Patronage Flashcards
1
Q
Henry VII
How did he use it sparingly?
A
- Reluctant to promote and extend the power of nobility - as shown by the number of representatives dropping from 55 to 42 as he preferred to use a small group of trusted nobility, gentry and lawyers to control localities.
- Henry’s uncle Jasper Tudor controlled Wales and Marches on his behalf - promoted from Earl of Pembroke to Duke of Bedford. Henry regained title and the land after Jasper died childless, increasing his wealth and control over the localities.
2
Q
Henry VII
Example of him rewarding administrators
A
- Sir Reginald Bay, typically used their positions within government to build up land, power and influence.
- As a royal councillor and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, he acquired 18 counties and an income of at least £1,000 per annum.
3
Q
Henry VII
Rewarding the most loyal
A
- Strict policy of rewarding only the most faithful, so patronage was dependent on service, rather than long-standing titles and lands. Nobility like the Duke of Norfolk competed for king’s favour.
- Fought against Henry in the Battle of Bosworth and he forfeited his land and title to be imprisoned. However, by not joining the 1497 rebellion against H, Norfolk was released. Gained some estates in East Anglia and his title in 1513 after running the North for Henry (no connections or power) and leading Henry’s army to victory in Flodden.
4
Q
Was Henry VII successful in controlling the localities via patronage
A
Successful - as after 1497, there was no rebellion against him but there was resentment of his reign voiced publicly after he died.
5
Q
Henry VIII
politicised chamber
A
- Notoriously generous with his grants and rewards - relationship with the nobility changed.
- An increasingly politicised Chamber - such informality gave Council members more opportunities to influence the king.
- Sir William Compton (Groom of the Stool) raised his income from his estates from £10 a year to nearly £1,700 a year through grants of royal lands and offices. It allowed his grandson to be promoted into the peerage by Elizabeth I.
6
Q
Henry VIII
undermined the power of trad nob
A
- Nobility men now owned positions to court over estates.
- Cromwell started in royal service through Wolsey’s patronage and administrators like William Paget and Thomas Writhesley became barons and earls because of their legal expertise.
7
Q
Henry VIII
Growth of the royal estates
A
- Nobility income rose from 6-9% but the crown’s income rose from 9-27% = sales of monastic land strengthened royal position, creating a group of gentry and nobility that supported royal supremacy and the break from Rome.
- EXAMPLE = Duke of Buckingham, member of a northern family distrusted by Henry, was executed in 1521, fortifying his lands in Wales to the King.
8
Q
Issues of Henry VIII’s patronage
A
- Relied on the presence of a strong, active and decisive monarch - placing reliable men in charge, esp. due to ambitious courtiers seeking to advance their own careers.
- Could cause jealousy and political instability = Edward Seymour and Duke of Norfolk fought over the Reformation, but Seymour won - made himself Lord Protector/Duke of Somerset and had access to Edward VI and his patronage. So, he rewarded his own supporters like John Dudley.
- Created almost too powerful nobility = yet, Seymour’s power rested on his Court influence; when this failed - he couldn’t sustain this position. His replacement, John Dudley, couldn’t overturn the royal succession in 1553. Both unable to lead an army and executed for treason.
- Yet, HVIII’s patronage created loyalty + weakened trad nobility power.
9
Q
Elizabeth
Complex system
A
- Groups who had multiple roles, led by William Cecil, drew their power and influence from their close relationship with the Queen. E.G Cecil was a JP in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire and the Earl of Bedford acted as JP in Devon and Cornwall.
- Unmarried = had favs who she had flirtuatious relationships to keep control. Rob Dudley - potential husband, the Master of the Horse, owned considerable lands in the Midlands and Wales.
- Kept it in her own hands = allowed Dudley and Cecil to develop their own networks, but these were based on the quality of trust and access to the Queen. By distributing patronage fairly between these two potential rivals - able to maintain political stability until the 1590s.
10
Q
How Liz extended royal powers into the North
A
- As Wales were subdued by the Russell and Dudley families - deprived traditional northern nobles of their position to subdue their fear of a northern invasion.
- Thomas Percy (Earl of Northumberland) held Catholic sympathies and was untrusted to be loyal to the Protestant Reformation. By removing Northerners and placing trustworthy southern ‘outsiders’ to the North, like her cousin, Lord Hundson in charge of the key fortress of Berwick, Percy lost the Middle Marches and it extended royal power to the North.
11
Q
How did Liz extending powers into the North backfire?
A
- Caused resentment among the northern nobility - led to a Court-based plot against Cecil, boiling over into the N.E Revolt in 1569. Appeared detrimental but it was beneficial in order to permanently destroy the power of the traditional northern nobility.
- Solved the issue by gifting the forfeited land and offices to loyal nobles and gentry and reformed the Council of the North to be loyal to the Queen to enforce a crackdown on recusancy and promote Protestantism. Improved the Northern Govt, esp regarding provision of poor relief. Therefore, the North posed no further threat to Liz.
12
Q
Problems with Liz’s patronage
A
- Ageing Queen - lost control of govt as many of her most trusted councillors (Dudley and Walsinham) had died or aging (Cecil).
- Two new, ambitious members rose = Robert Cecil and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Caused a repeated rivalry over patronage, like in the 1540s, and serious political tension until the end of Liz’s reign - culminating in Essex’s rebellion and execution in 1601.
- Essex’s failed rebellion showed that if mismanaged, patronage causes instability. But, the fact there was no opposition shows their role now was completely reliant on access to the monarch at court.
