Changes in governance at the centre - The key institutions of government Flashcards
What was the royal household?
Responsible for domestic needs - e.g kitchens, laundary, gardens. Controlled by high level officials - Board of the Green Cloth
How did the royal household change?
It grew and shrank. 1526 - TW tried to reform it due to expense through the Elthan Ordinances - wanted only 20 in the household, unsuccessful
What was the privy chamber?
Served by the household. Monarch’s living arrangements structured so access was controlled. Rooms laid out so monarch had privacy. Where the monarch and family lived
What was the Great Hall and the watching chamber in the Privy Chamber?
A room for feastings, beyond it as private rooms. The watching chamber was where all visitors could pass
What was the Presence Chamber in the Privy Chamber?
Where the monarch would dine and where news and gossip would flow.
What happened to the importance of the Privy Chamber over time and how did Henry VII use it?
- Grew in political importance
- 1495 Henry VII feared betrayal
- Very restricted access - Yeoman of the Guard acted as bodyguards and guarded the entrance to his private rooms
What was the Privy Chamber used for under Henry VII?
- Used it to collect and store royal income
- Henry personally monitored it
- Chamber of finance collapsed after Henry VII
What changes were made to the Privy Council during and after Henry VII?
- Political hub in 1518 - staff employed as Gentlemen of the PC
- Groom of the Stool - toilet worker, Henry’s most trusted friend, advised him
- 1520-25 Henry sent Gentlemen to missions in France and on expidition against Scots
How did control of the dry stamp enable individuals to influence the direction of government?
- Kept by Gentlemen of the PC
- Henry VIII disliked paper work so introduced it to sign docs quickly
- Control of the dry stamp = power
How did control of the dry stamp become factioned in 1540s?
Edmund Seymor (Earl of Hertford) and John Dudley (Viscount Lisle) gained control of DS using Sir Anthony Denny member of faction in PC
How did those under Henry VIII manipulate policy using the dry stamp?
Used it to make alterations to Henry’s will in 1547 - increased their power and influence
What impact did the dry stamp have in Edward’s reign?
Access to him and the dry stamp controlled by the king’s protectors Seymor and then Dudley, showed how they granted themselves power
How did female monarchs change the Privy Chamber?
- Women replaced men due to close physcial contact
- Women in the PC had influence
Who did Mary’s PC consist of?
Frances Waldegrave and Frances Serningham - former servants who had Catholic sympathies, married to male members of her RH
What concerns did Charles V, Holy Roman Emporer have about female monarchs and a female PC?
Wrote to his ambassador to tell him about the ladies taking advantage of the monarch to gain patronage and favours
How did Mary approach the dry stamp?
Kept more control, dry stamp locked up
When did the dry stamp decline in political importance?
Under Elizabeth
How did the PC change under Elizabeth?
Appointed the wives of her key councillors to her PC, reforms of 1559 meant her PC were on her RC
Which perminant changes to the PC occured after 1540?
- PC became chief minister
- Took over work of TC and TW e.g Duke of Norfolk insisted that anyone wanting to do business with chief minister should address them as a group
How did the fall of Cromwell and Wolsey link to the changes to the PC after 1540?
- Henry needed to restructure gov so that he could work without TW who had manipulated his position
- Didn’t want anyone to have too much power
- Chief minister no longer used
How did membership of the council change from 1540?
Membership reduced and was fixed to include just the most trusted advisors of the monarch. Contrasted council of Henry VII which has 227 members