Topic 1: Changes in governance at the centre 1485-1603 Flashcards
Henry VIII, gentleman of the privy chamber:
- Henry Norris, groom of the stool from 1526-1536 (part of Anne Boleyn’s court faction and fell out of favour with her)
- William Compton, groom of the stool from 1509 (acquired significant patronage and lands from Henry becoming under-treasurer to the Exchequer in 1525, harboured a close friendship with the king)
Edward VI privy chamber:
- between 1549-53 there were ‘6 principle gentleman’
This style gave rise to many powerful courtiers e.g Sir John Gates
Lord Lieutenants:
First created in 1545 by Henry VIII
Important parts of the role were to act as an unpaid recruiting sergeant for The King and to play a major part in keeping law and order by both appointing and managing magistrates. The Lord-Lieutenant was also responsible for looking after state documents in his county and informing The King on the localities.
From 1569 Lord-Lieutenants could appoint Deputy Lieutenants to assist them in this role. However it was not until 1586 when Queen Elizabeth I, in the light of invasion threats from Spain, appointed Lord-Lieutenants more widely. By the time the Spanish Armada arrived on our shores in 1588, Lord-Lieutenants had been appointed in almost every County.
EXAMPLES: The first Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire - and indeed of 11 other counties in the South of England - was Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, a brother-in-law of Henry VIII. The first record of a Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey was in 1551 – William Parr KG, Marquis of Northampton.
A Lord Lieutenant became a permanent figure in local government under Elizabeth I.The Lord Lieutenant was responsible for raising troops, supervising JPs, and being a point of contact for the Privy Council.The role came with significant prestige.
Role of the Secretary: secretary examples, often held by leading councillors
- Richard Fox (1485-87)
- William Paget (1543-48) he was an MP (for Lichfield and Middlesex, influential under Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I)
- Thomas Cromwell was appointed secretary in 1534
- Robert Cecil named ‘Secretary of State’ 1596 (new name for the Secretary)
- 1540 onwards, role of secretary split between 2 men to divide the influence (e.g Walsingham and Thomas Wilson shared between 1577-83)
Parliament: (by each monarch)
- Henry VII: called periodically, met 7 times (used to legitimise and strengthen his position)
- Henry VIII: early reign called to raise subsidies, 1530s onwards used frequently
- Edward VI: called more frequently, only 1 year of his reign without a parliamentary session, used to pass religious reforms
- Elizabeth I, 10 parliaments and 13 sessions during her reign
Parliamentary criticism of the monarch:
- Henry VIII: suffered criticism within the early parliaments e.g the 1515 parliament he faced criticism over the Hunne Case (suspected murder by church officials)
- Elizabeth I: faced criticism over the sale of monopolies and was threatened with withholding taxation in 1566 and 1593
- Mary I: 1554 against her marriage prospects to Philip II
Royal household: decline of the privy chamber under Mary and Elizabeth
- only 2 gentleman in Elizabeth I’s privy chamber
- 1558 at the time of Mary I’s death her privy chamber included 7 ladies and 13 gentlewomen
- Edward 6 key gentleman of the chamber and 26 ‘ordinary’ gentleman
Dissolution of the Monastries:
- by 1540 Henry VIII acquired £1.3 million from monastic estates
Elizabeth I privy chamber:
- her privy chamber relied upon gentlewomen who were either her former servants or the wives and daughters of politicians, number of lady’s varied between 12-24 at any given time
- Catherine Ashley (lady of the bedchamber) was a favourite of Elizabeth and her husband was the Master of the Jewel Office, she was influential as a source of information for the queen
Post of Lord Lieutenant:
- Mary decide to divide the localities into 10 lieutenancies
- they were first given expanded functions in 1549
- with the outbreak of war with Spain, Lieutenants were commissioned for nearly all English and Welsh counties
