Changes made to structure and function of the Household - The Royal Council

Question 1

What was the role of the Royal Council?

Answer 1

• A formal body that was the hub of the Tudor political system, governing England under the Crown.
• The main permanent institution of government, as Parliament was an intermittent institution.
• Helped with running of the government and and could act as a judicial body dealing with high profile legal cases, particularly dealing with cases regarding the nobility.
• Monarchs could chose who they appointed to the Council and whether they listened to their advice or not.

Question 2

Problems with the Royal Council

Answer 2

Often could be divided by faction, and its political importance dependent on the style of rule adopted by different monarchs.

Question 3

How did the role of the Council change generally during the period?

Answer 3

It definitely changed, becoming increasingly formal and ‘professional’ in its role, especially after 1540.

Question 4

What was the role of the Royal Council under Henry VII

Answer 4

Larger, more informal body which, as they met infrequently, gathered information about popular opinion and the mood in the country. Henry also introduced Great Councils, which was a special gathering of all members of the nobility and councillors.

Question 5

Inclusion of men who served under Henry VII’s Yorkist’s predecessors.

Answer 5

Included men that served under his Yorkist predecessor to prevent chaos, disorder and potential rebellion. Henry’s council included 20 men who served under Edward IV and Richard III.

Question 6

What was the impact of Henry VII’s position as an usurper on his governance?

Answer 6

• Henry had no experience of government, living in exile, so such men were crucial in helping him establish and secure his position on the throne.
• Several, such as John Morton, went on to have long and distinguished careers in his service.

Question 7

Great Councils

Answer 7

• Henry used these when he needed to seem to consult his nobility on important issues to do with war and taxation.
• It was a cunning tactic, appearing to include all the nobility in his decisions, though, he’d already decided - made it harder for the nobility to argue with his decisions.

Question 8

How many Great Councils has Henry VII held?

Answer 8

Henry had held 5 Great Councils between 1487 and 1502

Question 9

Example of a Great Council matter

Answer 9

In 1492, when he wanted to end his invasion of France. Made sure to consult his nobility and made them sign a document agreeing to retreat.

Question 10

How many Council members were there between 1485 and 1509?

Answer 10

Between 1485 and 1509, over 200 nobility, churchmen, royal officials and lawyers attended Council meetings.

Question 11

The Royal Council under Henry VIII

Answer 11

• Henry wanted to prove himself in war against Scotland and France - he disagreed with Henry VII’s policy of not engaging in expensive foreign wars.
• Experienced administrators like Warham and Fox supported this policy - eventually replaced by Thomas Wolsey (able to give Henry what he wanted - war).

Question 12

Thomas Wolsey

Answer 12

• Remained a dominant influence in politics until 1529.
• First line of the king’s chief ministers and was responsible for undertaking much of the running of government which Henry had no interest.

Question 13

Wolsey’s improvements of the Royal Council.

Answer 13

• As a result of Wolsey’s dominance, the Council retained its traditional functions - 40 members who did not attend on a regular basis.
• Despite failure of the Eltham Ordinances in 1526 - reduced from 40 to 20 men, who met daily - far more formal body, became the ‘Privy Council’.

Question 14

Reform of the Privy Council in 1540

Answer 14

Permanent which lasted the whole period. After Cromwell’s fall, there was a need to restructure the government so it could continue to work without Cromwell.

Question 15

Issue with Cromwell/Wolsey

Answer 15

• Cromwell manipulated his position as the King’s secretary in order to wield power and influence the King.
• King Henry VIII’s reign was dominated by the personalities and influence of his two chief ministers, Cromwell and Wolsey.

Question 16

Why was Wolsey and Cromwell resented by the nobility.

Answer 16

Both men were from relatively humble backgrounds, henceforth resented by traditional members of the nobility who saw themselves as the natural advisers of the king.

Question 17

After Cromwell’s fall, what did the Privy Council turned itself into?

Answer 17

It turned itself into a ‘chief minister’. This meant that the members of the newly formed Council were collectively responsible for much of the work previously performed by Wolsey and Cromwell. There was no ‘chief minister’.

Question 18

Example - Duke of Norfolk

Answer 18

Duke of Norfolk insisted that anyone wishing to conduct business with the Council should write to them as a group, not to an individual. This change meant that no one individual was able to wield the amount of power which W/C had.

Question 19

The trend of no ‘chief minister’ under Edward IV and Mary I

Answer 19

The trend continued.

Question 20

The trend under Edward IV and Mary I

Answer 20

William Cecil, who assumed the role, preferred to use his position as the Queen’s secretary and deliberately avoided the use of the term ‘chief minister’ despite acting as such.