councils Flashcards
What were the two roles of the King’s council under Henry VII ?
1) advise the King on matters of state and the law
2) to administer justice over the nobles
How many councillors in the King’s council were there in total during the reign of Henry VII ?
227
How many active members of the King’s council were there at any one time under Henry VII ?
40
How many members of the total of 227 did Henry rely on in the King’s council as his most trusted advisors ?
6-7
How did Henry change the structure of the King’s council in order to improve the function of central government ?
He used smaller committees formed within the King’s council
What were the three types of councillor in the King’s Council
1) nobility
2) churchmen
3) laymen (gentry or lawyers who were skilled adminstrators)
What were laymen ?
These were members of the gentry as well as legal professionals
Give two examples of members of the nobility in the King’s council.
1) Lord Daubeny
2) Lord Dynham
How does the number of nobility councillors in the King’s council compare to the number of churchmen and laymen in the King’s council under HVII ?
For example, there were around 10 of Henry’s 40 active members of the King’s council who were nobility and around 10 who were churchmen.
However, there were was around 25 laymen who formed part of the King’s council.
Why was there fewer nobility who formed part of the King’s council than there were laymen
This is because of Henry’s deep mistrust of the nobility
Give Henry’s 6 most trusted advisors and officers in the King’s council
1) John Morton
2) Richard Fox
3) John De Vere
4) Richard Empson
5) Edmund Dudley
6) Sir Reginald Bray
What kind of councillor was John Morton (King’s council) ?
He was one of the churchmen in the King’s council under Henry VII
What kind of councillor was Richard Fox (King’s council) ?
He was one of the churchmen in the King’s council under Henry VII
What kind of councillor was John De Vere (King’s council) ?
He was one of the laymen in the King’s council under Henry VII
What kind of councillor was Richard Empson (King’s council) ?
He was one of the laymen in the King’s council under Henry VII
What kind of councillor was Edmund Dudley (King’s council) ?
He was one of the laymen in the King’s council under Henry VII
What kind of councillor was Sir Reginald Bray (King’s council) ?
He was one of the laymen in the King’s council under Henry VII.
What kind of councillor was Lord Dynham (King’s council) ?
He was one of the members of the nobility in the King’s council under Henry VII.
What kind of councillor was Lord Daubeney (King’s council) ?
He was one of the members of the nobility in the King’s council under Henry VII.
What two roles did John Morton hold in central government as a member of the King’s council ?
1) Archbishop of Canterbury
2) Lord Chancellor of England
How did John Morton ensure that the church remained loyal to the King throughout his reign ?
Archbishop of Canterbury - This was the highest ranking church official gave him significant influence over
The use of ‘Morton’s fork’ ensured that the church was financially tied to the Crown.
How did ‘Morton’s fork’ mean that the church was financially tied to the crown ?
As Lord Chancellor of England, John Morton introduced high taxes paid by the clergy to the crown. This made it more difficult for the church to challenge the crown without risking their own wealth and privileges.
How long did Morton serve for in the King’s council as Lord Chancellor of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury ?
for 14 years up until his death in 1500
Which two roles did Richard Fox hold in central government as a member of the King’s council ?
1) Lord Privy Seal
2) Bishop of Exeter
What did it mean to be Lord Privy seal ?
to be in charge of the King’s signature
After John Morton died, who became Henry’s first in confidence (most trusted advisor)
Richard Fox
What 3 roles/ titles did John De Vere hold in central government as a member of the King’s council ?
1) Earl of Oxford
2) Lord Admiral
3) Great Chamberlain
What did it mean to be Lord Admiral of England ?
To be responsible for maintaining order in the King’s army and overseeing matters of military discipline.
Why was John De Vere made Lord Admiral of England ?
This was because he was a talented military leader who also commanded HVII’s army at Bosworth.
How long did Richard Fox serve for in the King’s council ?
22 years, until Henry’s death in 1509
How did the group of 6 men who were Henry’s closest advisors in the King’s council ensure stability in Henry’s reign ?
