Henry VII - Government and Parliament

Question 1

What were the three main functions of Henry VII’s council?

Answer 1

1- to advise the king 2- to administer the realm on the king’s behalf 3 - to make legal judgements

Question 2

How many men were recorded as having attended the council during this reign?

Answer 2

227

Question 3

How many men were in Henry VII’s working council?

Answer 3

6-7

Question 4

What were the three main types of councillor?

Answer 4

1. Members of the nobility 2. Churchmen 3. Laymen

Question 5

What were the three types of councillor - give examples of each.

Answer 5

Members of the nobility - Lord Daubeney and Dynham Churchmen - Richard Fox and John Morton Laymen - Sir Reginald Bray

Question 6

Define magnate

Answer 6

In this context, a member of the higher ranks of the nobility

Question 7

On what occasions would council members meet separately?

Answer 7

To discuss and deal with key administrative concerns, for example Bray and Dudley sometimes met in London to deal with legal matters when the King was with his other councillors elsewhere.

Question 8

Who did Historian David Loades argue was Henry’s ‘most influential adviser’?

Answer 8

His mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort

Question 9

What was the Great Council?

Answer 9

The Great Council, not to be confused with the normal council, was a meeting of the House of Lords without the House of Commons. It had no set function, but often dealt with war or rebellion. It was not a permanent body and only met 5 times in Henry’s reign.

Question 10

What was the function of the Council Learned?

Answer 10

To maintain the king’s revenue and exploit his prerogative rights

Question 11

When did the Council develop and who was its first leader?

Answer 11

In the second half of Henry’s reign, at first under the leadership of Reginald Bray.

Question 12

How does John Guy describe the Council Learned?

Answer 12

As a ‘specialist board’

Question 13

Why was the council learned considered ‘shady’

Answer 13

It was not a recognised court of law, and its subjects had no right to appeal its decision.

Question 14

What does historian Thomas Penn say about the Council Learned?

Answer 14

As something that cause ‘fear, frustration and anger, as it bypassed the normal legal system’

Question 15

Who was Bray’s associate in the Council Learned?

Answer 15

Richard Empson

Question 16

Who led the Council Learned with Empson after Bray’s death in 1503?

Answer 16

Edmund Dudley

Question 17

Who were the feared leaders of the Council Learned that created enemies in England?

Answer 17

Edmund Dudley and Richard Empson

Question 18

What happened to Empson and Dudley after the King’s death?

Answer 18

Bishop Fox and Sir Thomas Lovell, who were some of the King’s key advisors. After Henry VII’s death in 1509, they removed Empson and Dudley from their positions to the sound of rejoicing in the streets.

Question 19

What did the Tudor’s rely heavily upon?

Answer 19

The Royal Court, which was the centre of government

Question 20

What was the royal court’s function?

Answer 20

• it housed the royal chamber - where the King could be found at any time - it’s where advancements in position could be attained - where the support of the king and other influential figures could be attained

Question 21

What was the function of the household proper?

Answer 21

It was responsible for looking after the king, courtiers and guests that were being entertained. These personal catering requirements were seen to by Lord Steward

Question 22

What was the Chamber?

Answer 22

the private areas of the court; also a key department for the efficient collection of royal revenues

Question 23

What was the Lord Chamberlain?

Answer 23

An experienced nobleman and member of the king’s council, and a personal friend of the king.

Question 24

Why did the Lord Chamberlain have so much political power?

Answer 24

he had administrative and political power, often speaking for the monarch in an official capacity, and was also responsible for organising court ceremonies.

Question 25

What was the Privy Chamber?

Answer 25

comprising the close personal servants of the monarch; its members had direct access to the monarch and therefore could influence him or her more directly.

Question 26

How was Perkin Warbeck involved with the Privy Chamber?

Answer 26

The position of Lord Chamberlain gained considerable trust. In 1495, Henry’s Lord Chamberlain Sir William Stanley, was involved in a treasonable plot with Perkin Warbeck.

Question 27

What did Henry create in response to this betrayal?

