Chapter 10- English society Flashcards
did the size of the peerage increase during Henry VIII’s reign?
yes, many new peers were created although there were only 9 more than the beginning due to natural wastage and the number of attainders during the reign
how did most of the new peers achieve their rank?
as a result of successful royal service as courtiers or soldiers
close family relationships to King- his brother in law Edward Seymour became Earl of Hertford
who were the only two promoted to non-royal ducal titles?
norfolk and Suffolk
who was the only Duke when Henry came to the throne
Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, who never enjoyed royal favour
why was norfolk given a non-royal ducal title?
he appears to have been restored to the title enjoyed by his father
why was Suffolk given a non-royal ducal title?
on account of the closeness of his personal relationship with the King. this was criticised by some, such as Erasmus
why did Henry sometimes bestow property on nobles?
to allow them to exert royal authority in an area
what is an example of a noble being given property in order to exert royal authority?
Suffolk was endowed with property in Lincolnshire after the rebellion in 1536 and the King ordered him to move there to ensure he could exert royal authority in person.
similarly John, Baron Russell was raised to the peerage and endowed with monastic lands in Devon to bolster royal authority in the south-west following the execution of the Marquess of Exeter
what does affinity mean?
described all those who had relationships with a person of higher status based on landholding and/or holding a position within the household
what were nobles expected to do?
to have great households and offer hospitality to their affinity and neighbours.
to do so too openly could make a noble a subject of royal suspicion, as was the case with Buckingham
what were nobles critical for?
Maintaining local influence and recruiting men for royal armies ( Earl of Shrewsbury raised over 4000 for 1513)
what were women expected to do when their husbands were away
Run the estate
Catherine of Aragon and Katherine Parr both acted as regents and Margaret Tudor ruled for her infant son
what is a sign of how bastard feudalism was dying out and nobles were coming more under the control of the monarch?
in 1541 Thomas Fiennes, Baron Dacre of the South was tried for the murder of a neighbour’s servant and was convicted and hanged like a common criminal
examples of people Henry executed
Duke of Buckingham- 1521
Marquess of Exeter- 1538
Margaret Pole Countess of Salisbury
All executed due to treason although some vague charges
how many gentry families were there in England in 1540?
about 5000
what were some signs of the gentry?
a knighthood, this was often a sign of royal favour
a coat of arms
how many knightly families were there in 1524?
about 200
who granted the status of gentleman?
the royal heralds, by 1530 the royal heralds were unwilling to grant or confirm the title to anyone with lands worth less than £10 per annum or goods under £300.
did gentlemen mean anything
Had no real legal meaning was often acquired through proceeds of office, profession or business
did the number of gentry increase during Henry’s reign?
yes
what did the increase in JPs mean?
it increased the number of those who participated in local administration
what were members of the gentry increasingly keen on?
their sons acquiring legal training to allow them to take on roles which could provide the basis for local advancement.
how did the crown administration change
Previously clergymen, but laymen became more frequent, then allowing them to generate income needed for gentry status
what did the rise in the rate of inflation mean for commoners?
a drop in real incomes which contributed to the ill feeling felt by many towards the imposition of the amicable grant.
