Henry VII and Society Flashcards
Controlling the nobility
The nobility was very powerful and Henry VII was careful to limit their power. He did this through limiting land, stopping retainers (which noblemen used to gain bribes), giving bonds and recognisances to guarantee good behaviour. As well as this, Henry VII did not offer patronage to many noblemen. For example, he made only three earls.
Noblemen
There were around 50 noblemen in England. The nobility were very wealthy because they owned large areas of land.
Owning land gave noblemen political power. The King depended on the nobility to maintain law and order in society.
Commoners vs nobility
The commoners were anyone in society apart from the nobility and royalty. This was the majority of society. The commoner population was split into a hierarchy.
The hierarchy of commoners
Gentry - wealthy landowners who did not have aristocratic heritage.
Merchants - men who lived in cities and traded in goods.
Yeomen - independent farmers who had their own land.
Husbandmen - independent subsistence farmers who had their own land. This means they usually only produced enough for their family.
Cottagers and labourers - farmers who worked on other people’s land in return for wages.
Landlords and tenants
There was a reciprocal relationship between wealthier landlords and their tenants (people who rented their land). Commoners lived off the land of noblemen and were expected to be obedient to their landlord (deference). In return, the nobleman would protect their tenants (paternalism).
The wealth of the Church
The Church was very wealthy and owned around one third of land. The Church also received gifts and money from the laity (ordinary people).
Churchmen
In England there were about 35,000 clergy, and 10,000 monks and nuns. The Clergy had a hierarchical structure. At the top were cardinals, then archbishops, then bishops, then priests. As well as these clergymen, there were monastic orders, who were monks and nuns.
The power of the Church
The Church’s loyalty was very important to Henry VII politically. The higher clergy were well educated and often held positions of government. For example, John Morton was Archbishop of Canterbury and Henry VII’s Lord Chancellor. The Church supported Henry VII as King of England. As such, the duty of obedience to the king’s will was taught at local level through parish churches.
The Church and society
Not many commoners could understand the Bible because it was written in Latin. For this reason, art and imagery were very important for communicating the Church’s message. The Church’s theological role was very important but it also served an important social function. The Church was a key figure in daily life and communal worship was very important to village identities.
