english society Flashcards
How many more peerage were there by the end of Henry’s reign?
Only 9 more, despite the peerage having increased in size during his reign.
How had most new peers achieved their rank?
As a result of successful royal service as courtiers or soldiers, some situations being enhanced by a close family relationship.
How many dukes were there when Henry VIII came to the throne?
Just 1, Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.
Which two non-royals had been promoted to ducal titles?
Norfolk and Stafford.
What were the differences between Suffolk and Norfolk’s promotions?
Norfolk had been restored to the title which had been enjoyed by his father.
Suffolk seems to have been promoted on account of a close relationship with the king.
Why did Henry sometimes bestow property to nobles?
In order for them to exert royal authority in particular areas.
Where was Suffolk’s property that he’d been endowed and why had he been given it?
In Lincolnshire after there was a rebellion there in 1536.
Why was Henry willing to bestow large amounts of property upon nobles?
- Create a different atmosphere among the aristocracy from that in his father’s reign
- Reward loyalty
- Ensure control in provincial areas
- Shows his generosity as a king
- Ensure he had nobles willing to follow him to war
- Ensure he had homes if he travelled around the country
What were nobles expected to do, but not too openly?
Have great households and offer hospitality to their affinity and neighbours.
How many gentry families are there estimated to have been in 1540?
About 5000.
What were seen as a sign of royal favour towards the gentry?
Knighthoods, it was assumed that a knight would possess an income which reflected his status.
How many knightly families were there in 1524?
Around 200.
Who certified knighthoods?
Royal heralds.
What conditions for knighthood did heralds put in place by 1530?
They were unwilling to grant or confirm the title to anyone with lands worth less than £10 per annum or goods worth under £300.
What were many members of the gentry drawn into?
Participating in local administration and into unpaid administration on behalf of the Crown.
Who had the Crown’s local administrators formerly been and who were increasingly taking over this?
Formerly, clergymen were local administrators but laymen were becoming more common as their office holding often generated the income for gentry status and landownership.
What happened to inflation during the first half of Henry’s reign and what did it mean?
The rate of inflation rose and it led to a drop in real income, contributing to the negativity common people held towards the Amicable Grant.
Why were measures taken to bind the country as one nation?
Because there were regional divides, where local loyalties were stronger than national ones.
What did the Laws in Wales Act of 1536 do?
- Divided Wales into shire countries which operated on the same basis as their English counterparts
- Gave the Welsh shires direct representation in the House of Commons at Westminster for the first time
- Brought Wales into the same legal framework as England
What did the Laws in Wales Act affectively mean?
That Wales became incorporated into England with little of a separate identity except for the survival of the Welsh language in some parts of the country.
Who became more responsible for the control of Wales?
The members or the aristocracy, such as the earls of Pembroke, as well as members of an anglicised Welsh gentry.
Which three English counties were palatinates and what does this mean?
Lancashire, Cheshire and Durham.
It meant they were separate jurisdictions from the rest of the kingdom.
Why was the Anglo-Scottish border more difficult for Henry to police?
Much of it was remote and often inhospitable in the winter months.
What did both sides of the Anglo-Scottish border have a reputation for?
Lawlessness - cattle and sheep rustling were rife and violence was common.
