Monarchy,Nobility and Gentry

Question 1

What was Tudor society based on?

Answer 1

It was based on hierarchy and each person had their rank and was supposed to be obedient to their social superior.

Question 2

What was the order of the hierarchy in Tudor society?

Answer 2

1. God
2. The Monarchy
3. The Nobility
4. The Gentry
5. Yeomen and Artisans
6. Peasants
7. Vagrants and Beggars

Question 3

What was the importance of the royal court?

Answer 3

so followed the monarch, important for display and entertainment – informal source of power
 Ambitious nobility, gentry come to court in order to expand their power through patronage
 Also important for the monarch – emphasise power and wealth to visitors through elaborate displays.

Question 4

What was the domestic needs of the royal household?

Answer 4

so body of people responsible for the monarchs domestic needs – kitchens, laundries, gardens; menial servants
 Grew and shrank according to personal needs of the monarch
 Occasional attempts to reform and reduce the size of the Household – Eltham Ordinances in 1526, attempt by Wolsey
to restrict access to the monarch.

Question 5

What was the Privy Chamber?

Answer 5

Privy Chamber (personal access to monarch) was a series of rooms where the king and his family lived.
Living arrangements in Hampton Court Palace structured in a way that restricted access to the monarch.

Question 6

What did the Eltham Ordinances do?

Answer 6

The Eltham Ordinances were designed to reduce the amount of money the royal household spent e.g. reducing the number of Privy Chamber members

Question 7

How did Henry VII use the Privy Chamber?

Answer 7

Used Privy Chamber to restrict access to monarch – created the Yeomen of the Guard, used Chamber to collect and store royal income (access to money, but reliant on a monarch’s ability and interest in controlling income).

Question 8

How did Henry VIII use the Privy Chamber?

Answer 8

David Starkey’s work shows it became an important political hub – Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, Groom of the Stool (William Compton), positions filled by trusted friends also employed in ‘formal’ areas of government’ -intimate and physical contact with Henry, opportunity to build power through access to the monarch
 Access to the Dry Stamp – in the 1540s Edward Seymour and John Dudley gained access, which enabled them to make alterations to the king’s will in their favour in 1547, bringing them increased power in government

Question 9

How did Mary use the Privy Chamber?

Answer 9

 Role declined in importance as filled by women, such as Frances Waldegrave and Frances Jerningham (Catholic sympathies and married to male member’s of the Household).
 Mary kept more control of the Chamber – access to Dry Stamp kept under lock and key.

Question 10

How did Elizabeth use the Privy Chamber

Answer 10

 Role declined in importance as filled by women, such as Frances Waldegrave and Frances Jerningham (Catholic
sympathies and married to male member’s of the Household).
 Under Elizabeth, members of the Household were members of her Council – political decisions made through formal body of the Council, rather than an informal Chamber.

Question 11

Overall describe the trend for the Privy Chamber?

Answer 11

grew in political importance, then declined.