Henry VIII- Early Domestic Policy

Question 1

What were Wolsey/ Henry’s main domestic reforms? (5)

Answer 1

-Financial reforms.

-Legal Reform.

-Social reform.

-Administration.

-Relations with the nobility.

Question 2

Why was a financial reform needed? (3)

Answer 2

-Spent all his inheritance on his war with France- £1.7M between 1509-1520.

-Money was needed for more war.

-Had given away crown lands his father had recaptured.

Question 3

How did Wolsey try to improve finances?

Answer 3

-Introduced the subsidy.

-Amicable grant- people giving gifts towards war

-Revenue from crown lands.

Question 4

What was the subsidy?

Answer 4

-The standard parliamentary tax.

-Replaced the system of fifteenths and tenths.

-Based on a more realistic/ accurate measurement of wealth.

Question 5

How successful was the subsidy?

Answer 5

-Popular but unsuccessful in raising enough money

-‘Permanent contribution to government’

-Hoped to bring in £800,000 only got £300,000. (outcry caused).

Question 6

What was an amicable grant?

Answer 6

-A forced loan.

-originally called a ‘benevolence’.

Question 7

How successful was the amicable grant?

Answer 7

-Two forced loans between 1522-3 raised £200,000 but clergy still being repaid.

-Little gain and Wolsey had to back down.

-After unrest in East Anglia 10,000 men gathered in opposition at Lavenham.

-Wolsey made as Scapegoat and took the blame.

Question 8

How did Henry try to use crown lands?

Answer 8

-Income had dropped from £400,000 to just £25,000.

-1515 act of resumption restored some to crown.

-Couldn’t reach shortfall.

Question 9

How successful was the attempt to raise revenue?

Answer 9

-Raised around £822,000.

-Couldn’t cover 1.7M spending.

Question 10

How did Wolsey change the legal system?

Answer 10

-Wanted to create justice for the system +accessible

-Use of common law more often.

-Heard lots of cases himself to the nobility which he held grudges against.

-Created the court of chancery and star chamber,

Question 11

What is an example of a case Wolsey heard himself?

Answer 11

-Sir Amyas Paulet who had put Wolsey in the stocks when he was a priest.

-Wolsey summoned him and threatened to take his property if he left London without permission.

Question 12

What was the star chamber?

Answer 12

-Cases against the powerful.

-‘Duke, earl, baron nor Lord, but his sentence must accord’

Question 13

What is the court of chancery?

Answer 13

-Cases against the poor.

Question 14

How successful legal reforms?

Answer 14

-Seen as a general vendetta against the nobility and would overturn cases threatening his power.

-Did try to advance justice for the poor who could not afford high legal fees.

Question 15

What was Wolsey’s social reform aim?

Answer 15

-Ending enclosure

Question 16

How did Wolsey attack enclosure?

Answer 16

-1517 established enquiry, identifying enclosed land.

-Took it to the court of chancery.

-legal action taken against 264 landowners between 1518-1529.

-Forced them to rebuild homes they had knocked down and return farming land.

Question 17

How successful was Wolsey’s enclosure policies?

Answer 17

-1523 Wolsey accepted all existing enclosures in return for a parliamentary subsidy.

-This showed it was a personal vendetta.

Question 18

How did Wolsey reform administration?

Answer 18

-Rarely summoned parliament.

-Introduction of Eltham ordinances.

Question 19

How many times did Wolsey summon parliament?

Answer 19

-only twice in 1518 and 1529- only for war funding.

Question 20

Who were Eltham ordinances promoted by?

Answer 20

-Sir William Compton.

Question 21

What was an Eltham ordinance?

Answer 21

-improving finances and efficiency with the chamber.

Question 22

What ACTUALLY was the Eltham ordinance?

Answer 22

Limiting others access to the king, giving Wolsey more control and domination.

-by reducing finances of privy chamber, could rely less on parliament to finance government.

Question 23

What were Wolsey’s relations with the nobility like?

Answer 23

Resentment towards the nobles who saw themselves as natural advisers to the king.

Question 24

How did Wolsey change the relationship with the nobility?

Answer 24

-Announced the star chamber in 1516 so they couldn’t consider themselves above the law.

-Got himself involved in marriage arrangements.

Question 25

What was the most notable clash with the nobility?

Answer 25

-Noble plot against Wolsey led by the Duke of Buckingham.

-Told B to behave more discretely.

-Didn’t act ‘discretely’ and was executed for treason.

Question 26

True or False: Wolsey was more hostile to the nobility than Henry.

Answer 26

-False- Wolsey was no more hostile than the king.

-Wolsey had lots of control over patronage so people such as the Earl of Worcester considered Wolsey as a friend.

Question 27

How much money did the first french war cost?

Answer 27

1.7m

Question 28

How much money did the subsidy hope to bring and how much did it actually?

Answer 28

800,000
300,000

Question 29

Main stat concerning the amicable grant?

Answer 29

Two forced loans between 1522-3 raised £200,000 but clergy still being repaid.

Question 30

How much money did Wosley raise overall?

Answer 30

822,000

Question 31

How much money was lost due to the loss of crown lands?

Answer 31

income had dropped from 400,000 to 25,000

Question 32

Who was jailed when the star court was opened?

Answer 32

-earl of northumberland