Chapter 4: English society at the end of the 15th Century Flashcards
1
Q
Who were the nobility?
A
- Owned most of the land
- 50 - 60 nobles - reduced slightly as Henry was distrustful of them
- Part of government - house of lords
- 1487 - retainers restricting private forces nobles could have
2
Q
What role did the church have?
A
- Pope elected by cardinals
- Owned land
- 2 Archbishops - York & Canterbury
- Archbishops, bishops, important abbots - positions in politics
- Curates & priests - religion in small communities
3
Q
What was the gentry?
A
- 500 knights, 800 esquires, 5000 gentlemen
- Greater gentry - landowners, some sought knighthoods
- Esquires & mere gentry - less prestige, owned land
- 1% population
4
Q
Who were commoners in towns and cities?
A
- Educated professionals & merchants
- Shopkeepers & skilled tradesmen
- Unskilled urban workers, apprentices, beggars
5
Q
What were commoners in the countryside?
A
- Yeomen - had substantial farming land
- Husbandmen & richer peasantry bought / rented farm lend
- Labouring peasants without land, vagrants, beggars
6
Q
How was England divided by demographic?
A
- North-West - 1/4 population
- South-East - 3/4 population
7
Q
How was agriculture divided?
A
- East - mixed farming
- West - pastoral farming
8
Q
What were attitudes to different regions?
A
- North seen as savages
- South envied for wealth
9
Q
How was government different in different areas?
A
- Separate councils for North, Wales, Ireland
- Nobles had more control in some areas - Chester & Durham had a lot of independence
10
Q
What influence did the church have in different areas?
A
- Varied by area
- Local saints’ cults and pilgrimage places meant some areas were favoured - St Cuthbert in Durham, St Thomas Becket in Canterbury
11
Q
Where was linguistic and cultural division more present?
A
- Wales, Cornwall, Ireland
12
Q
When was the Yorkshire rebellion?
A
- 1489
13
Q
What caused the Yorkshire rebellion?
A
- Response to increased tax for campaign in Brittany
- After a bad harvest so couldn’t pay - £27,000 of £100,000 paid - Showed a lack of control by Henry
14
Q
What was the consequence of the Yorkshire rebellion?
A
- Lost control of north where yorkist base was
15
Q
When was the Cornish rebellion?
A
1497
