HENRY VII – 1485-1509
EVENT DETAIL
TOPIC HENRY TUDOR’S CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
-PREDATING HIS REIGN TO 21ST AUGUST 1485 – allowed him to declare all supporters of Richard III traitors
to the state – Richard III declared “usurper”, RIII laws declared “false and malicious imaginations” – HVIII
seized land and property from rivals through Act of Resumption
-CORONATION OCTOBER 1485 – kept with tradition, rightful heir to the English throne, conducted by the
ESTABLISHIN Archbishop of Canterbury – nobility had to swear an oath of allegiance to the King
G THE TUDOR -MARRIED ELIZABETH OF YORK JANUARY 1486 – married after coronation, showed he was King in his own
DYNASTY right and not because of his wife, symbolised end of the War of the Roses since she was of the House of
York and Henry of Lancaster
-ROYAL PROGRESS APRIL 1486 – North of England, typically Yorkist supporting area, gain foothold in new
domain, heard petitions and court cases and granted favours etc.
-BIRTH OF SON ARTHUR SEPTEMBER 1486 – incarnation of the Tudor Rose, cements dynastic ambitions,
now impotent and enduring emblem of Henry’s rule
TOPIC HENRY VII’S GOVERNMENT
HVIII governed England as his personal estate through his Council and household:
THE COURT: symbol of King’s wealth and power, where King lived, source of all patronage – places =
valuable, provided access to the powerful
THE PRIVY COUNCIL – centre of Henry’s government, ruled through Council issuing decrees and
proclamations, advised King and acted as court of law, few formal rules – jobs such as travelling with
Henry on progress – link between central government and local people – 227 members throughout Henry
VII’s reign - reformed to this model after William Stanley crisis (see below)
THE GREAT COUNCIL – assembly convened when English nobles/Church leaders needed to discuss
COUNCILS, country’s affairs with King – called 5x in reign
PARLIAMENT, PARLIAMENT – cooperation not opposition to monarch = cooperative ventures between monarch and
AND JUSTICE governing elites- House of Lords and Commons (2 MPS per shire) – called when King needed to legislate
and grant tax – called 7 times during reign – granted tonnage and poundage for life in first P NOV 1485
-Toward end of reign = declined in use due to growing financial independence
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE- crown-appointed administrators of legislation – not set tasks, deal with all forms
of local disturbances, if King = dissatisfied, name = removed from Commission of peace, 1489 = Procedure
for Complaints for JPs and 1509 – manual issued for JPS = suggests problems with enforcing laws with
JPs? – met four times a year at Quarter sessions so they could try those accused of serious crimes
SHERIFFS – generalist officers – range of local duties eg. Collecting royal revenue, local courts etc
1487 STAR CHAMBER COURT – dealt with overmighty subjects, administered justice directly – met rarely,
withered away
1495 COUNCIL LEARNED IN THE LAW – an association of a specialized group of the King’s trusted
councillors to promote and defend interests in legal and feudal matters – disbanded in 1509 – EMPSON
AND DUDLEY – unpopular, SEE BELOW
FINANCE:
CROWN LANDS (ordinary): when Henry came to power = no central records of lands, reform of
exchequer = vital for management – diverted directly into chamber of household, 80% to chamber by end
of reign, allows for tighter method of control
-ACTS OF ATTAINDER – declared guilty of treason without trial, strips of land and titles e.g. opposition at
BOB, 138 passed, 46 reversed – 1504-9 = 51, insecurity
-Created Court of Audit to manage gov spending + deal with royal accounts
-1486 ACT OF RESUMPTION – recovers property given away since 1455
-Crown revenue from lands= £22k 1485 - £40k 1509
-Henry VII held 5X more land Henry VI by end of reign
PARLIAMENTARY GRANTS (extraordinary): extraordinary aid when national interest = threatened
-FIFTEENTH AND TENTHS – traditional parliamentary grant, 1/15 of value of goods in rural areas, 1/10 in
ROYAL urban – granted 8 times eg. 3x 1491 for invasion of France
EVENT DETAIL
TOPIC HENRY TUDOR’S CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
-PREDATING HIS REIGN TO 21ST AUGUST 1485 – allowed him to declare all supporters of Richard III traitors
to the state – Richard III declared “usurper”, RIII laws declared “false and malicious imaginations” – HVIII
seized land and property from rivals through Act of Resumption
-CORONATION OCTOBER 1485 – kept with tradition, rightful heir to the English throne, conducted by the
ESTABLISHIN Archbishop of Canterbury – nobility had to swear an oath of allegiance to the King
G THE TUDOR -MARRIED ELIZABETH OF YORK JANUARY 1486 – married after coronation, showed he was King in his own
DYNASTY right and not because of his wife, symbolised end of the War of the Roses since she was of the House of
York and Henry of Lancaster
-ROYAL PROGRESS APRIL 1486 – North of England, typically Yorkist supporting area, gain foothold in new
domain, heard petitions and court cases and granted favours etc.
