Society Flashcards
(44 cards)
What was society like at the end of the 15th century ?
- very layered
- little had changed from the feudal system
Which groups of people made up the most of society ?
-Landowners and senior churchmen
What group of people did society witness the growth of ?
- Bourgeoisie
- Became increasingly important in London and Bristol
What was the impact of the Black death on 15th century society?
- Increased economic pressures
- Increased social mobility
- Created alarm amongst conservative upper classes, who were attempting to uphold traditional values.
What did upper classes pass to uphold traditional values ?
- Sumptuary Laws
- Regulated how people should dress, depending on their social status
What was the nobility’s importance depended on ?
Their landownership
What were peerage families ?
- Members of nobility
- Died out on a regular basis but were replaced by those who bought the kings favour
- Crown relied on them for maintenance of order in countryside
Which two nobles did Henry VII trust ?
- Earl of Oxford
- Lord Daubney
What was Bastard Feudalism (Retaining) ?
- Key to the nobles power
- Nobles recruited people (retainers) for services
- Included accounting and military
- Retainers might have received rewards
Why didn’t Henry like Bastard Feudalism ?
- Could be used against the crown
- Could be used to bring unlawful influence on others in a court case
What was Henry cautious about with retaining ?
-Loyal retainers were essential to maintain the Crown’s security
What laws were passed against Retaining ?
- 1486- MP’s required to take an oath against legal retaining or being illegally retained
- 1487- law against retaining
- 1504- licenses for retaining, ordained by king in person
Who was fined for illegal retaining and how much ?
- Lord Bergavenny
- 1506
- £100,000
What was the role of the Gentry ?
- Great landowners
- Sought knighthoods
- Made up JP’s
- Not a fixed caste
How many knights were there in 1470 ?
375 knights 1470
Who was the most important member of the gentry ?
-Sir Reginald Bray
How much land did peers and knights own ?
15-20% of the country’s land
What was the role of Churchmen ?
- Church was a great landowner
- Religion was important
- Higher clergy like bishops, abbots or larger religious houses were important figures in politics
- Henry appointed bishops who had legal training
How did the Gentry vary ?
- Higher gentry has knighthood, coat of arms and lots of income
- Lower gentry were like yeomen
Who were the two most important Churchmen ?
- John Morton
- Richard Fox
Where was the king reluctant to appoint men from ?
-Aristocratic backgrounds
What was the top level of Commoner’s ?
- Middling Sort
- The Bourgeoisie
- Educated professionals (lawyers)
- Considerable influence
What was the lower level of Commoner’s ?
- Shopkeepers
- Skilled tradesmen
- Dominated town councils
- Played key role in guilds
What was the role of Yeomen ?
- Farmed substantial properties for an increasingly sophisticated market economy
- Had small amount of land
