Henry VII's Treatment of the Nobility Flashcards
1
Q
6 points
Why were the nobility not much of a threat to Henry VII in 1485?
A
- Henry didn’t have an over-mighty subject, or King-Maker to pay off after gaining his crown.
- Most the the major nobles wouldn’t have wanted to rebel:
- Nobody to inherit title Duke of York.
- Duke of Norfolk killed at Bosworth and his son, Earl of Surrey keen to regain titles by supporting new regime.
- Henry Percy (E. of Northumberland) was no supporter of Richard, didn’t support Simnel and died febore 1489 Yorkshire Rebellion.
- His son, like the Duke of Buckingham, was a minor, therefore a ward of the King’s and not a threat.
2
Q
3 points
What personal circumstances of Henry VII’s meant that the nobility wasn’t a threat?
A
- No brother’s in line to the throne, like Clarence and Gloucester were for Edward.
- His uncle, Jasper, had no childen meaning Henry didn’t have any cousins either.
- No adult male sons waiting to take power either; Arthur died at age 15 and Henry VIII was 17 when his father died.
3
Q
4 points
What nobles were loyal to Henry VII in 1485?
A
- Thomas, Lord Stanley, E. of Derby
- Jasper Tudor, D. of Bedford and Viceroy of Wales
- John de Vere, E. of Oxford
- Some Yorkists, e.g. Thomas Grey, M. of Dorset, were bitterly opposed to R3 for Princes, and therefore unlikely to oppose H7.
4
Q
3 points
Why did Henry VII keep peerage small?
A
- A limited nobility was easier to control.
- It meant that when he did bestow a title, it was seen as a great honour.
- Granting a title meant giving away crown lands, leading to a reduced income, so doin this as little as possible was a good thing.
5
Q
4 points
How did Henry VII keep peerage small?
A
- He limited the nuumber of titles he bestowed and created.
- He didn’t renew titles that naturally died out.
- E.g. Henry ignored Sir Walter Herbert’s claim to his late elder brothers Earldom of Huntingdon and instead allowed title to collapse.
- At the start of his reign (1485) there were 62 peers and 16 major peers. By the end (1507), there were only 45 peers and 10 major peers.
6
Q
3 points
Who were the only three people Henry VII made Earls during his reign?
A
- Thomas Stanley, made E. of Derby - Henry’s stepfather.
- Philibert de Chandée, made E. of Bath - due to his role as captain of mercenary troops at Bosworth.
- Sir Edwart Courtenay, made E. of Devon - due to position being left empty by his cousin John at the battle of Tewkesbury, 1471.
7
Q
In what other way did Henry VII reward nobles?
A
- He revived and increased the prestige of the Order of the Garter, an award dating back to Edward III.
- Was seen as a gift of the crown, but didn’t include financial obligations.
- 37 of H7’s closest followers recieved it, e.g. William Stanley and Sir Rhys ap Thomas.
8
Q
2 points
How did Henry VII use marriage to control the nobility?
A
- Henry kept close control over the nobles’ marriages so that they did not link themselves to great heiressess and create dangerous new factions.
- E.g. When Katherine Woodville, widow of Jasper Tudor, married her third husband without royal lisence, H7 imposed a fine of 32,000 (1 mill today)
9
Q
4 points
Why did Henry VII limit retaining?
A
- Retaining in its present form might threaten his position.
- It was a contributing factor to the wars of the roses.
- However, limiting retaining too much would lead to opposition.
- It is also true that the king needed the retainers of his supporters to maintain order.
9
Q
4 points
How did Henry VII limit retaining?
A
- Began his reign by forcing both houses of Parliament to swear they wouldn’t retain illegally.
- Pushed through two acts, 1487 and 1504, to curb it.
- The 1504 act allowed nobles to employ retainers but only for the king’s service - needed a seal of approval.
- Whilst E4 allowed his friends to retain illegally, Henry treated everyone the same.
9
Q
3 points
How did Henry use Acts of Attainder to control the nobility?
A
- Used them to punish disobediant nobles.
- After a period he would arrange for parliament to revoke them, but would only gradually restore lands as the nobles proved their loyalty or for acts of service to the crown.
- Lesser nobles sometimes had to pay large sums as they had less influence and therefore had less to offer the crown.
10
Q
4 points
How did Henry VII use bonds and recognances to control the nobility?
A
- Placed financial pressure on nobles to ensure good behaviour.
- Gentry charged as little as £400, peers were charged up to £10,000.
- E.g. Thomas Grey, M. of Dorset and stepson of E4, was charged up to £10,000 when Henry suspected him of involvement with Simnel.
- E.g. Bishop of Worcester charged £2,000 and forced to promise not to leave the country.
11
Q
3 points
What were Henry VII’s ‘New Men’?
A
- A group who enforced royal policy and executed royal will in the capital that Henry VII trusted.
- Mostly made up of lawyers - loyal to the king who had given them power.
- E.g. Sir Reginald Bray (began as steward to Margaret Beaufort), Sir Edward Belknap (helped put down Cornish rebells, 1597), Henry Wyatt and Thomas Lovell (sent to arrest Edmund de la Pole, 1506)
