gov administration essay plans SIMPLIFIED

Question 1

How far do you agree that the reform of the Privy Council in 1540 was the key turning point in the development of royal government in the vears 1485-1603 (2017)

Answer 1

REFORM OF COUNCIL
for:
-creation of privy council 1540 (idea derived from wolsey eltham ordinances) saw reduction from 200 under henry vii in royal council to 20

-by 1590 council met everyday, role of council became more importnant when the 1558 reforms made members of the household members of the council

against:
-increasing role of chamber under Somerset, edwards protector as acess controoled through chamber not council
-this had lack of longevity and duke of northumberland took somersets role and started to increase governance through council

DEVELOPMENT OF SECRETARY
-introduction of secretary due to henry viii’s laziness
-role became important under cromwell but declined after his fall
-2 secretaries for rest of tudor period
-increasing importance under william cecil but limited as it was 2 secretaries

DEVELOPMENT OF LORD LEUTENANT
-under henry vii local gov carried out by nobility (risky)
-under henry viii, nobles were required to muster troops
-northumberland introduced LL
-increased under Mary
-became permenant under Elizabeth

against;
-ll’s were often members of the council

Question 1

‘wolsley rather than Cromwell should take credit for establishing the privy council in the 1530s’ how far do you agree

Answer 1

PARA 1 WOLSEY
Should take credit:
-proposed the idea of reducing the membership of the royal council from 200 to 20 through his idea of the Eltham ordinances
-a council like his emerged in 1540, his idea was the foundation and set out the blu print
-by elizabeths reign it was vital in the daily running of government (meeting everyday in 1590s)

Shouldn’t take credit:
-fell from power 1529 so actualy didn’t establish it himself
-may have evolved naturally due to cromwells fall needing a body to act as chief minister so that somebody couldn’t abuse their position

PARA 2 CROMWELL
Should take credit:
-his fall and exploitation of his role
-made administrative reform in his role in 1536-1537 to modernise council
-established a smaller meeting of councilers during POG

Shouldn’t take credit:
-they were temporary responses to crisis of pilgrammage of grace
-smaller council that met was an emergency body
-only after cromwells death did council reform

Question 2

How accurate is it to say that William Cecil was mainly responsible for making the Principle Secretary ship the most important office in central government in the years after 1526?

Answer 2

CECIL- yes
-reinstated the power

• instrumental in managing the Privy Council, controlling royal correspondence, and overseeing key administrative functions, solidifying the Secretary’s role as indispensable to governance.

-Cecil maintained an extensive intelligence network, ensuring that Elizabeth I was well-informed about domestic and international threats

-Cecil’s influence in the Elizabethan Religious Settlement (1559) drafted key docs in acts of supremicy and uniformity

CROMWELL-yes
-established importance of secretary

-utilized the position to manage parliamentary legislation (act of supremacy, succession, dissolution of monastery act) , oversee the dissolution of the monasteries, and extend the administrative reach of the Crown.

-introduced statute law

CROMWELL- no
fall in power lead to decline in role of secretary

Following Cromwell, the role of Secretary was split between two individuals, reducing its centrality.

wriothoesely and ralph asdler became joint secretary after him

Question 3

“There was a steady decline in the role of the royal household in government in the years 1185-1608. How far do you agree with this statement? (2019)

Answer 3

INTRODUCTION OF INSTITUTIONALISED GOV ROLES (LL AND SECRETARY)
-individual power gained through secretary
-cromwell: creating statuate law and dissolutionment of the monasteries
-cecil: establishing elisabethan settlement and drafting bills
-nobles gianed power, but limited as many LL’s were just part of council

ROLE OF PRIVY CHAMBER
-under henry before introduction of council it was main means of gov
-brief resurgance i importance under edward and acess to him was controlled through chamber
-decline in importance as women were monarchs so had women staff who didnt hae as official roles
-1558 reforms, decline in househols political role

ROLE OF COUNCIL
-importance increased
-1540 privy council created
-had a brief decline under Edward
-by 1590 meeting everyday, main governing happened under it
-access to dry stamp etc