Henry VII - Government Flashcards
How many men are recorded as having attended his council and how many were part of his actual working council?
- 227 men
- 6 or 7 men
What were 3 main functions of the council under Henry VII?
- to advise the King
- to administer the realm on the King’s behalf
- to make legal judgments
What were the 3 main types of councillors? (Social standing)
- members of the nobility, e.g. Lord Daubeney, although rarely part of the working council
- churchmen with legal training e.g. John Morton who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1486
- laymen (gentry or lawyers) e.g. Sir Reginald Bray
What was the Great Council?
A gathering of the House of Lords without the House of Commons. It had no defined functions, but usually concerned with war or rebellion
What was the function of the Council Learned
- to maintain the King’s revenue and exploit his prerogative rights
- enforce the system of bonds and recognizances
Was the Council Learned a recognised court of law?
No, those summoned before it had no chance to appeal and it bypassed the normal legal system causing fear, frustration and anger
Who was part of the Council Learned?
- Sir Reginald Bray (leader, often the council met in the office of the Duchy of Lancaster which was his office)
- Richard Empson
- Edmund Dudley, after the death of Bray in 1503
What was the royal court?
- the centre of government, the focus of personal monarchy and a place for royal ceremony
- the royal court was magnificent and generous as wealth was power
- rewards and status were distributed through the court
- a place to win the support of the king or other influential people
What is meant by personal monarchy?
- the influence and power an individual has depends on their relationship with the monarch
- power lies in the monarch themself
What was the household proper level of the court?
It was responsible for looking after the king, courtiers, guests and others who were being entertained supervised by the Lord Steward
What was the Chamber level of the court?
This was the politically important part and was supervised by the Lord Chamberlain - a very powerful position
What was Henry’s response to Sir William Stanley supporting Perkin Warbeck?
- executed him in 1495
- created the Pirvy Chamber which only included his close personal servants
What were the 2 main functions of Parliament?
- to pass laws
- to grant taxation to the crown
- subsidiary function: local issues could be passed on to king’s officials by MPs
How many times did Parliament meet during Henry VII’s reign?
7 times
What were fifteenths and tenths?
A form of extraordinary revenue which were imposed upon the alleged value of a taxpayer’s goods
