Government Flashcards
What were the 3 main functions of Henry VII’s council? - government
- To advise the king
- To administer the realm on the king’s behalf
- To make legal judgements
What 3 groups of people were councillors for Henry VII? Give examples for each - government
- Nobility (lord Daubney and Lord Dynham)
- Churchmen (John Morton and Richard Fox)
- Laymen - Gentry/lawyers (Sir Reginald Bray and Edmund Dudley)
Who was John Morton - government
An able church,en and lawyer who had previously supported both Lancastrians and Yorkists. However, worked against Richard III and was later promoted to be archbishop of Canterbury under Henry VII
What was a magnate - government
A high ranking member of the nobility
Who was Sir Reginald Bray - government
One of Henry VII ‘s most faithful servants, helping him to raise funds prior to Bosworth. Later made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and also the head of the Council Learned
What was the great Council? What issues was it concerned with? - government
The Great Council was a gathering of the house of Lords without the commons, dealing with relating to war or rebellion.
How many times did the great council meet during Henry’s reign? What was Henry’s intended purpose for the great council in terms of nobility? - government
The great council met only five times during Henry’s reign
The great council was intended to bind the nobility to key decisions on the issue of national security
What was the Council Learned and what was its Function? - government
An offshoot of the King’s council operated top legal individual. Intended to exploit Henry’s prerogative rights, mainly through the enforcement of bonds and recognisances on Nobels in order to maintain their loyalty
Why was the council learned seen as a secretive body? - government
Seen as secretive due to its separation from all recognised courts of law, meaning that no one prosecuted in there had any chance of appeal
Who was Richard Empson? - government
Empson was an ambitious lawyer and bureaucrat who aided Bray in his running of the council Learned. Ruthless.
When did Reginald Bray die? Who wad he replaced by? - government
Reginald Bray died in 1503, replaced as head of the council Learned by Edmund Dudley
What was seen as the centre of Hnery’s government? What characteristics did this area have? - government
The centre of Henry;’s government was his court, which was magnificent and opulent in order to show of his wealth and power
What were prerogative rights? - government
Describes the powers at the disposal of the monarch without the permission of parliament, granted through the role of being monarch
What was the political aspect of the court known as? What was its purpose ? Who was part of it? - government
The political area of the court known as the chamber, which was the private areas of the Kings court. Key for administration. Contained Kings Key advisors and servants, presided over by the Lord Chamberlain
Who was Herny Vii’s lord chamberlain? What saw his removal from his role and when? - government
Henry’s VII’s Lord Chamberlain was Sir William Stanley, his step uncle. Replaced after his implication within the Perkin Warbeck imposture. This happened in 1495
Following the Perkin Warbeck imposture, what alteration did Henry make to his chamber? - government
Henry created a new privvy chamber, where the king could retreat to be surrounded by his closest servents. Made it more difficult for courtiers to regain the kings trust
What were the two main functions of henry vii’s parliament? How many parliaments did Henry call throughout his reign? How were they spaced in his reign? - government
- pass laws
- grant taxation to the crown Henry called 7 parliaments during his reign, with 5 in the first 10 years and 2 in the last 14
What was the purpose of henry’s early parliaments? What examples are there of these purposes? Government
Henry’s first parliaments were concerned with taxation and the consolidation of his power. Henry passed multiple acts of attainder to mitigate the power of the nobility, and also was granted tonnage and poundage for life
What were the examples of parliaments financial interventions - government
First parliament granted tonnage and poundage for life, other parliaments granted extra ordinary revenue to deal with conflict eg the Scottish rebellion
What was extraordinary revenue? What was its most common form of payment? Government
Extraordinary revenue in taxation granted by parliament in times of emergency, usually in terms of conflict. Usually paid in foms of fifteenths and tenths, taxed on goods of 1/10 in urban areas and 1/15 in rural
Who did Henry rely on to maintain law and order domestically? Why did he have to strike a balance when maintaining law and order? - government
Henry relied on high ranking members of the nobility quashing any rebellions on his behalf. He had to ensure nobles didn’t become overly powerful and risk any challenges to his own power
What was magnate control? Given there was no magnate control in the North, who did he place there? Why was it risky? - government
Magnate control was where wealthy and powerful nobles oversaw law and order of regions at the discretion of the king. Henry placed the Earl of Surrey in the north after the murder of Northumberland. Surrey had been imprisoned as a supporter of Richard III, and was in an area of Yorkist support. However, he was loyal to henry, providing 10 years of service in the north
What were the Justices of Peace? What group of society did most JP’s come from - government
Unpaid individuals at local level who maintained law and order in rural areas. Met 4 times a year. Mainly upper classes who did unpaid work in the hope of reaching a higher ranking office in the future
What were jp’s responsible for? - government
Jp’s oversaw the administration of tax assessments, alehouses, complaints against local officials and maintenance of law and order.
What were bonds and recognisances/ how did Henry use them to maintain loyalty of nobility? - government
Bonds and recognisances were strict financial penalties imposed on the nobility, which would be triggered if they went against a formal agreement which guaranteed loyalty to the king. Could cause financial ruin to a noble
What legal area did church courts have jurisdiction over? - government
Church courts oversaw the production of the clergy, church admin, ‘moral’ hearings, confession and marriage issues.
What were the 2 types of local courts? What legal areas did they have jurisdiction over? - government
Manor courts - oversaw issues between landholders and tennants, use of common land
Borough courts - medieval trading standers, specific judicial rights granted by royal charter
What legal areas did king’s county courts have jurisdiction over? - government
Held assizes twice a year to deal with major criminal and civil cases, held quarter sessions for jp’s to oversee slightly less important criminal and civil cases.
What legal areas did kings common law courts have jurisdiction over? - government
Dealt with common places and civil cases, issues concerning royal revenues.
What legal areas did chancery and other equity courts have jurisdiction over? - government
Chancery and equity courts exercised jurisdiction on basis of equity with a strict use of common law
How did Henry use crown lands to improve royal finances through administrative changes? Government
Henry altered the system of collection of rents from crown lands to be done through the chamber rather than the relativley inefficient collection methods of the court of the Exchequer
How did Henry make money from the crown lands? - government
Henry rented out crown lands that he owned, either genuinely or through seizing of lands by acts of attainder/ heirs in minority, to nobles.
