AS FP1, HVII's government : Domestic policies ; Ireland

Question 1

What area of Ireland did England control? What did this make the king?

Answer 1

The Pale. Lord of Ireland.

Question 2

What problems did Henry face because of Ireland?

Answer 2

It was difficult for Henry to extend his governance over Ireland seeing that the Earl of Kildare - Gerald Fitzgerald - gave support to Simnel, crowning him in Dublin Cathedral in 1487 and similarly recognised Perkin Warbeck as the heir to the throne in 1492.

Long-term threats to Royal Authority, instability

Question 3

How did Henry deal with Ireland and when?

Answer 3

1494
He made his son, Arthur, Lieutenant of Ireland and Sir.Edward Poynings deputy.

Short-term success

Question 4

What was Poyning’s Law?

Answer 4

A law which stated that an Irish parliament could only be summoned with the King’s prior approval and that any law created in England would be applied in Ireland as well.
- Gave Henry greater control of Ireland - ROYAL AUTHORITY and CENTRALISATION OF GOVERNMENT.

Short-term success

Question 5

What happened to the Kildares in 1492?

Answer 5

After their support for Perkin Warbeck, they were stripped off all their posts and Poyning’s law was introduced.

Short-term success

Question 6

What were the short-comings of the Poynings law?

Answer 6

It was too expensive to be maintained and administratively impossible to enforce, he reverted back to ruling Ireland through the chieftans and the Kildares.
- Although this meant that he faced little problems from Ireland for the rest of his reign, (1494 - 1509) it also showed some of the weaknesses of the early Tudor dynasty in extending its royal authority past London.

Short-term success which exposed long-term weaknesses of the crown.