SUMMARY SHEET THEME 1: TUDORS AND CHANGES IN
GOVERNMENT
1. CHANGES MADE TO THE STRUCTURE AND THE FUNCTION OF THE
HOUSEHOLD (KEY DEVELOPMENT: REFORM OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL)
A. The privy chamber increased in power.
i. Access to the monarch through the privy chamber
ii. Meant control of the dry stamp
iii. Dry stamp allowed one to sign off on documents on behalf of the monarchy
B. Privy chamber changed under female monarchs.
i. As those in the pr ivy chamber dealt with close physical duties with the
monarch, female rules meant a female privy chamber therefore losing its
political power due to female inferiority
ii. Mary had more control over her privy chamber by putting her dry stamp over a
lock and key
iii. Elizabeth appointed the wives of her closest advisors to her privy chamber
increasing power within those certain households, major decisions were made
through her council and not the chamber
C. Privy council became more informal under the reign of Henry VII
i. 200 men attended the meetings containing a mixture of nobility
ii. Henry being a usurper to the throne meant that he needed Yorkist men in his
council.
D. The reform of the privy council
i. Permanent changes made in 1540
ii. Elton said major changes were happening 1536-37 when there was a conscious
act of administrate reform which aimed to reform the king’s council
iii. The changes made in 1536 were temporary in response to the crisis of the
pilgrimage of grace
iv. The fall of Cromwell meant the council turned into a chief minister meant the
members of the council had to act collectively and not individually.
E. The council’s membership changed during 1540
i. 1540 memberships reduced to only trusted advisors compared to the 227
members with henry vii and 120 members with henry viii
ii. Increased with Edward v2 as he was only a child when he took the crown
meaning he would need a larger amount of support within his council.
iii. Mary had a larger number of men within her council to increase inclusivity, 12
men were employed by 1555 8 of which were attending 50% of the meetings
and this further became permanent with a small group of trusted advisors
GOVERNMENT
1. CHANGES MADE TO THE STRUCTURE AND THE FUNCTION OF THE
HOUSEHOLD (KEY DEVELOPMENT: REFORM OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL)
A. The privy chamber increased in power.
i. Access to the monarch through the privy chamber
ii. Meant control of the dry stamp
iii. Dry stamp allowed one to sign off on documents on behalf of the monarchy
B. Privy chamber changed under female monarchs.
i. As those in the pr ivy chamber dealt with close physical duties with the
monarch, female rules meant a female privy chamber therefore losing its
political power due to female inferiority
ii. Mary had more control over her privy chamber by putting her dry stamp over a
lock and key
iii. Elizabeth appointed the wives of her closest advisors to her privy chamber
increasing power within those certain households, major decisions were made
through her council and not the chamber
C. Privy council became more informal under the reign of Henry VII
i. 200 men attended the meetings containing a mixture of nobility
ii. Henry being a usurper to the throne meant that he needed Yorkist men in his
council.
D. The reform of the privy council
i. Permanent changes made in 1540
ii. Elton said major changes were happening 1536-37 when there was a conscious
act of administrate reform which aimed to reform the king’s council
iii. The changes made in 1536 were temporary in response to the crisis of the
pilgrimage of grace
iv. The fall of Cromwell meant the council turned into a chief minister meant the
members of the council had to act collectively and not individually.
E. The council’s membership changed during 1540
i. 1540 memberships reduced to only trusted advisors compared to the 227
members with henry vii and 120 members with henry viii
ii. Increased with Edward v2 as he was only a child when he took the crown
meaning he would need a larger amount of support within his council.
iii. Mary had a larger number of men within her council to increase inclusivity, 12
men were employed by 1555 8 of which were attending 50% of the meetings
and this further became permanent with a small group of trusted advisors
