Who dominated landownership?
Nobility- 50 or 60 men
What was the role of the nobility?
Crown often relied on peerage families to maintain order in the countryside
What was Henry VII’s attitude to the nobility?
Distrustful of the nobility as a class
How did Henry control the nobility?
Bonds and recognisances
Bastard feudalism- system where wealthy nobles recruited. Noblemen could use these retained men against the crown, so in 1487 a law against retaining was established
Who were below the peerage in status?
Gentry
What was the role of the gentry?
To assist in the administration of their localities
According to John Guy, how much of the country’s land did peers and knights own?
15-20%
What was the status of the Church?
At the lower Parish level: modestly rewarded for dealing with the ordinary folk’s spiritual needs
Important figures of the larger religious houses: entitled to sit in the House of Lords
What kind of men did Henry appoint as bishops?
Men with legal training and administrative competence e.g. John Morton and Richard Fox
Who were below the nobility, gentry, and higher clergy?
The commoners
Who was at the top level of the commoner group?
The middling sort- rich merchants and craftsmen
Who was at the lower level of the commoner group?
Shopkeepers and skilled tradesmen. Played a key role in organisations like guilds
