Henry's government, judiciary and finance Flashcards
(48 cards)
Important people
John Morton - Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Chancellor
Richard Fox - Bishop of Winchester, Lord Privy Seal
Sir Reginald Bray - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Role and structure of the King’s Council
Dealt with disputes between nobility as well as politically sensitive cases (e.g Lord Dudley brough before council for rioting)
Made up of gentry, churchmen and nobility
Small council - efficient
King sat in on important sessions
1497 - post of Lord President of the Council created to oversee when Henry was busy
Role and structure of the Great Council
Advised the King on important matters of foreign policy and internal security (e.g. authorised 1496 grant of £120,000 for war in Scotland)
Big council - around 200 people
Council Learned in Law
Dealt with fines and bonds and recognisances
Headed by Empson and Dudley
Ruthlessly efficient, hated by the nobility
Court of the Star Chamber
Introduced in 1487 with the aim to reestablish law and order after the Wars of the Roses
Acted as a court of appeal for victims of crime (e.g dealt with many cases of enclosure)
Local government
Henry tried to reassert royal authority in the counties by reintroducing sheriffs and JPs
Parliament
Henry VII didn’t use Parliament much - only 7 times in his reign, compared to 46 times under Edward IV
Recognised his entitlement to the throne, granted tonnage and poundage, passed Acts of Attainder, voted on taxes
Court of the King’s Bench
Highest and most important court in the kingdom and could override judgements by any other court
Mainly dealt with land disputes
Not very effective, met for no more than 3 months a year, 3 hours per day
Court of Chancery
Expanded under Henry VII
Dealt with contracts, land holding and interpreting wills
Cases assessed by one of the King’s ministers, asserting royal authority
Usually quick in decision making
The Assizes
Travelling criminal court held in each county once every six months
Very inefficient, cases could take years to be completed
Shire Courts
Run by JPs, held 4x a year
Main criminal courts under Henry VII
Manorial court
Local, low-level court settling civil matters like cattle wounding or damage to crops
JPs
About 18 per county, given more power by Henry VII
1487 - could grant bail to people awaiting trial
1495 - could vert juries and replace those they thought to be bribed
Regional councils
Council of the North - sat in York, headed by Reginald Bray
Council of Wales - ensured royal law upheld, headed by Jasper Tudor and Prince Arthur
How much money was Henry VII bringing in from his estates in 1486?
Only a little over £12,000 in comparison to Richard III’s £25,000
How did Henry reform his financial system from the end of 1487?
Restored the chamber system as the heart of financial administration.
What did Henry’s Privy Chamber deal with in terms of finance?
Transfer of revenue from crown lands, feudal dues, profits of justice and the French pension (from T of Etaples)
Treasurers of the Chamber under Henry VII
Sir Thomas Lovell (until 1492), then Sir John Heron
How did Henry VII use the Church as a source of revenue?
Gave Henry £25,000 at the start of his reign
Henry was able to sell off positions (e.g. Archdeaconry of Buckingham for £300)
When a bishop died, Henry could leave the position vacant for a while to take the revenue himself - got £6,000p.a from this
What were commissioned loans and how did Henry VII use them as a source of revenue?
Loans usually collected from the nobility.
Henry borrowed approximately £203,000 from nobles during his reign.
How did Henry use customs duties as a source of revenue?
Tonnage and poundage granted in first Parliament
Henry got around £40,000p.a. for this (however, EdIV got £70,000 - not really Henry’s fault as there was an increase in smuggling in this period)
How did Henry VII use benevolences as a source of revenue?
Forced loans from nobility to the king.
e.g. 1491 - Henry raised £48,000 in benevolences due to war w/ France
How did Henry use wardships as a source of revenue?
Took payment from inheritance, could sell wardship, when the child becomes an adult, they have to pay the king to recover their coat of arms/livery
How did Henry use special feudal tax?
Tax paid by nobles on special occasions
e.g. nobles paid £30,000 when Prince Arthur was knighted in 1489
