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Flashcards in 8 - Government + Parliament Deck (30)
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1
Q

Outline how the General system of governance changed under Henry VIII

A
1509-1514 = Council 
1514-1529 = Chief Minister Wolsey (more personal rule)
1529-1532 = Council
1532-1540 = Chief Minister Cromwell (more bureaucratic rule)
1540-1547 = Council (smaller - 20 - with factional rivalries)
2
Q

What was the role of the Household in governance under Henry VIII?

A
  • No direct role in governance

- Played a role through advising + influencing the King’s decisions

3
Q

What was the most important part of the Royal Household in Henry VIII’s government? Why?

A
  • Privy Chamber

- Closest to King, so had most influence over decisions

4
Q

What was the initial role of the Privy Chamber in governance? How did this change?

A

Initially

  • Filled with ‘minions’ chosen by the King
  • Alternative advisors away from the control of the Chief Minister

Changed

  • Wolsey tried twice to reduce their influence
    1) Tried to replace them with his Gentleman of the Privy Chamber (1519)
    2) Reduced size of the Privy Chamber (1526)
5
Q

Who made the greatest change to the Privy Chamber? Why?

A

Wolsey

- He didn’t like the ‘minions’ acting as alternative advisors to the King, beyond his control

6
Q

How did the role of Parliament change under Henry VIII?

A

Initially:

  • Used for money (extraordinary revenue)
  • Used infrequently (not very important)

Changed:

  • Used for legislation, consultation + money (more similar to modern)
  • Used more frequently (more important)
7
Q

What event changed the role of Parliament in government?

A

Break with Rome

- Used the ‘Reformation Parliament’ (1529-1536)

8
Q

Give a statistic to show the less important role of Parliament in the first half of Henry VIII’s reign

A

Only 4 Parliaments called between 1509 and 1529

9
Q

As the role of Parliament increased in government, what law became most important?

A

Statute law (rather than divine law)

10
Q

What are the 2 main domestic policies to think about in Henry VIII’s government?

A
  • Financial policy

- Law and order policy

11
Q

What was the main goal of the financial policies taken by Wolsey + Cromwell?

A

To raise as much revenue as possible to keep up with the King’s spending (particularly on war)

12
Q

What were the 5 main financial steps taken under Wolsey to try to raise revenue?

A

1) Tudor Subsidy (1513 onwards)
2) General Proscription (1522)
3) Request to increase Tudor Subsidy (1523)
4) Amicable Grant (1525)
5) Eltham Ordinances (1526)

13
Q

What was the Tudor Subsidy (1513 onwards)?

A
  • Financial policy under Wolsey
  • Change to the way taxes were paid (amount individuals owe calculated by a national committee that Wolsey headed, not by local commissioners - less biased to nobility)
  • Taxes paid based more fairly on tax + income
14
Q

What was the General Proscription (1522)?

A
  • Financial policy under Wolsey
  • National survey to assess population’s taxable wealth
  • Allowed for a more efficient Tudor Subsidy
15
Q

What happened when Wolsey tried to increase the Tudor Subsidy in 1523?

A
  • Tried to increase taxes to get the £800,000 needed for the French War
  • Parliament denied Wolsey’s request
16
Q

Why did Wolsey choose to do the Amicable Grant in 1525?

A
  • He needed to raise revenue for Henry’s wars
  • Had to take this route of not getting parliamentary approval because they had barred his attempt to raise the Tudor Subsidy
17
Q

What was the Amicable Grant (1525)?

A
  • Financial policy under Wolsey
  • Heavy tax levied without parliamentary approval to fund the French war
  • Up to 1/6 tax on secular goods + 1/3 tax on church goods
18
Q

Was the Amicable Grant successful?

A

No

  • Only raised £300,000 of the £800,000 needed for French war
  • Caused small rebellion
19
Q

What was the response to the Amicable Grant (1525)?

A

Opposition by the public

  • Many refused to pay
  • Small rebellion (4000 unemployed cloth workers in Norfolk + Suffolk who couldn’t afford to pay)

Henry ordered the end of the Grant + made Wolsey take the blame

20
Q

What were the Eltham Ordinances (1526)?

A
  • Financial policy under Wolsey

- Set of reforms to the Privy Council (gov) + Privy Chamber (household) to reduce spending

21
Q

What was the reason aside from trying to gain more revenue that encouraged Wolsey to do the Eltham Ordinances (1526)?

A

To gain a political benefit

  • Reduction in number of Gentleman of the Privy Chamber (12 to 6), so there was less alternative influence on Henry
  • Replacement of the Groom of the Stool (Henry’s most intimate servant) to Henry Norris who was compliant to Wolsey
22
Q

What changes did Cromwell make to the financial system?

A

Tried to reorganise the system into organised, thoroughly recorded departments to boost revenue

23
Q

What were the 3 most important financial departments made by Cromwell?

A
  • Court of Augmentations (to deal with land + finances previously controlled by Rome)
  • Court of First Fruit and Tenths (to deal with annates previously sent to Rome)
  • Court of Wards (to deal with money from the estate of a minor)
24
Q

What is ‘The Elton Thesis’?

A

Theory that Cromwell was a skilled politician who masterminded a ‘revolution in government’ to shift from medieval to modern government

25
Q

What are the 5 branches of the ‘Elton Thesis’ (ways Cromwell supposedly improved governance)?

A

1) Reorganisation of central gov (Privy Council smaller - 20 highly trained men)
2) Reorganisation of financial system (bureaucratic system using departments to replace Chamber system)
3) Changed relationship between Church and State (‘Church-in-State’ to replace ‘Church and State’)
4) Revolutionised role of Parliament
5) Extension of royal authority into the regions

26
Q

Define statute law

A

Law made by the King + Parliament

27
Q

Why has the Elton Thesis been disputed?

A

Some say Cromwell had no ‘masterplan’ he was just reactive to events at the time

28
Q

Does the Elton Thesis describe Cromwell positively or negatively?

A

Positively (in contrast to previous more cold descriptions)

29
Q

Which Chief Minister is viewed as being more of a servant to Henry VIII?

A

More servant = Cromwell

More independent = Wolsey (‘second King’)

30
Q

Summarise how Law + Order policy changed under Wolsey

A

?