success of wolsey's domestic policies 1515-29

what are typically the focuses of exam questions involving wolsey’s domestic policies?

• extent of success/failure (greatest focus)

• which of wolsey’s legal reforms was the greatest success?

• effectiveness of the governing of england

domestic policy

policy concerning what happens within a country - economy, society, finance, law and order, religion

what judgement can be made of wolsey’s domestic policies?

• DID NOT transform policy

• focuses on changing aspects of royal policy that dissatisfied him, didn’t restructure entire system

  • dissatisfied by aspects of government that were inefficient or undermined his power

• influenced by humanist interest in ‘good government’

what were wolsey’s main aims in domestic policy?

• ensure justice

• create efficient and fair taxation system

• protect commoners from enclosure and profiteering

• create opportunities to demonstrate royal splendor in england and europe

• political stability, avoid rebellions using law and order

• modernise running of the church and resist religious reform

  • remove opposition and further OWN position

what were the 4 key areas of wolsey’s domestic policies?

• tackle the problem of slow and unfair delivery of justice

• enhance crown finances

• tackle the problem of enclosure

• perform moderate reforms of the church

what are two opposing interpretations that can be made about the motivations of wolsey’s domestic policies?

• ‘energetically set about modernising policies’ & championed interests of commoners and the poor

• used policies to further his own interest and strenghten his own position, had little impact

what is the best conclusion to make about the motivations of wolsey’s domestic policies?

ultimately suggest a genuine attempt to bring about improvements to society BUT largest gains made in areas that benefitted him personally

how did wolsey attempt to reform the slow, unfair judicial system?

• took legal responsibility seriously, heard cases personally

• 1516 - extended role of star chamber, anyone could bring case before court. VERY popular

• court of chancery used to uphold fair justice instead of previously significant biased system of common law justice

• reforms made legal system fairer, primarily to lower ranks

what specific evidence can be given to show the increased efficiency (success) of the star chamber from 1516 onwards?

dealt with 120 cases per annum instead of 12 cases per year under the rule of henry vii

what problems arose from wolsey’s reforms of the judicial system?

• star chamber quickly became overwhelmed with rapidly increased caseload, became increasingly inefficient

• acted as contributory factor for gradually building resentment from the nobility towards wolsey, slowly stripped them of priviledges that came from unfair judicial system

why did wolsey make the specific reforms to the judicial system? what were his motivations?

• wanted to gain favour of the public → enjoyed availability of the courts of appeal, differed from previous council learned

  • reduces threat of opposition to king AND wolsey

• championed the poor in legal reforms as a means to undermine land owners and the nobility, reduced threat of opposition in the short term

how did wolsey attempt to enhance crown finances? how did they work?

• 1515 act of resumption - returned some of the crown lands given away to nobles at the beginning of henry viii’s reign

• 1523 - new subsidy introduced, used national commitee to determine wealth of taxpayers

• 1525 amicable grant - to raise money for war with france without parliament’s approval

• 1526 eltham ordinances - reform finances of the privy chamber and court by decreasing household expenditure

what was wolsey’s true intention with the 1526 eltham ordinances?

• supposedly decreased household expenditure

• used it to reduce the number of gentlemen of the privy chamber AND replace the groom of the stool

  • new groom of the stool was more compliant henry norris

• reduced the influence of the minions on henry and minimised range of advise given to henry, thus increasing his own importance

what were successes of wolsey’s domestic policies to enhance crown finances?

• 1515 act of resumption - increased crown incomes and damaged the interests of the nobility, reduced the threat of opposition short term

• 1523 new subsidy - national committee made system more efficient and fairer

• able to raise £322,099 in subsidies, £240,000 in clerical taxes, £260,000 in forced loans

• 1526 eltham ordinances - more compliant henry norris became groom of the stool → increasing efficiency of government

how much money was wolsey able to raise through his various financial reforms?

• £322,099 in subsidies

• £240,000 in clerical taxes

• £260,000 in forced loans

what were the failures of wolsey’s domestic policies to enhance crown finances?

• 1515 act of resumption - damaged the interests of the nobility, destabilising wolsey’s position through deep rooted resentment and unpopularity. needed support of nobility for war with france

• 1523 new subisidy - failed to raise enough revenue to henry’s war with france, did raise some though

• crown expenditure was £1.7 million between 1509 and 1520

• entire’s year of revenue was spent on 1509 christmas celebrations

• 1525 amicable grant - raised funding w/o approval of parliament, sparked widespread resistance and near rebellions, only benefitted the crown

• 1526 eltham ordinances - despite removal from power, minions recovered their influence in the long run

what was the royal household expenditure between 1509 and 1520? what is one occasion of extreme spending?

• 1509 to 1520 expenditure was £1.7 million

• 1509 christmas celebrations cost an entire year’s revenue

how did wolsey attempt to tackles the problem of enclosure?

• 1517 enclosure commission

• 1526 - debased the coinage in order to stimulate exports

how did the 1517 enclosure commission work?

• created a national enquiry of how much land was enclosed and its societal effects

• legal cases were drawn up against some landlords

what were the successes of wolsey’s attempts to tackle the problem of enclosure?

• 1526 debasement of the currency DID stimulate exports as initially though

what were the failures of wolsey’s attemps to tackle the problem of enclosure?

• 1517 enclosure commission

  • legal enquiries were largely suspended due to opposition from parliament

  • enclosure and vagrancy were not reduced

• 1526 debasement of the coinage → stimulated exports → increased inflation → drove england into a depression in 1520s → price rises had significant impact on the poor

what argument can be made about wolsey’s motivations to tackle the problem of enclosure?

• 1517 enclosure commission → may have been an attempt to damage the interest of his enemies rather than help the poor, reducing his opposition

• price rises and societal depression as a consequence of debasing the currency would’ve weakened his opposition, benefitting wolsey and member’s of high society

how did wolsey attempt to reform the english church?

• ordered inspection of religious houses to check for corruptions

• ordered closure of 30 religious houses

• sacked 8 heads of monasteries, accused of poor management and corruptions

• encouraged henry to take stand against protestantism

what specific statistics can be used to describe wolsey’s minimal reforms of the church?

• closed 30 religious orders

• sacked 8 heads of monastery

what motivations did wolsey had in reforming the english church?

• used token gestures of altering the church, in own self interest of reducing opposition while still being moderate enough to maintain good relations with the pope, in hopes of gaining a promotion within the church

• closure of 30 religious order appeared to minimise corruptions → minimal, didn’t project image of dysfunctional church or upset the pope. allowed him to establish cardinal college, enhanced own prestige

what were the successes of wolsey’s reforms of the english church?

• inspections of religious houses for corruptions → appeared to be modernising

• closure of 30 religious orders → minimises corruption, maintains relations with the pope, preserves image of the church in the eyes of the public

• sacked 8 heads of monasteries, accused of poor management and corruption

• stand against Protestantism → good relations with the pope

what were the failures/ hypocrisy in wolsey’s reform of the church?

• personally collected church titles for own financil gain and associated power → can be accused of pluralism

  • archbishop of york £3000 p/a

  • bishop of bath, wells, durham and winchester

• could be seen as too busy to properly exercise his duty and fulfil his responsibilities

• could be accused of failing to modernise the church, leaving it open to criticism and accusations of corruption