This is because they stayed in position for so long
As members of the King’s council, what role did Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley collectively hold in the Council learned in Law that made them so unpopular among the nobility ?
They both worked together on the council Learned in Law to collect the King’s taxes. Many accused them of exploiting the powers they had.
Give a fact to show how unpopular Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley were among the nobility.
Henry VIII executed Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley when he came to power in 1510.
He did this in a bid to reconcile with the nobility due to the pairs financial burdens they imposed on the aristocracy.
What role did Edmund Dudley hold in the King’s Council ?
He was President of the King’s council
What two roles did Sir Reginald Bray hold in central government as a member of the King’s council ?
1) Lead the Council Learned in Law
2) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
What did the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster do ?
responsible for managing the duchy of Lancaster, a royal estate that provides income to the monarch.
Who was the Council Learned in Law made up of ?
people with some level of legal training or experience
What was the role of the Council Learned in Law ?
To exploit Henry VII’s prerogative rights
What kind of Responsibilities did the Council Learned in Law have ?
Keeping up to date records on …
1) Wardship
2) marriage and inheritance taxes
Also had control over …
3) bonds and recognizances
What were prerogative rights ?
rights or powers that the King could use without the need for consent of Parliament
Who was the Council Learned in Law overseen by ?
Sir reginald Bray until his death in 1503
Who became the more dominant figures in the Council Learned after the death of Sir Reginald Bray in 1503 ? (2)
1) Richard Empson
2) Edmund Dudley
In the words of Edmund Dudley, why did Henry use bonds and recognizances
‘To have many persons in danger at his pleasure’
Ultimately as a way to enforce order and obedience, particularly among the nobility.
For many at the time of Henry’s reign, why was the Council learned a symbol of repression ? (2)
1) as it operated without a jury
2) because of its control over bonds and recognizances
What evidence is there to show how hated Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley were due to their role in heading up the Council Learned ?
That, within months of Henry VIII’s coronation, they were both executed with their death bringing rejoice on the streets.
What was the role of the royal court ?
They controlled access to the King
How did Henry use the royal court ? (2)
1) HVII used it to showcase royal ceremony with his courts often being seen as magnificent and generous, modelling them very much on his experiences from his time in exile.
2) HVII also showcased his royal authority as the royal court reflected the concept of personal monarchy
How would Henry control his courtiers in the royal court ?
He would use patronage to promote and control his courtiers.
What was the role of the Throne chamber as part of the royal court and household ?
Used to hold public audiences and centre of court conversation and patronage.
Who was he throne chamber overseen by ?
by the Lord Chamberlain
Who was the Lord Chamberlain up until 1495 ?
Sir William Stanley - Therefore oversaw the throne chamber
Can you give an example of when Henry used patronage within the Court and household.
Being appointed Yeomen of the guard (stationed on the guard chamber) brought significant status and access to the King, offering individuals the chance to gain further favour or offices.
Why did Henry create the Privy chamber in 1495 ?
Because Henry discovered that, Lord Chamberlain, Sir William Stanley was involved in the plot of Perkin Warbeck.
What was the role of the Privy chamber ?
Where the King could remove himself from the Throne chamber and converse with the groom of the stool who were his most loyal and trusted servants
What was the groom of the stool
The groom of the stool was a trusted royal servant responsible for assisting the King with personal hygiene and managing his privy chamber.
What was the aim of Henry’s when setting up the Privy chamber ?
To make it even more difficult for those out of favour with the King to be able to access him in the hope of winning back his support and backing.
What is the historical debate around how Henry governed ?
New Men V New monarchy
Why is one historical argument around how Henry governed called ‘New Men’ ?
Because many of Henry’s chief advisors and servants were not noble and did not come from families with a tradition of royal service
Why is one historical argument around how Henry governed called ‘New Monarchy’ ?
This is the argument that Henry created a new kind of monarchical authority in restoring and power after the end of the war of the Roses.
When was the council learned set up ?
1495
Why was the Council Learned in Law set up by Henry ?
Because the Exchequer was not successful at collecting the King’s debts, nor as the chamber.
