foreign pol + dynastic interests as greater priorities than interests of eng merchants
BUT maybe he is a little interested in trade + that there isnt somebody having a major monopoly on it- H league. More abt diminishing their power than trying to take it for himself.
