Society under Henry VIII - Elites and Commoners

Elites

• Traditional nobles and the greater gentry still represented a social elite which wielded considerable political and economic influence

• The nobility

• The gentry

• However Henry’s reign also saw the growth of a professional and commercial group

The nobility

• Size of peerage increased during Henry’s reign

• Henry bestowed property on nobles to enable them to exert royal authority in particular areas

• Such as the duke of Suffolk given property in Lincolnshire after the 1536 rebellion in order to exert authority in person

• Noble households were critical to maintain local influence

• Despite nobility increasing, it was brought under more control of the monarch

• More executions of noblity too for vague charges (Duke of Buckingham, 1521, Henry Courtenay, 1538)

• Most notable execution was Lords Darcy and Hussey for their role in the 1536 rebellion

The gentry

• Estimated that there were about 5000 gentry families in England in 1540

• Some aspects of gentry status were specific

• Knighthoods - sign of royal favour

• Gentleman - entitled to bear a coat of arms + deemed an esquire

• However the term gentleman lacked legal precision

• Number of gentry increased during Henry’s reign

• Increase in JPs, and members of gentry were keen on their sons aquiring legal training so they could take on better roles for local advancement

Commoners

• Little change in the standard of living of commoners in the first half of Henry’s reign

• However rise in inflation rate led to drop in real incomes which contributed to the ill feeling commoners felt towards imposition of the Amicable Grant

• Meaning people had less chance of regular and secure employment

• Government was fearful of commoners due to their common outbreaks of disorder - upseting the order of society