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
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
Lord Chancellor of England - 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