Changes in governance at the centre 3.1 HISTORY A - LEVEL ROUTE G:
Henry VII became king in 1485.
Monarchs were chosen by God
The monarch was reliant on nobility and gentry because they had no standing army or police
force, so they had to gather this.
There were 40-60 noble families under the Tudors
From 1500 – 1600 – the population doubled from 2 million to 4 million
Nobility families held 10% of the land available for cultivation
There were 5000 gentry families
Title of a knight 1485 – 375, 1558 – 600, 1603 – 550
People could rise to the ranks via service, marriage, or inheritance
People could fall through the ranks via political miscalculations and economic hardship
In 1600 – there were 60,000 yeomen
Yeomen were financially stable because they owned their own land and settlement and
were less affected by rent prices rising.
Retaining is the process where the nobility/gentry accumulate private armies without the
permission of the monarch.
Patronage is the distribution of land, services, and offices through direct access to the
monarch or the chief minister.
2/5th of the English population was living on the margin of subsistence.
Royal Court entertained and casually advised the monarch and were the closest to the
monarch. Often looking for patronage.
Royal Household – tended to the monarch’s domestic needs. Often grew and shrunk and
was controlled by the Board of Green Cloth. 1526 Thomas Wolsey placed restrictions on the
Royal Household’s size and needs but he did not have the permission of the monarch or
power to do this. Called the Eltham Ordinances.
Henry VII – 1485 – 1509
Henry VIII – 1509 – 1547
Edward VI – 1547 – 1553
Mary I – 1553 – 1558
Elizabeth I – 1558 – 1603
Vagrants were feared because they had no master and so no rules to follow. They could also
spread rumours and cause civil disturbance.
The formal institutions of government were financial, judicial, and council.
The informal institutions were the Royal Court and the Privy Chamber.
Henry VII – created personal bodyguards – Yeoman of the Guard – protected him while he
slept because he was a usurper king had many Ricardian.
Henry VII used the Privy Chamber to collect to store and monitor royal income. He
controlled the purse as he distrusted those around him. Controlling royal finances depended
on the monarch’s interest in monitoring the royal income.
The Privy Chamber was an important political hub for Henry and could influence him. He
created the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber in 1518. He had the Groom of the Stool who
was close to him and could gain more patronage from the monarch. Men in the Privy
, Chamber were often sent out to complete military expeditions against France and Scotland
from 1520 – 1525.
Dry stamp introduced in 1540s. It was an embossed stamp with the king’s signature that
would be stamped on documents. Whoever had it, had great power.
1540 faction was led by Edmund Seymour, Earl of Hertford, John Dudley, and Viscount of
Lisle who altered the king’s will and pulled more power, control, and influence on them.
The Privy Chamber changed under Elizabeth and Mary as women filled the roles of the Privy
Chamber. Political power moved to the Privy Council. Elements of power remained. Women
still could gain power and influence for their husbands e.g. Frances Waldegrave married
Edward Waldegrave.
Royal Council advised the monarch in a more formal setting. Also ran the day-to-day running
of the Council and led high profile cases in legal court for nobility.
Royal Council was larger and more informal under Henry VII, 1485 – 1503 – 200 men. Henry
VII was careful not to include too many who had served who under his predecessor. He only
had 20 men from Richard’s reign. Careful because he is a usurper. Commented on the public
mood and opinion of the country.
The Great Councils was a form of Royal Council created by Henry VII that advised the
monarch on taxation and war. Henry VII already knew his decisions about this, but he
wanted to create the impression that he was being collaborative and taking input from his
whole council. Held 5 in his reign e.g. - 1492 – about war with France.
Royal Council under Henry VIII. Held the help of senior nobility and religious figures such as
the Archbishop of Canterbury. Warham and Fox backed Henry VII’s policy of no frequent
foreign wars. But Henry VIII was a keen militarist and wanted to defeat his enemies France
and Scotland. Fox and Warham replaced with Thomas Wolsey, he gave Henry VIII his war in
France and claimed dominant power until 1529.
Royal council was large and informal still with 40 men. Thomad Wolsey tried to reduce this
to 20 in 1526 but denied with his Eltham Ordinances.
But in 1540 Wolsey’s visions materialised and the Royal Council became the Privy Council
and by Elizabeth’s reign it became responsible for the daily running of the country and legal
matters.
Royal Council -----> Privy Council in 1540
Reform of the Privy Council 1540 after the dismissal of Cromwell because he had wielded
power as Secretary and manipulated and influenced the king and earned him a lot of power.
The role of Secretary was the responsibility of the collective members so that no one person
could wield power as Wolsey or Cromwell had. The Role of chief minister was gone in the
succeeding reigns.
After 1540 membership to the council was more closed off and Henry VIII only allowed his
most trusted advisors.
Compared to Henry VII who had 200 men in his council, Henry VIII had 120 men in his Royal
Council.
After 1540 – Henry VIII had 20 in his Privy Council which had decreased from 40.
Membership under Eward VI changed. Underage and so was governed by Protector Duke of
Somerset, Edward Seymour. DoS made sure his family earned more influence, with his
Henry VII became king in 1485.
