Change and continuity in English society during a decade of peace Flashcards
What was the economy like before and after E4?
During the WOR the economy was in an economic slump between 1440 - 1480
this wasn’t helped by the political instability of the country
International trade was most affected due to piracy and broken-down trade agreements
E4 effort to bring stability to England after 1471 was very beneficial to England merchants and aided the recovery of the economy
What is an example of how E4 improved the economy?
(The Merchant Adventurers company)
The Merchant Adventurers company saw the effects of the trade slump in 1440
only after Edward began his reign were their trade levels restored
by 1480 The Merchant Adventurers company was far more prosperous than ever before
What happened with the Hanseatic League?
The Hansa merchants was significantly involved in the politics of E4 reign
In 1474 the Hanseatic trade halted due to their dispute with Edward
but as soon as good relations were restored their trade recovered
How was the cloth industry affected?
cloth industry was the most important to England as English cloth was considered of superior quality
during the economic slump, the cloth industry affected both the merchants and the Producers so fluctuations had a bearing on the Rural Economy
but thanks to the Yorkist policy of providing well for the security of Calais, it made it safe for English merchants to trade again
this led to a significant rise in the cloth industry
By the end of Edwards’s reign, it had fully recovered demonstrating how Edwards’s government had repaired Civil War damage
How did social mobility change under E4?
The consequences of civil war and the decimation of noble families meant there was an increase in the availability of land.
this meant that people were able to buy land and increase their social status
many climb the social ranks through reward and marriage as we see through the emergence of the New Men of Edwards’s reign
an example of a family that successfully rose through the ranks was the Paston family
they made wise land purchases and strategic marriage alliances that saw them rise to the peerage
What did E4 do with Wales? (the regions)
E4 relied heavily upon the loyalty of his nobility to maintain Law and Order
In 1471 Wales became under tighter royal control and Edward established
a regional council headed by the Earl of Rivers
to ensure that the marcher Lords performed their function properly
