1. CHANGES IN GOVERNANCE AT THE CENTRE
1485-1603
How effective were the key developments in Tudor government and
administration?
Early government:
Reliant on nobility to support rules - nobility ran the country
Monarchy limited due to Magna Carta (had to listen to baron’s opinions)
Church under control of the Pope in Rome
Societal hierarchy was based on the Great Chain of Being:
God
Monarch
Nobility The Nobility was made up of 40-60 men
The Gentry of about 5500
Gentry
Yeomen & artisans made up 60,000
Yeomen & Artisans
Peasants = most vunerable to social and economic changes, crisis would
Peasants result in unrest from them
Beggars & Vagrants Vagrants & beggars were seen as most dangerous, they had no master so
owed obedience to no one, they roamed the countryside so could spread
rumours to muster discontent
What was the Royal court?
Followed the monarch everywhere
a place where nobles would come to seek patronage
What was the Royal Household?
Responsible for domestic needs of the monarch
‘The board of the green cloth’ controlled workers
What was the Privy Chamber?
, Private division of the household where only monarch and family lived
Very privileged to have a role in here
Changes to the HOUSEHOLD 1485-1603
HENRY VII As a usurper henry feared betrayal so used the privy chamber in a
way that restricted access to him
System of Chamber finance - he personally controlled & stored royal
income (following monarchs did not have the time to do this)
Created yeomen of the guard as bodyguards for the chamber
HENRY VIII Staff = ‘the gentlemen of the chamber’ - chamber filled with trusted
friends not servants
Gentlemen of the chamber had important roles, were sent on
diplomatic missions etc
They had great influence over the king
MARY & ELIZABETH Had Female chambers - the staff/ladies in waiting were influenced by
husbands nonetheless and in turn influenced the queens (e.g. under
Mary - Frances Waldegrave was married to Edward Waldegrave)
Under Elizabeth the role of the household declined - the council were
more influential
Changes to the role of the COUNCIL 1485-1603
Larger, informal body (over 200 attended)
Because Henry did not hold regular parliaments, his council played an important
role in advising him
HENRY VII
He also held ‘Great councils’ which included all of the nobility aswell as the usual
council (made nobility feel involved)
HENRY VII Council = 40 men
(Wolsey as chief 1926- Wolsey plans the Eltham Ordinances to reduce council to 20, but plans
came to nothing
minister)
he failed to get Henry his annulment = fall from chief minister
HENRY VIII (T.More) fails to recognise Anne Boelyn as queen = falls
HENRY VIII G.R Elton thinks Cromwell revolutionised government
(T.Cromwell) reduces council numbers 1536-37
more regular meetings John Guy thinks the developments were a response to the
1936-40 Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 & the real changes came with
more efficient
the reform of 1940
THE REFORM OF THE Henry’s reign up to 1540 had been dominated by Cromwell & Wolsey. The traditional
1485-1603
How effective were the key developments in Tudor government and
administration?
Early government:
Reliant on nobility to support rules - nobility ran the country
Monarchy limited due to Magna Carta (had to listen to baron’s opinions)
Church under control of the Pope in Rome
Societal hierarchy was based on the Great Chain of Being:
God
Monarch
Nobility The Nobility was made up of 40-60 men
The Gentry of about 5500
Gentry
Yeomen & artisans made up 60,000
Yeomen & Artisans
Peasants = most vunerable to social and economic changes, crisis would
Peasants result in unrest from them
Beggars & Vagrants Vagrants & beggars were seen as most dangerous, they had no master so
owed obedience to no one, they roamed the countryside so could spread
rumours to muster discontent
What was the Royal court?
Followed the monarch everywhere
a place where nobles would come to seek patronage
What was the Royal Household?
Responsible for domestic needs of the monarch
‘The board of the green cloth’ controlled workers
What was the Privy Chamber?
, Private division of the household where only monarch and family lived
Very privileged to have a role in here
Changes to the HOUSEHOLD 1485-1603
HENRY VII As a usurper henry feared betrayal so used the privy chamber in a
way that restricted access to him
System of Chamber finance - he personally controlled & stored royal
income (following monarchs did not have the time to do this)
Created yeomen of the guard as bodyguards for the chamber
HENRY VIII Staff = ‘the gentlemen of the chamber’ - chamber filled with trusted
friends not servants
Gentlemen of the chamber had important roles, were sent on
diplomatic missions etc
They had great influence over the king
MARY & ELIZABETH Had Female chambers - the staff/ladies in waiting were influenced by
husbands nonetheless and in turn influenced the queens (e.g. under
Mary - Frances Waldegrave was married to Edward Waldegrave)
Under Elizabeth the role of the household declined - the council were
more influential
Changes to the role of the COUNCIL 1485-1603
Larger, informal body (over 200 attended)
Because Henry did not hold regular parliaments, his council played an important
role in advising him
HENRY VII
He also held ‘Great councils’ which included all of the nobility aswell as the usual
council (made nobility feel involved)
HENRY VII Council = 40 men
(Wolsey as chief 1926- Wolsey plans the Eltham Ordinances to reduce council to 20, but plans
came to nothing
minister)
he failed to get Henry his annulment = fall from chief minister
HENRY VIII (T.More) fails to recognise Anne Boelyn as queen = falls
HENRY VIII G.R Elton thinks Cromwell revolutionised government
(T.Cromwell) reduces council numbers 1536-37
more regular meetings John Guy thinks the developments were a response to the
1936-40 Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 & the real changes came with
more efficient
the reform of 1940
THE REFORM OF THE Henry’s reign up to 1540 had been dominated by Cromwell & Wolsey. The traditional
