English society and economic development Flashcards
What was the population of England in 1485?
2.2 million
What proportion of the population were urban dwellers?
10%
How many people lived in London in 1485?
50,000
How many English towns had a population of 3,000 or more?
20
What was the theory of the natural order of society?
The great chain of being
Who compromised the nobility?
Dukes, Viscounts, Earls
No more than 50-60
How much of the country’s land did peers and knights together own?
15-20%
Who are examples of important Churchmen?
Richard Fox and John Morton
How many commoners lived below the poverty line?
50%
Problems with farming
Farming in the time of Henry VII still involved an open field system and common land leading to low yields
Enclosure is causing vagrancy
What was England’s major export?
Woollen cloth
How much wool was England exporting?
1300 - 30,000 sacks of wool and 3,000 woollen cloths
1500 - 100,000 woollen cloths and 3,000 sacks of wool
Other industries in Henry VII’s England
Mining
Small scale industry like weaving and brewery
Fishing
Other trades like wine
How much of England’s exports were woollen cloth?
90%
Other exports
Coal, iron ore, lead, tin and silver
What were the Navigation Acts?
In 1485 and 1489 - stated all English exports would be carried on English ships
Importance of London in trade
Merchant Adventurers organised trade conveys for imports and exports from England to the continent
What treaties encouraged trade?
Magnus Intercursus (1496), Treaty of Etaples (1492), Treaty of Medina del Campo (1489)
What expedition did Henry sponsor?
1497 expedition by John Cabot and Sebastian Cabot to Newfoundland
How did the Treaty of Medina del Campo enhance trade?
Gave English merchants favourable trade with Spain (but Spain maintained monopoly over New World)
How did the Treaty of Etaples enhance trade?
Lowered duties charged on English goods imported to France
How did Henry support metallurgy?
In 1496, sponsored the building of a blast furnace in Kent
Figure to show coal was important?
By 1509, made up 20% of Newcastle’s export trade
What was the biggest problem with the wool industry?
Encouraged enclosure
Was the economy/trade a priority for Henry?
Henry wanted money, but was willing to sacrifice trade for dynastic purposes (e.g. trade embargo with Neths)
Were the Navigation Acts successful?
Partially - by end of reign, 1/2 English exports carried on English ships
How much did cloth exports increase in Henry’s reign?
60% increase in volume of cloth exports
What were the Merchant adventurers?
Wealthy and influential trading company founded in 1407 - dominated London’s cloth trade (positive relationship with the crown)
Developments in agriculture
Increase in enclosure and decline of open field farming
Wool industry grew massively
How successful were developments in agriculture?
Increase in foreign demand for cloth
1488 and 89 legislation to tackle enclosure never enforced
Developments in industry?
Increased exports due to emergence of capitalist merchant clothiers
How successful were developments in industry?
Export of cloth by Hansa merchants increased five-fold from the beginning to end of 15th century
Developments in trade with foreign powers?
1493 - Trade embargo on Burgundy
1496 - Intercursus Magnus
1506 - Intercursus Malus
Series of commercial treaties
Were developments in trade with foreign powers successful?
Embargo was economically damaging but politically necessary
Intercursus Magnus was a success (gave England right to trade freely throughout Burgundy, except Flanders)
Intercursus Malus - failed (terms so favourable to England that Burgundy never implemented it)
Developments in the cloth trade
1485-1509 - 60% increase in cloth exports
Developments to improve the prospects of English merchants?
1498 - ended Hanseatic League’s privilege to control bullion exportation from England (this privilege was returned to appease Philip the Fair to get Ed de la Pole back)
1485 and 1489 Navigation Acts (limited success - in 1509, over half of trade was still carried by foreign ships)
First dry dock constructed in Portsmouth
Developments in exploration
Henry sponsored Cabot’s 1497 voyage to Newfoundland - Cabot planted Henry’s flag there
Due to Henry’s patronage, England had more knowledge of North America than most countries (could have gone further - e.g. no exploration in Asia)
Impact of Henry VII’s reign on serfdom?
In 1485, peasants were legally bound to their lords with no freedom
By 1509, peasants were free to move around the country as they liked