Answer 27

The Privy Chamber, a private chamber to which the king could retreat, protected by his most intimate servants.

Question 28

How did this remodel affect the court?

Answer 28

This changed the character of the court, thus making it more difficult for those who were out of favour to regain the kings support.

Question 29

What was the function of parliament?

Answer 29

To pass law as and grant taxation to the crown

Question 30

What was parliament’s subsidiary function?

Answer 30

A means in which local issues could be passed on by MPs to the King’s officials

Question 31

How many parliaments did Henry call?

Answer 31

7 parliaments 5 in his first 10 years and 2 in the last 14 years

Question 32

What were Henry’s early parliaments for?

Answer 32

Issues of national security and raising revenue.

Question 33

What were Henry’s later Parliaments for?

Answer 33

Granted extraordinary revenue, enabling the king to go to war.

Question 34

What were fifteenths and tenths?

Answer 34

A standard form of taxation calculated in the 14th century, paid by towns and boroughs to the Crown.

Question 35

How much revenue did Henry gain from fifteenths and tenths?

Answer 35

£203,000

Question 36

What did Henry’s final Parliament in 1504 achieve?

Answer 36

Limited the demand for extraordinary revenue

Question 37

What does the research carried out by Historian Paul Cavill suggest about Parliament in Henry’s reign?

Answer 37

On the whole, parliament operated effectively, and the king respected its decisions. There were a number of private acts passed in response to local demands for improvement.

Question 38

Why was maintenance of law and order a huge responsibility for the King?

Answer 38

Problems with law and order could lead to uprisings or rebellions, which could threaten Henry’s authority

Question 39

What was the first thing Henry relied on to keep law and order in England?

Answer 39

Trusted members of the nobility, which exercised power on his behalf across the country

Question 40

Who were some key members of the nobility that aided Henry in law and order?

Answer 40

In the northwest - the Stanleys Northeast and Yorkshire - Earl of Northumberland

Question 41

What problem did Henry face with the death of the Earl of Northumberland? How did Henry solve this?

Answer 41

• Northumberland, who was killed in a tax revolt, was key to the maintaining of law and order in the North. - To solve this, Henry decided on the risky strategy of releasing the Earl of Surrey from the tower and placing him in charge. - He sent the known supporter of Richard III to an area where Richard’s supporters lived, but this worked as they respected him and he ruled there for ten years

Question 42

What did Henry rely on at a local level to maintain law and order?

Answer 42

Justices of the Peace (JPs)

Question 43

What was the role of JPs?

Answer 43

JPs replaced the traditional sheriffs on a county-by-county basis, and maintained law and order by being responsible for: - tax assessments - alehouse regulation - the investigation of complaints against local officials - the maintenance of law and order

Question 44

What were bonds and recognisances?

Answer 44

A debt that was owed to the king and had to be paid if the subject broke the vow of good behaviour.

Question 45

Why did the King use Bonds and Recognisances?

Answer 45

to enforce order and obedience, and defeat the law, a system that can be regarded as morally dubious.

Question 46

What was the 5 things that church courts were responsible for?

Answer 46

• Church administration - Offences committed by the clergy - Proving of wills - issues related to marriage - ‘moral’ offences

Question 47

What were manor courts responsible for?

Answer 47

• landholding - rights and responsibilities of landowners and tenants - use of common land - responsibilities for drainage and land issues

Question 48

What were Borough courts responsible for?

Answer 48

• medieval trading standards - specific judicial rights granted by royal charter

Question 49

What were the King’s court at county level responsible for?

Answer 49

• Assizes: held twice a year to deal with major criminal and civil cases - quarter sessions: held 4 times a year, presided over by JPs to deal with less important criminal cases and civil and administrative affairs - Special commissions - dealt with major issues such as rebellion

Question 50

What was the responsibilities of the King’s common law courts?

Answer 50

• King’s bench: superior criminal jurisdiction - Common pleas: dealt with major civil cases - Exchequer: dealt with issues regarding royal revenues

Question 51

What was the responsibility of the chancery?

Answer 51

Exercised jurisdiction on the basis of equity rather than a strict reading of the common law