Churchmen, nobles and commoners Flashcards
What three parts made up the Gentry ?
1) Knights (greater gentry)
2) Esquires (greater gentry)
3) gentlemen (lesser gentry)
Around how many knights were there at the time of Henry’s reign ?
500
Around how many Esquires were there at the time of Henry’s reign ?
800
Around how many gentlemen were there at the time of Henry’s reign ?
5,000
Along with the nobility, how much of the population did the gentry makeup ?
1%
Why did Henry deliberately involve the gentry more in local and royal administration ?
to reduce his dependance on the powerful, often rebellious nobility.
In 1490, How many knights were expected to assist in the administering of their local areas ?
375
Between the nobility and the Greater gentry, how much land did both groups own in England and Wales ?
15-20%
Give an example of a member of the gentry who increased their status and prestige due to their involvement of royal administration.
Sir Reginald Bray
Give 3 examples of why Sir Reginald Bray (a member of the gentry) had such prestige and status.
1) was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
2) led the council learned in Law
3) said to be more powerful than most nobles
Under Henry, which church dominated beliefs and society in England ?
the Roman Catholic church
How much clergy did the Roman Catholic church have in the reign of Henry VII ?
10,000
How much secular (makes no profession and follows no religious rule) clergy did the Roman Catholic church have at the time of Henry VII ?
35,000
Who governed/ controlled the church of England ?
the King
Who did Henry appoint as Bishops in the church ?
Bishops who had better legal training than they were spiritual leaders
Who were the most important clergymen in Henry’s reign ?
John Morton and Richard Fox
Why did Henry want to appoint Bishops who had better legal training than they were spiritual leaders e.g John Morton and Richard Fox ?
This is because they could use the Christian faith to help control society and maintain law and order.
Henry appointed fewer higher clergy from the _____________ making them less socially exclusive than they were previously.
aristocracy
Give specific evidence to show How Henry did appoint less higher clergy from the aristocracy.
only around 12% of Bishops under Henry were from the nobility or higher gentry class.
Commoners were the largest social class with around __ million living a the time of 1500.
2
What was there a rise of in the social class of the ‘commoners’ at the time of Henry’s reign ?
The ‘middling sort’
What was the ‘middling sort’ within the social class of the commoners ?
This was the top level of the commoners and could often be known as the bourgeoisie.
Who were the ‘middling sort’ of commoners in rural areas ?
These were the Yeomen
What were the yeomen ?
These were landowners who farmed substantial properties and had benefited from the impact of the Black Death. (1348-49)
What group was the next level down below the yeomen in rural areas within the social class of commoners ?
Husbandmen
Who were Husbandmen
These were commoners who typically kept smaller farms than the yoemen, and added to their income by working for the yeomen or the gentry.
What group was the next level down below husbandmen in rural areas within the social class of commoners ?
Labourers
Who were labourers ?
These were commoners who only had their labour to sell in return for an income, and whose position was very insecure.
In towns and cities, which group within the social class of commoners were the most influential ?
The educated professionals and lawyers.
Who did the educated professionals and lawyers collaborate with in order to yield significant influence.
Wealthy merchants
What group within the social class of commoners were the next level down from educated professionals and lawyers in towns and cities ?
The shopkeepers and skilled tradesmen
What local government institutions did shopkeepers and skilled tradesmen dominate ?
town councils and the guilds
Give an example of how there was limited change in terms of the Esquires that made up the greater gentry by the end of the 15th century.
The status of the ‘esquire’ could still be closely defined - the eldest son of Knights, the younger son of barons, invested esquire, magistrates and others of wealth.
In the year 1500, how many nobles and noble families were there in England ?
55
Give 3 reasons as to why Henry hesitated making new Lords
1) A limited noble class would be easier to control
2) Henry felt that patronage had to be earned and not be an automatic privilege of the upper class
3) Deeply distrustful of the nobility as a class
How many new earls did Henry create and compare this to Edward IV.
Henry - 3 new earls
Edward IV - 9 new earls
Who were the 3 new earls that Henry created in his reign ?
