Henry VII - Government Flashcards
1
Q
The Household - The Royal Chamber
A
- The Lord Chamberlain’s department, which catered to the personal needs of the king
- The upper floor of the royal palace comprised a great hall and the chamber
- The Lord Chamberlain was not only the officer in charge of the household above stairs; he was also the most important figure in court. He was similarly in charge of all court entertainment and received and conducted visitors into the royal presence
2
Q
The Household - Privy Chamber
A
- Housed the king’s “privy lodging”, consisting of a bedroom, library, study and a toilet
- Had a regular staff of its own, including gentlemen, ushers and grooms
- The Chamber became a separate household department under the command one of the two chief gentlemen who also assumed the title of Groom of the Stool
3
Q
The Household - Division of the Royal Household
A
Divided into two departments: household above stairs (Royal Chamber) and household below stairs (Household Proper)
4
Q
The Household - Household Proper
A
- Concerned with the material and mundane necessities of the monarch
- The domain of the lord Steward, who was responsible for the domestic needs of the staff
- Included an army of domestics, including the Controller, the four Masters of the Household, the Master of the Jewels and the Kings Fool, as well as the children of the scullery and the apprentice cooks of the kitchen
5
Q
Advisory Councils - Royal Council
A
- Circle of nobility that advised the king
- Henry relied on trained professionals, especially lawyers, as well as nobles
- From 1485 to 1509 there was a total of 227 royal councillors under his reign (but only 7- 24 regular attendees created the inner circle)
6
Q
Advisory Councils - Privy Council
A
- An elite executive board that was made up exclusively of men
- Appointed magistrates in localities and served themselves as justices of the peace in a wide variety of counties
- Enforced law and order and regulated economic affairs (such as supervising the Poor laws)
- Torture was permitted so long as official warrants were obtained
7
Q
Advisory Councils - Parliament
A
- Most important institution after the King’s Council, though it did not meet frequently
- Each meeting had to be called and ended personally by the king
- Formed a point of contact between the king and the nation
- Agreed to legislation put forward by the king and his council
- Granted extraordinary finance based on the king’s request (under Henry VII and VIII, they usually agreed)
- Attempts to introduce Subsidy reform in 1489, provoking the Yorkshire rebellion
8
Q
Law / Equity Courts - Court of the Star Chamber
A
- Dealt with legal disputes
- Took cases related to public disorder
- Judges received petitions involving property rights, public corruption, trade and government administration, and disputes arising due to land enclosures
9
Q
Law / Equity Courts - Court of the Chancery
A
Dealt with estates and wardships:
- Land law
- The administration of the estates of lunatics
- The guardianship of infants
10
Q
Law / Equity Courts - Court of Requests
A
- Passed judgement using common law
- Heard cases from the poor who lacked the money for higher courts
- Quickly became popular due to the low costs of bringing cases forward and the fast processing time
11
Q
Law / Equity Courts - Council Learned In the Law
A
- Dealt with all Crown lands
- Kept up-to-date records of wardship, marriage and relief of all the king’s tenants
- Collected feudal dues that were owed to the king (bonds and recognisances)
- Overseen by Empson and Dudley after the death of Reginald Bray
12
Q
Financial Court - The Exchequer
A
- Had two functions – to receive and pay out money, as well as to audit (inspect) accounts
- Employed many people, some of whom, had the primary role of trying to stop embezzlement and fraud
- Henry VII distrusted all nobility working in the Exchequer and instead had all the money moved and counted inside his own personal chambers
13
Q
Local Government - Regional Councils
A
- Two areas of England (Wales and the North) had their own regional councils long before Henry VII came to power – in general, both of them maintained a positive relationship with him
- Both councils had a defined function, which originated sometime before 1485 – they were both linked closely with the Royal Council and possessed similar administrative and judicial power, holding the ability to enforce the law
- Both remained subordinate to Henry, regardless of the distance between them and London
14
Q
Local Government - Justices of the Peace
A
- Local officials employed to enforce the king’s authority on a local level. Local magistrates controlled the populace’s obedience so as to ensure social stability
- Instructions from the king were sent via writs - written orders that were not open (in theory) to interpretation
- The system broke down during the War of the Roses and one of Henry’s first issues upon accession in 1485 was asserting his authority upon the people after years of instability
15
Q
Reason for the creation of the Privy Council
A
Created in response to treasonous acts (Simnel)
