Government Flashcards
what did Henry VII decide by 1487?
- More secure as king
- Focus shifted to security and how to govern england
Who was Francis Bacon?
- Historian in 17th century
- Praised the work of Henry VII
- Believes he brought England’s finances and troublesome nobility to order
who did Henry rely on the most to administer the government of England?
- Treasury and Exchequer
What did Henry do in 1487 after finding the Treasury and Exchequer rooms inefficient?
- Took personal control of state finances
- Moved them into his private rooms - Privy Chamber
Who was Reginald Bray?
- close with Edward IV
- moved management of finances
Who was John Morton?
- changed sides in War of Roses
- Helped Henry living abroad
- Lord chancellor + archbishop of Canterbury
Who was Jasper tudor?
- Henry VIIs uncle
- most trusted
- ensured welsh region stayed in line
- part of privy council
Who was Edmund Dudley?
- low social rank
- worked in London Guilds
- Elected to house of commons
- quit to work with Henry
- President of Privy; first none church person
- extorted money from Nobles
Who was Richard Fox?
- Bishop of Winchester
- Kings secretary
- Church important to run state
- 50% of Henrys advisors were clergy
Who was Thomas Stanley?
- Power in north west
- Monarch relies on him to enforce his wishes
- Battle of Bosworth - Richard III took his son hostage to prove Stanleys loyalty
- sat aside + joined winning side
- Earl of Derby + married Henrys mother
What was the Star Chamber?
- Prosecuting rebels
- Members of Royal court judged
- Court of Appeal
What was Parliament?
- Met 7 times
- Would meet for a few weeks
- carried out kings will
-1504 granted king authority to raise £40,000 in tax not £90,000
What was the Privy Chamber?
- Can only enter with high status
- Groom of the stool
- Control of finances
What was the Privy/Royal council?
- Most trusted advisors
- Range of classes
- Helps administration of government emergencies, advisors
What was the Royal Court/ Household?
- Servants cooking for King
- People to keep him entertained
- Always travel with king
What was the local and regional government?
- Parts of country difficult to control
- Carried out Kings laws
- Previous kings annually appointed local landowner, several per county
- Met 4 times yearly
- Treason left to crown
- appropriate solutions for different regions
Name the order of society after the king
King —> Nobility
-> Gentry -> Citizens
-> Yeomen (farmers)
-> Labourers
-> Vagrants/beggars
Name the order in the church after the king
Church (own land)
-> archbishops (very powerful)
-> Bishops (some hold government office)
-> Clergymen
What was the nobility?
- dominated landownership
- no more than 50/60 men
- Henry VII hesitated to make new titles
- Controlled through bonds and recognisances
- retaining to bring influence on others in court cases - became illegal
what was ‘bastard feudalism’
- retaining
- would gain military service, the retainer might receive rewards from local office/ grants of land
- people saw system as abusive
- 1487 law against it established
Who was the gentry?
- great landowners
- e.g. Sir Reginald Bray
- sought knighthoods as confirmation of their social status
- 1490 there were 375 knights
- owned 15-20% of land
who were Churchmen?
- church was landowner
- lower parish level: curates/chantry priests rewarded for dealing with spiritual needs
- bishops/abbots sat in House or Lords
- Martin V Pope (1417-1431) declared king of england to govern church
What kind of men did Henry appoint to the church?
- John Morton
- Richard Fox
- King reluctant to appoint aristocratic men
- Appointed bishops with legal training
Who were commoners?
- top level: bourgeoisie
- small number of educated professionals eg lawyers, wealthy merchants
- lower: shopkeepers, tradesmen (town councils)
- countryside: yeomen farmers
