Cromwell

Question 1

What is the background of Thomas Cromwell?

Answer 1

• Was born around 1485 in Putney - Humble origins

Question 2

Who was Cromwell the advisor of in his early days and for how long?

Answer 2

• Wolsey - Between 1526 and 1529

Question 3

What did early historians think of Thomas Cromwell?

Answer 3

• early historians argue that Cromwell was ruthlessly dedicated to the King, and worked entirely to his command

Question 4

How does Elton present Cromwell?

Answer 4

• Elton argues that Cromwell was a central figure in the revolution of government and the genius that created the English Reformation

Question 5

How have historians presented Cromwell since Elton’s arguments?

Answer 5

• Tend to agree with him, but not to such a high extent

Question 6

How can Wolsey and Cromwell’s roles be compared?

Answer 6

• Wolsey had a much easier time passing laws, as Henry was youthful and inexperience

Question 7

How did Thomas Cromwell change the privy council?

Answer 7

• changed the privy council from 70-90 members to 20 members
• these members were trained lawyers or bureaucrats

Question 8

What did Cromwell do to manage the finances created by the Break with Rome?

Answer 8

• Created 4 key courts
• Court of Augmentations
• The Court of General Surveyors
• The Court of First Fruit and Tenths
• The Court of Wards

Question 9

What was the Court of Augmentations?

Answer 9

• Made in 1536
• Controlled land and finances previously under the control of the Catholic Church

Question 10

What was the Court of General Surveyors?

Answer 10

• This handled ex-monastic lands, before it was amalgamted into the Court of Augmentations

Question 11

What was the Court of First Fruit and Tenths?

Answer 11

• This collected the money that was previously sent to Rome as annates

Question 12

What was the Court of Wards?

Answer 12

• Collected money from the estate of a minor when they had inherited the land

Question 13

What was the traditional role of Parliament?

Answer 13

• Often dealt with finances
• Was used frequently in the Wars of the Roses, when finances were insecure, but was not used often under Edward IV or Henry VII

Question 14

What were Cromwell’s aims in changing Parliament?

Answer 14

• meet more regularly
• have more power
• needed to be more reliable in giving Henry what he wanted

Question 15

What were Cromwell’s physical changes to Parliament?

Answer 15

• MPs had to physically move to one side or the other when voting on an issue
• This meant that Cromwell could easily see who opposed him, and intimidate them
• Moreover, Cromwell wrote letters to those who opposed him, telling them that they need not attend the next meeting, meaning that Parliament was comprised wholly of those who supported his reforms

Question 16

How did Cromwell use Propaganda?

Answer 16

• He would created leaflets and books on his future laws in order to sway the opinion of those voting on them

Question 17

How did Cromwell use Parliament?

Answer 17

• Cromwell combined the power of Parliament in passing Laws, with the authority of the King to create laws that were of the highest authority

Question 18

Why did Cromwell use Parliament more frequently?

Answer 18

• He used Parliament more frequently as his changes were risky and revolutionary, they needed to be passed into a strong law that was of the highest authority

Question 19

Cromwell’s use of The Personal Monarchy

Answer 19

Until the 1530s the government of the country was based upon the Royal Household / Court.

This is known as ‘Personal Monarchy.’

It was during the 1530s that Cromwell reduced the role of the Royal Household in government and substituted instead a bureaucratic administration. i.e. a system of government by officials, responsible only to their departmental chiefs who in turn were responsible to a chief executive - Cromwell - presiding over the Privy Council.

This extended the size and importance of the Council and eroded the powers and privileges of the nobility.

Question 20

THE COUNCIL: change

Answer 20

Prior to 1536 the Council had consisted of around 70 advisors (nobles, clergy, and beaurocrats).

Around 1536 a more professional ‘Privy Council’ of about 20 members (mostly trained lawyers and bureaucrats) emerged.

The Privy Council was involved in the daily workings of central government and operated with increased efficiency.

