Work & Impact of Council in Wales & Marches

Question 1

Question 1
When was the Council of Wales first re-established?

Answer 1

Edward IV re-established it in 1472, initially to manage the land & finances of the Prince of Wales.

Question 2

Question 2
How did the Council of Wales’ remit expand in 1473?

Answer 2

Began maintaining law & order in Wales, adding judicial functions.

Question 3

Question 3
How effective was the Council of Wales before Henry VII’s reign?

Answer 3

• Met sporadically, serving mainly as an appeal body for Welsh landowners.
• Its weakness was evident when Henry Tudor marched through Wales unchallenged in 1485.

Question 4

Question 4
Why did Henry VII re-establish the Council of Wales in 1493?

Answer 4

• Needed to restore stability following the Wars of the Roses.
• Used it to strengthen royal control & enforce law and order.

Question 5

Question 5
Who did Henry VII place in charge of the Council of Wales?

Answer 5

Jasper Tudor, to oversee governance in Wales.

Question 6

Question 6
How did the Marcher Lords affect the Council of Wales’ authority?

Answer 6

• Marcher Lords retained significant power, often ignoring or corrupting Council rulings.
• Imposed the practice of ‘cymhortha’, requiring mandatory gifts from their subjects.

Question 7

Question 7
Who led the Council of Wales?

Answer 7

A President, appointed by the monarch, often a noble or prominent figure.

Question 8

Question 8
Who assisted & advised the President?

Answer 8

Councillors from Welsh gentry, high clergy & English nobility.

Question 9

Question 9
What types of issues did the Council of Wales handle?

Answer 9

• Legal disputes.
• Land tenure & taxation.
• Law enforcement & maintaining stability in Wales.

Question 10

Question 10
What role did the Council of Wales play in Welsh governance?

Answer 10

• Ensured enforcement of English law in Wales.
• Provided justice, particularly for the poor, who couldn’t afford legal representation.
• Despite corruption, justice remained the overriding principle.

Question 11

Question 11
Why did the Council of Wales gain more power after 1526?

Answer 11

Concerns about the unruly nature of Wales led to increased royal intervention.

Question 12

Question 12
Who became President of the Council in 1534?

Answer 12

Rowland Lee, Bishop of Lichfield.

Question 13

Question 13
Why was Rowland Lee a significant figure?

Answer 13

• Played a key role in the Break with Rome.
• Conducted Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn.
• Established iron control over the Council, using extreme force against Welshmen.
• Coordinated border & coastal defences.

Question 14

Question 14
How did Lee alter Welsh governance?

Answer 14

• Replaced Welsh judges with English judges.
• Introduced Primogeniture inheritance laws, dismantling Welsh traditions.
• Opposed the Acts of Union, believing Welsh should not have English rights.

Question 15

Question 15
Who were other notable Presidents of the Council?

Answer 15

• Sir Henry Sidney.
• Sir Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke.

Question 16

Question 16
When was Sir Henry Sidney the President of the Council of Wales?

Answer 16

1560 - 1586.

Question 17

Question 17
When was Sir Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke the President of the Council of Wales?

Answer 17

1586 - 1602.

Question 18

Question 18
Why was Sir Henry Sidney a notable President of the Council of Wales?

Answer 18

Strengthened governance; viewed the Council as a potential model for Imperialism, particularly amid Irish conflicts.

Question 19

Question 19
Why was Sir Henry Herbert, Earl of Pembroke a notable President of the Council of Wales?

Answer 19

Promoted education, establishing English grammar schools in Wales.

Question 20

Question 20
What was the new name for the Council after the Acts of Union?

Answer 20

Council of Wales & the Marches.

Question 21

Question 21
Where was the new base of the Council of Wales & the Marches.

Answer 21

Ludlow, England.

Question 22

Question 22
Who led the Council of Wales after the Acts of Union?

Answer 22

• A President appointed by the monarch.
• Advised by councillors from the nobility or gentry.

Question 23

Question 23
How did the Council of Wales enforce governance?

Answer 23

• Oversaw legal & administrative matters across Wales, including Marcher Lord territories.
• Reported directly to the Privy Council, strengthening royal authority.
• Had the power to establish courts & appoint judges, applying English law in Wales.
• Imposed English customs, language & taxation policies.
• Received legal recognition in 1542, ensuring consistent application of its authority.

Question 24

Question 24
How did English rule affect Welsh identity?

Answer 24

• Suppressed Welsh traditions, particularly legal customs & governance.
• Welsh autonomy was lost, replaced with English administrative control.

Question 25

Question 25 Why was the Council seen as a prototype for colonial administration?

Answer 25

Demonstrated England’s ability to impose centralized rule on regional territories, later influencing imperial governance models.