Maintenance 7 - Attitudes to Authority

Question 1

What did Tudor monarchs lack which meant they needed to rely on peace and respect for authority from their subjects?

Answer 1

A standing army or police force.

Question 2

What was the attitude toward the Divine Right of Kings?

Answer 2

-Despite not fully developing the idea, Tudor monarchs used the idea they were appointed by God to create a sense of mystique and respect.
-God appointed sovereigns and expected them to be obeyed.
Even Henry VII who won the crown in battle claimed he was ‘Henry, by the grace of God, King’.
-This concept had less impact when the country was ruled by a Protector or Lord president, such as in the period 1547-53.

Question 3

What was the attitude towards the Great Chain of Being?

Answer 3

-Suggested everyone was born into a set place in society and that the order was unfaltering.
-It also taught the themes of loyalty , duty and obligation.
This, however, applied to those at the top of society as well as those at the bottom and didn’t always help in the preservation of peace as the lower orders might look to their superiors for leadership when rebelling, as in the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536.

Question 4

What was the popular attitude towards the Society of Orders?

Answer 4

• Suggested, alike the Great Chain, that everyone had a place and role in society.
• However, this could encourage disquiet if it appeared that the government was showing contempt for the Society of Orders, or if gentlemen failed to perform their expected duties.
• This happened in the 1549 rebellions, when the rebels complained that the gentry were exploiting the economic conditions and not offering help to lower orders.

Question 5

What was the popular attitude towards the household?

Answer 5

• The family structure helped uphold the concept of hierarchy and law and order, which was very useful as it was enforced daily.
• The head of the house was to be obeyed and those who resisted were made to conform.
• This was supported by the Church, teaching that obedience to the head of the household was required by God.
• The family could be seen to mirror the state, with the head of the house being equivalent to the monarch, thus reinforcing the idea of obedience.

Question 6

How did the ‘reformation of manners’ impact political stability?

Answer 6

• The change in attitudes and behaviour seen over the period was encouraged by the religious developments in the later period and resulted in people trying to control their behaviour.
• Examples of this were using litigation to settle disputes rather than unrest and showing a greater willingness to compromise.
• This development was encouraged by families often praying and reading the Bible together, which helped reinforce the importance of the household and hierarchy - particularly true in the wealthier elements of society.

Question 7

What did the gulf between the rich and poor cause over the century?

Answer 7

The more prosperous realised their differences with the labourers and peasantry.

• The wealthy, particularly property owners, had an interest in upholding order rather than leading riots.
• Therefore, by the end of the period, the political nation had grown to include a significant proportion of the population who adopted collective responsibilty for the maintenance of law and order.