Henry VIII: Government - Reforms Made to Royal Council, Financial Management During 1530s Flashcards
Describe the debate around the extent of changes to government in the 1530’s
- Historians debate whether the changes to government amounted to a revolution
- Geoffrey Elton first argued there was a revolution in 1953, in a book called The Tudor Revolution in Government
- Writers (including Elton) watered down and modified key arguments
- Others challenged Elton, especially David Starkey
Describe the changes made to the Royal Council during the 1530s
- Henry VII had large Royal Council but only few members regularly met
- Contained leading noblemen, clergy and members of King’s household staff
- During Henry VIII’s reign, a more professional Privy Council emerged
- Contained no more than 20 members
- Contained more lawyers and bureaucrats
What was financial management like before 1530s?
- Henry VIII used system introduced by Edward IV - used Privy Chamber instead of Exchequer and Treasury
- Gave monarchs significant control over daily decisions made on income and expenditure
Describe the changes made to financial management during the 1530s
- Cromwell created new financial institutions due to the break from Rome but still used Privy Chamber
• The Court of Augmentations
- Controlled the land and finances formerly under the control of the Catholic Church.
• The Court of General Surveyors
- Initially handled some of the ex- monastic land, but was soon amalgamated with the Court of Augmentations
• The Court of First Fruits and Tenths
- Collected money previously sent to Rome.
• The Court of Wards
- The King had the ancient feudal right to collect money from the estate of a minor, under the age of 21, who had inherited
What impact did these changes have on financial management by 1540?
- Increased specialism introduced to royal finances
- Cromwell recognised great importance of Privy Chamber and continued to work using it
Describe how the King’s advisers changed throughout the 1530s
- Due to bureaucratic changes, professional administrators rather than untrained members of nobility and clergy needed to maintain system
- Bureaucratic - relating to a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives
- Wolsey and Cromwell represented new type of gov. official - hard-working and humble background
- Unlike nobility, they relied on King for status, making them loyal
How was royal supremacy strengthened throughout the 1530s?
- Act in Restraint of Appeals, 1533
- Act of Union with Wales, 1536
- Act against Liberties and Franchises / Jurisdiction in Liberties Act, 1535
What was the Act in Restraint of Appeals?
- Introduced in 1533 by Cromwell
- Stopped people from making appeals to Rome
- Wrote that historically, England was an empire and everyone owed the King, ruling under God, total obedience
What did the Act in Restraint of Appeals say about royal supremacy?
- Wrote that historically, England was an empire and everyone owed the King, ruling under God, total obedience
- Argued Englishmen shouldn’t have right to appeal to Rome, as King was supreme in his own lands
- England is an empire - independent political body, all power derived from monarch
How did the Act in Restraint of Appeals contrast with the reality of England in 1533?
• Pope
- Henry VIII was still subject to Pope’s views wrt religious doctrine
- Henry VIII supposed to seek Pope’s permission when choosing bishops and other high-ranking religious officials
• Power across England
- Parts of England had liberties, giving them semi-independent status
- Prince-Bishop of Durham governed over Durham as semi-independent ruler
- Wales not formally part of English system of gov.
How did Cromwell try strengthening royal supremacy?
- Used break with Rome to extend royal power
- Break from Rome eliminated need for Pope
• Act of Union with Wales, 1536
- Reorganised local gov. in the principality and borderlands of the marches
• Act against Liberties and Franchises - Jurisdiction in Liberties Act, 1535
- Restricted special powers by regional nobles
- Cromwell aimed to limit power of magnates and provide consistent application to law
How did Parliament become more important throughout the 1530s?
- Parliament became increasingly important as a legislative body
- Cromwell called Parliament more often than Wolsey
- Statute law was seen as highest law in England, but by end of 1530s statute law made by King-in-Parliament represented ultimate authority in England
Describe how the composition of Parliament changed throughout the 1530s?
• House of Lords
- After dissolution of monasteries, abbots disappeared, and bishops and peers increased
- Clergy now a minority in House of Lords
• House of Commons
- 14 new boroughs given right to elect MPs
Describe the social class of the members of the House of Commons
- House of Commons made up of members that either represented counties or towns and boroughs
- County members and some borough MPs were members of lesser nobility
- Borough members included merchants and royal administrators
What were the benefits of having MPs of different social classes and political beliefs?
- Meant any changes Parliament enacted were likely to be implemented smoothly
- Resistance from Parliament could be early warning sign there would be trouble implementing King’s wishes
