Who did the king rely on to exercise power on his behalf?
Well placed members of the nobility
Where was magnate control largely confined to?
The north of England
The Stanleys in the northwest
The earl of Northumberland in the northeast and Yorkshire
What did the murder of the earl of Northumberland in 1489 mean for henry?
He was left without a great magnate to exercise power
Released the Yorkist earl of Surrey from the tower for service in the north- loyal in this role for 10 years
What demonstrates Henry’s lack of trust in those such as the marquis of Dorset ?
Henry employed a spying network who had to report on magnate performance
Imposed bonds and recognisances
What did justices of the peace do?
Maintain law and order in the countryside
Responsible for routine administration such as: ale house regulation, tax assessments
Who were most JPs?
Local gentry who did their unpaid tasks out of a sense of duty or to access advancement or local prestige
How did Henry use bonds and recognisances to restore law and order?
Forced many of his subjects to take out bonds and recognisances
Some B and Rs a result of genuine debts owed to the crown
Many purely political: the king wished ‘to have many persons in danger at his pleasure’- Edmund Dudley
