Henry Viii 8 : Government and parliament Flashcards
what was government like during start/middle of Henrys reign?
- liked to have an overview of his government, but he was happy to let others do the mundane work for him - be it his Royal Council or his chosen ministers.
- style of government therefore varied across his reign
- A further complicating factor was the existence of Parliament, a major overhaul of relations between Crown and Parliament took place during Henry VIII’s reign
- change occurred after 1530 for role of parliament with its two main functions to being to grant extraordinary revenue and pass laws (and could advise the monarch)
- before 1529 Henry VIII only summoned parliaments in 1510, 1512, 1515, and 1523
- Wolsey didn’t like parliament, only called them once
- Cromwell exploited its legislative possibilities much more thoroughly so parliament met more frequently through second half of Henry reign
what approach did Henry have to govt (1509-1514) and what brought it to an end?
had a councillor approach
- H became disenchanted with reluctance of some of his farthers senior councillors to support French war
- as he became more attuned he used his undoubted right to control decision making
- surrounded himself with like minded young couriers to reinforce his suspicions
- became impressed with the organisation skills of woolsey
In the end, Wolsey, with his energy and organisational skills, emerged as the dominant political figure. He had the uncanny ability - at least in his early years - to give the king precisely what he wanted, or to convince the king of what he assumed he wanted.
How did Wolsey actually have such an impact on the Kings decision making?
due to the closeness of his relationship with the king than from the formal positions he held, He complimented the king’s customary ‘hands-off’ approach to the details of policy-making
- main concerns were the legal system, the formulation of domestic polity and political decision-making
how did Henry change the privy chambers role?
- he made his minions gentlemen of the chamber
- it was clear they distrusted woolsey (tried to neutralise their influence)
– in 1519 he was successfully able to secure their removal, replacing with his own supporters but most managed to recover his position - but the privy chamber retained its prestige and influence as one part of govt. out of Wolsey’s control
what was the Court of chancery?
- main court of equity in the Kingdom
- as lord chancellor Wolsey had the right to preside over the court and tried to use the court to uphold ‘fair justice’
- eg he used the courts to deal with problems relating to enclosure, contracts and land left to others in wills
- but it became too popular and justice was slow since it became clogged up with too many cases
what was the Court of Star Chamber?
- Wolseys most significant legal contribution
- an offshoot of the council which became the centre of govt and justice
- increased use after 1516 to increase cheap and fair justice and encouraged the use for private lawsuits
- Wolsey also encouraged the use of the Star Chamber for private lawsuits. In this regard Wolsey proved too successful and he was forced to set up a series of ‘overflow tribunals’ to deal with the pressure of business
what was the Tudor subsidy?
the expectation that tax payers would pay extraordinary revenue when required
- instead of using local commissions to asses tax payers money he set up a national comitee with direct and realistic assessments of wealth of taxpayers so the nations revenue based became more realistic
- Wolsey used this to raise finance for French war but wasn’t enough
✅most successfully by raising subsidies, made substantial change in how they were collected
❌ Wolsey tried to raise money via unparliamentary taxation - Amicable Grant of 1525 - this led to widespread resistance, amounting almost to a rebellion
what was the significance of the 1523 subsidy?
-showed the insensitivity between Wolsey and parliament was clear in his relationship with the 1523 Parliament, which had been called to grant the subsidy needed to finance the renewal of war against France
- Wolsey was unable to get all the money from parliament
- Thomas More - obliged to ask the king’s forgiveness for the boisterousness of some of the members, while at the same time More defended their right to express critical opinion
what was the Eltham Ordinaces?
- introduced in 1526 be Wolsey in order to reform privy chambers finances (wanted to push back royal household spending)
- Wolsey secured a reduction in the number of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, the one area of government over which he did not have control
❗️he secured the removal of Henry’s Groom of the Stool, Sir William Compton
what was the Kings great matter?
by mid 1520s H becoming annoyed by marriage and lack of male heir (fearful for the country)
- even considered legitimating his son Henry Fitzroy (his son from his mistress Bessie Blount)
- Henry had fallen madly in love with Anne Boylen who wouldn’t become his mistress so H required Wolsey to secure a papal dispensation for the annulment of his marriage to Catherine
➡️Wolsey had to deal with it
how was the great matter sorted?
Henry himself who found the biblical justification which could form the basis of an annulment; the book of Leviticus contained a prohibition on a man marrying his brother’s widow (Catherine had married Arthur)
➡️ issue was that Catherine said the marriage was never consummated
impact of the great matter?
short term:Woolsey downfall
long term:establishment of the royal supremacy under direction of Cromwell (1532)
