Henry VII government Flashcards
what was the role of the council under H7?
the King ruled with a ‘council’ of advisers who supported him in making key decisions. Its functions were:
- to advise the King
- to administer the realm on the king’s behalf
- to make legal judgements
what were the 3 main types of councillor?
- Nobles such as Lord Daubeney, though the working council only rarely included the great magnates
- Churchmen such as John Morton and Richard Fox, who often had legal training and were excellent administrators
- Laymen, either gentry or lawyers, who were skilled administrators such as Sir Reginald Bray and Edmund Dudley
what was the role of the Council Learned?
developed during the second half of Henry’s reign, initially under Bray. Its function was to maintain the King’s revenue and to exploit his prerogative rights. It made the system of bonds and recognisances work effectively, helping to ensure loyalty, Henry’s authority and finance. There was no right to appeal against it.
what did the court comprise under H7?
- the household proper- responsible for looking after the King, courtiers and guests
- the chamber- presided over by Lord Chamberlain- a politically important part of the system
- in 1495 after the involvement of Sir William Stanley and Chamberlain in Warbeck affair Henry remodelled the chamber as the privy chamber. This made it difficult for anyone to gain or regain the King’s favour
what was the role of parliament under H7?
Parliament met infrequently and so was not central to govt. It comprised the House of Commons and house of Lords (Lords more important). Only the King could call parliament which he only called 7 times in his reign. 5 met in the first 10 years and 2 in remaining 14; showing the power centred on the crown when Henry felt more secure
what was calling parliament largely concerned with?
- national security eg. to pass acts of attainder
- raising revenue eg. for tonnage and poundage or to wage war
What was the regional govt like under H7?
nobles controlled the regions and Henry relied on lesser magnates but he trusted few and employed a spying network to ensure all the nobility remained loyal
what was local government like under H7?
At a local level Henry gradually increased the powers of JPs who with the sheriff, were appointed to each county:
- JPs were unpaid and mostly local gentry
- they met 4 times a year to deliver judgements on disputes
- they were responsible for routine administration eg. tax assessments, maintaining law and order
what were bonds and recognisances?
Introduced in 1485. a bond was a written contract of good behaviour or for the individual to perform a specific task. If they failed in this, they lost the money associated with their bond.
what were Acts of Attainder?
a family’s (mainly nobles) land could be taken from them and given to the crown for disobedience. It had a positive effect for the crown as it increased revenue through more crown lands and increased loyalty
what was tonnage and poundage?
taxes on all imported and exported goods