Monarchs were chosen by God
The monarch was reliant on nobility and gentry because they had no standing army or police
force, so they had to gather this.
There were 40-60 noble families under the Tudors
From 1500 – 1600 – the population doubled from 2 million to 4 million
Nobility families held 10% of the land available for cultivation
There were 5000 gentry families
Title of a knight 1485 – 375, 1558 – 600, 1603 – 550
People could rise to the ranks via service, marriage, or inheritance
People could fall through the ranks via political miscalculations and economic hardship
In 1600 – there were 60,000 yeomen
Yeomen were financially stable because they owned their own land and settlement and
were less affected by rent prices rising.
Retaining is the process where the nobility/gentry accumulate private armies without the
permission of the monarch.
Patronage is the distribution of land, services, and offices through direct access to the
monarch or the chief minister.
2/5th of the English population was living on the margin of subsistence.
Royal Court entertained and casually advised the monarch and were the closest to the
monarch. Often looking for patronage.
Royal Household – tended to the monarch’s domestic needs. Often grew and shrunk and
was controlled by the Board of Green Cloth. 1526 Thomas Wolsey placed restrictions on the
Royal Household’s size and needs but he did not have the permission of the monarch or
power to do this. Called the Eltham Ordinances.
Henry VII – 1485 – 1509
Henry VIII – 1509 – 1547
Edward VI – 1547 – 1553
Mary I – 1553 – 1558
Elizabeth I – 1558 – 1603
Vagrants were feared because they had no master and so no rules to follow. They could also
spread rumours and cause civil disturbance.
The formal institutions of government were financial, judicial, and council.
The informal institutions were the Royal Court and the Privy Chamber.
Henry VII – created personal bodyguards – Yeoman of the Guard – protected him while he
slept because he was a usurper king had many Ricardian.
Henry VII used the Privy Chamber to collect to store and monitor royal income. He
controlled the purse as he distrusted those around him. Controlling royal finances depended
on the monarch’s interest in monitoring the royal income.
The Privy Chamber was an important political hub for Henry and could influence him. He
created the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber in 1518. He had the Groom of the Stool who
was close to him and could gain more patronage from the monarch. Men in the Privy
, Chamber were often sent out to complete military expeditions against France and Scotland
from 1520 – 1525.
Dry stamp introduced in 1540s. It was an embossed stamp with the king’s signature that
would be stamped on documents. Whoever had it, had great power.
1540 faction was led by Edmund Seymour, Earl of Hertford, John Dudley, and Viscount of
Lisle who altered the king’s will and pulled more power, control, and influence on them.
The Privy Chamber changed under Elizabeth and Mary as women filled the roles of the Privy
Chamber. Political power moved to the Privy Council. Elements of power remained. Women
still could gain power and influence for their husbands e.g. Frances Waldegrave married
Edward Waldegrave.
Royal Council advised the monarch in a more formal setting. Also ran the day-to-day running
of the Council and led high profile cases in legal court for nobility.
Royal Council was larger and more informal under Henry VII, 1485 – 1503 – 200 men. Henry
VII was careful not to include too many who had served who under his predecessor. He only
had 20 men from Richard’s reign. Careful because he is a usurper. Commented on the public
mood and opinion of the country.
The Great Councils was a form of Royal Council created by Henry VII that advised the
monarch on taxation and war. Henry VII already knew his decisions about this, but he
wanted to create the impression that he was being collaborative and taking input from his
whole council. Held 5 in his reign e.g. - 1492 – about war with France.
Royal Council under Henry VIII. Held the help of senior nobility and religious figures such as
the Archbishop of Canterbury. Warham and Fox backed Henry VII’s policy of no frequent
foreign wars. But Henry VIII was a keen militarist and wanted to defeat his enemies France
and Scotland. Fox and Warham replaced with Thomas Wolsey, he gave Henry VIII his war in
France and claimed dominant power until 1529.
Royal council was large and informal still with 40 men. Thomad Wolsey tried to reduce this
to 20 in 1526 but denied with his Eltham Ordinances.
But in 1540 Wolsey’s visions materialised and the Royal Council became the Privy Council
and by Elizabeth’s reign it became responsible for the daily running of the country and legal
matters.
Royal Council -----> Privy Council in 1540
Reform of the Privy Council 1540 after the dismissal of Cromwell because he had wielded
power as Secretary and manipulated and influenced the king and earned him a lot of power.
The role of Secretary was the responsibility of the collective members so that no one person
could wield power as Wolsey or Cromwell had. The Role of chief minister was gone in the
succeeding reigns.
After 1540 membership to the council was more closed off and Henry VIII only allowed his
most trusted advisors.
Compared to Henry VII who had 200 men in his council, Henry VIII had 120 men in his Royal
Council.
After 1540 – Henry VIII had 20 in his Privy Council which had decreased from 40.
Membership under Eward VI changed. Underage and so was governed by Protector Duke of
Somerset, Edward Seymour. DoS made sure his family earned more influence, with his
