Henry VIII - English Society

What was the situation with the Nobility? (1)

- 9 more peers by the end of H8's reign than at the beginning, most new peers achieved their ranks through loyal service.

- Some ranks were enhanced by close family relationships, for example Thomas Seymour, the King's brother-in-law, elevated to Earl of Hertford (later Duke of Somerset).

- England only had one Duke in 1509, Duke of Buckingham.

- Property was bestowed upon Nobles the ensure he could exert royal authority in particular areas, for example the Duke of Suffolk was given land in Lincoln after the Pilgrimage of Grace (1536-37).

What was the situation with the Nobility? (2)

- Baron Joyhn Russell given land in the South West after execution of the Marquess of Exeter.

- Nobles remained critical for maintenance of local influence & to raise the recruitment of the Royal Army (Earl of Shrewsburgy raised over 4,00 men for invasion of France, 1513).

- More power was brought to the crown, 1541 - Thomas Fiennes, Baron Dacre of the South trial and executed like a common criminal.

What was the situation with the Gentry?

- Around 5,000 gentry families in England in 1540.

- 200 knightly families in 1524.

- Increase in the number of Gentry and JP's within H8's reign, increased the number of people who participated in local administration.

What was the situation with the Commoners?

- Little change in first half of H8's reign.

- Inflation led to drop in real wages, contributed towards the ill feelings towards the Amicable Grant (1525).

- Most people lived in rural communities where they mostly worked as free self-sufficient peasant smallholders.

- There were some commers such as Yeoman who farmed for profit than subsistence.

What happened with Wales during the reign?

- Laws in Wales Act of 1536:

+ Divided Wales in shire counties, operated on same basis on English counterparts.

+ Gave Wales under the same legal framework as England.

- Brought Wales under the same legal framework as England.

- Wales increasingly controlled by an increasingly anglicised Welsh aristocracy and gentry.

- In practise this meant that Wales became incorporated into England.

- Members of the Aristocracy, such the Earls of Pembroke, & MPs of anglicised Welsh gentry controlled the country.

What happened with the English Palatinates during the Reign?

- 3 English counties - Lancashire, Cheshire & Durham, technically under separate jurisdictions from the rest of the Kingdom.

- Lancashire and Cheshire had fallen back into royal control, Durham still ran by the Bishop

- Act of Resuming Liberties to the Crown 1536 - reduced the level of influence the Bishop of Durham wielded.

- Highlights H8's meticulous attempts to establish control over all echelons and parts of society.

What was the situations with the Anglo-Welsh border?

- From 1536, the lands were governed as a part of Wales along with four bordering counties (Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire) came under the Jurisdiction of Wales and the Marches.

- It was based in Ludlow in Shropshire.

- This offered the area relatively cheap and local access to the law.

What was the situation with the Anglo-Scottish Border?

- The Border was difficult to police, because of it's remoteness & was often inhospitable in the winter months.

- Both sides had a reputations for lawlessness. Cattle & Sheep rustling were rife & violence was common.

- The borders was split into 3 marshes with the jurisdiction of a warden.

+ Henry appointed local officers from the gentry class or who were complete outsiders.

- These groups were more likely to be loyal to the King than local magnets, but had limited ability to influence to influence local people since they had primary loyalty to a local magnet.

What was the situation with the council of the North?

- The North posed problems of governance to a government based in London.

- After the pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, Henry and Cromwell re-established it as a permanent body based in York with a professional staff.

- It had both administrative and legal functions.

- It helped to keep the North quiet during the summer of rebellion in 1549.

- The appointed of Southerners to the Council was resented by Northerners.