1) Thomas Lord Stanley - Earl of Derby
2) Philibert de Chandee - Earl of Bath
3) Sir Edward Courtenay - Earl of Devon
Who was Thomas Lord Stanley in relation to Henry ?
His stepfather
Why was Philibert De Chandee made Earl of Bath ?
In recognition of his military expertise as captain of the mercenaries at the Battle of Bosworth.
What earl was Thomas Lord Stanley made ?
Earl of Derby
What earl was Philibert de Chandee made ?
Earl of Bath
What earl was Sir Edward Courtenay made ?
Earl of Devon
Henry created __ marquis in his reign
1
Henry created __ viscount in his reign
1
Henry created __ barons in his reign
8
How did the peerage change from 1485 - 1509 ?
1485 - 62
1509 - 42
By what mechanism did Henry control the nobility in terms of land.
The lands that came to the Crown from extinct peerage families would not be given away again under Henry. Particularly those from extinct Yorkist families of Warwick, Clarence and Gloucester.
Which 2 trusted Lancastrian Military commanders were the only members of the nobility to have much political influence over Henry ?
1) Lord Daubeney
2) Earl of Oxford
What was the order of the Garter ?
An old established honour that involved no financial obligation from the Crown .
Why did Henry increase the use of the order of the Order of the Garter in his reign instead of granting peerages to his loyal subjects ?
This is because it involved no financial obligation from the crown.
How many of Henry’s closest followers received the Order of the Garter in his reign ?
37
Give 1 of Henry’s followers/ royal subjects who were granted the Order of the Garter in his reign.
2) Sir Rhys Ap Thomas
Why was Sir Rhys Ap Thomas honoured with the Order of the Garter ?
Because of their loyal service to the King at Bosworth.
What was retaining ?
This was where Magnates would retain Knights by giving them roles as administrators, accountants or for military purposes.
Why did Henry want to limit the military power of magnates through retaining with new legislation ?
This is because he saw it as a fundamental cause of much of the rivalry through the War of the roses.
Why did Henry have to get the balance right when passing legislation against retaining in order to reduce the power and influence of nobles ?
This is because he still relied on nobility families for law and order in places that he himself could not govern/ control. E.g Earl of Northumberland in North East.
What legislation did Henry pass against retaining towards peers and MPs ?
1486 - peers and MPs were required to take an oath against the act of retaining.
When were acts passed against illegally retaining towards the nobility (magnates) ?
1487 & 1504
Give examples of 4 nobles who was charged with illegally retaining.
1506 - Lord Bergavenny
1504 - Duke of Buckingham
1504 - Earl of Oxford
1504 - His own mother, Lady Margaret
How was Lord Bergavenny dealt with for being found guilty of illegally retaining by Henry ?
a standard fee of £5 a month per retainer, This amounted to a total fee of £70,550
How was Henry’s control of illegal retaining different from previous monarchs ?
He controlled it far more vigorously than his predecessors and prevented it from being a significant problem
Other than legislation against retaining and being indicted of the practice, what was the other way in which Henry controlled the nobility with financial punishments.
Bonds and recognizances
What did the stipulated (agreed) sums that Bonds and Recognizances range from ?
£400 - £10,000
How much was the Earl of Oxford fined for illegally retaining ?
£15,000
Give 2 people who Henry issues a bond and recognizance against.
1) Marquis of Dorset
2) Lord Dacre - 1506
How much was the bond that Lord dacre was forced to enter as proof of his loyalty.
£2000
What kind of bond was the Marquis forced into signing and how much was it ?
Marquis of Dorset and his friends were forced into signing a bond of £10,000 as a promise of good behaviour.
Why was the Marquis of Dorset and his friends forced into signing a bond of £10,000 as a promise of good behaviour ?
Because Henry largely suspected him of being onvolved in the Simnel plot
Why did Henry take the Marquis of Dorset’s son hostage In 1492 ?
When henry was planning his invasion of France just in case The Marquis planned to rebel again.