-BIRTH OF SON ARTHUR SEPTEMBER 1486 – incarnation of the Tudor Rose, cements dynastic ambitions,
now impotent and enduring emblem of Henry’s rule
TOPIC HENRY VII’S GOVERNMENT
HVIII governed England as his personal estate through his Council and household:
THE COURT: symbol of King’s wealth and power, where King lived, source of all patronage – places =
valuable, provided access to the powerful
THE PRIVY COUNCIL – centre of Henry’s government, ruled through Council issuing decrees and
proclamations, advised King and acted as court of law, few formal rules – jobs such as travelling with
Henry on progress – link between central government and local people – 227 members throughout Henry
VII’s reign - reformed to this model after William Stanley crisis (see below)
THE GREAT COUNCIL – assembly convened when English nobles/Church leaders needed to discuss
COUNCILS, country’s affairs with King – called 5x in reign
PARLIAMENT, PARLIAMENT – cooperation not opposition to monarch = cooperative ventures between monarch and
AND JUSTICE governing elites- House of Lords and Commons (2 MPS per shire) – called when King needed to legislate
and grant tax – called 7 times during reign – granted tonnage and poundage for life in first P NOV 1485
-Toward end of reign = declined in use due to growing financial independence
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE- crown-appointed administrators of legislation – not set tasks, deal with all forms
of local disturbances, if King = dissatisfied, name = removed from Commission of peace, 1489 = Procedure
for Complaints for JPs and 1509 – manual issued for JPS = suggests problems with enforcing laws with
JPs? – met four times a year at Quarter sessions so they could try those accused of serious crimes
SHERIFFS – generalist officers – range of local duties eg. Collecting royal revenue, local courts etc
1487 STAR CHAMBER COURT – dealt with overmighty subjects, administered justice directly – met rarely,
withered away
1495 COUNCIL LEARNED IN THE LAW – an association of a specialized group of the King’s trusted
councillors to promote and defend interests in legal and feudal matters – disbanded in 1509 – EMPSON
AND DUDLEY – unpopular, SEE BELOW
FINANCE:
CROWN LANDS (ordinary): when Henry came to power = no central records of lands, reform of
exchequer = vital for management – diverted directly into chamber of household, 80% to chamber by end
of reign, allows for tighter method of control
-ACTS OF ATTAINDER – declared guilty of treason without trial, strips of land and titles e.g. opposition at
BOB, 138 passed, 46 reversed – 1504-9 = 51, insecurity
-Created Court of Audit to manage gov spending + deal with royal accounts
-1486 ACT OF RESUMPTION – recovers property given away since 1455
-Crown revenue from lands= £22k 1485 - £40k 1509
-Henry VII held 5X more land Henry VI by end of reign
PARLIAMENTARY GRANTS (extraordinary): extraordinary aid when national interest = threatened
-FIFTEENTH AND TENTHS – traditional parliamentary grant, 1/15 of value of goods in rural areas, 1/10 in
ROYAL urban – granted 8 times eg. 3x 1491 for invasion of France