Trained officials were responsible to their department chief who in turn were responsible to Lord Chancellor E.g Court of Augmentations and court of first Fruit and Tenths

Question 21

THE COUNCIL: continuity

Answer 21

Even under Henry VII, who ruled with a conciliar form of government, there had been a smaller ‘sub group’ of councillors who carried out the majority of day to day decision making. e.g; Fox, Morton, Bray.

Question 22

THE COUNCIL: role of cromwell

Answer 22

Questionable whether Cromwell was the instigator of the emergence of the Privy Council. Likely that it was a response to opposition and the Pilgrimage of Grace

Question 23

THE COURT/ ROYAL HOUSEHOLD: change

Answer 23

The business of government became less centred on the Royal Household (undertaken in the king’s private rooms by his personal staff) and more independent and bureaucratic.

Question 24

THE COURT/ ROYAL HOUSEHOLD: continuity

Answer 24

-Historians have pointed out that medieval government was more bureaucratic and less concentrated on the household than previously thought.
-Henry VII had delegated powers to the Council Learned. During Henry VIII’s reign and beyond, the Privy Chamber remained at the heart of government at this time.
-Wolsey had already tried to reduce the importance of the Court (eg: Eltham Ordinances) though had largely failed.
-Administration continued to be a mixture of household and bureaucratic styles.

Question 25

THE COURT/ ROYAL HOUSEHOLD: Cromwell’s role

Answer 25

Cromwell personally reduced the role of the Royal Household in government and ultimately all bureaucrats were responsible to him.

Question 26

PARLIAMENT: change

Answer 26

-Parliament had rarely met before the 1530s and was used to pass the king’s policies and raise taxes.
-Cromwell used the so called ‘Reformation Parliament’ to get through his policies and legislation.
-Statutes of the Realm: Between 1215-1509 = 1092 printed pages.
-Between 1509-1547 = 1032 printed pages.
-This period was crucial in the development of Parliament: after the 1530s power shifted from king alone to the acceptance that laws were made by the “king-in-parliament”.
-This change was to remain in place under future monarchs.

Question 27

PARLAIMENT: Cromwell’s role

Answer 27

-Cromwell sat in Parliament and devoted time to its management.
-Printed propaganda was produced to influence MPs’ votes, Cromwell influenced membership through filling vacancies and influenced attendance by telling opponents that they “need not attend”.

Question 28

LOCAL GOVT: change

Answer 28

-Control over the country became more centralised:

-Wales - Act of Union (1536) incorporated Wales into the English legal and administrative system. MPs sent to London, English became the language of documentation.
- The North - Council of the North reformed following the Pilgrimage of Grace meaning more direct and efficient control from the King.
- Ireland - came under direct rule under an English Lord Deputy; Henry became “King” rather than “Lord”

Question 29

LOCAL GOVT: continuity

Answer 29

Continued reliance on local landowners to enforce Henry’s laws.

Question 30

FINANCE: change

Answer 30

• Dissolution of monasteries doubled crown income from £150,000 to £300,000. New specialist financial administration departments to worked alongside the Privy Chamber:
  · Court of Augmentations dealt with former monastic lands. Had a central staff and receivers in the regions.
  · The Court for the First Fruits and Tenths collected money from clergy that had originally been sent to Rome.

Question 31

FINANCE: continuity

Answer 31

Continued the system first used by Edward IV then by Henry VII of managing finance through the Privy Chamber rather than the Exchequer.

Question 32

FINANCE: Cromwell’s role

Answer 32

Cromwell created the specialist new departments

Question 33

SOVEREIGNITY AND ‘EMPIRE’: change

Answer 33

-Several documents drafted by Henry’s government which stressed the independence of England as a single state with all powers held by the monarch and the denial of any interference from anyone outside of this “empire.”
-This was aided by the removal of Papal Authority form England.

Question 34

SOVEREIGNITY AND EMPIRE: Cromwell’s role

Answer 34

Documents on sovereignty drafted by Cromwell. Cromwell’s idea to make Henry Supreme Head of the Church.