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Why did Edward IV try to exert power and authority as king?
Edward IV tried to exert power and authority as king in order to bring back a semblance of good governance to England.
How did Edward IV re-assert royal authority during his reign?
His reign saw the re-assertion of royal authority through the use of new men (Lord Hastings) to help him govern effectively = these were men of ability who owed their position to Edward personally.
What did Edward IV do after his coronation to address disorder in England?
After his coronation, Edward toured those areas where there was still serious disorder (parts of the East Midlands and the north), often becoming personally involved in the judicial process as he went.
How did Edward IV handle patronage despite limited resources?
Edward IV disposed of as much patronage as was possible given the limited means at his disposal.
Why was there not a vast amount of land and titles available to reward all of Edward IV's supporters?
Because of the policy of conciliation, there was not a vast amount of land and titles available to reward all his supporters.
Which family did Edward IV largely concentrate on for patronage, and why?
Edward largely concentrated on the Neville family in recognition of the valuable service they had given in the years 1459-61.
Who was the main beneficiary of Edward IV's patronage, and what did they gain?
The Earl of Warwick was the main beneficiary = gaining from confiscated Percy and Clifford estates in the north.
What title was John Neville (Warwick's brother) given by Edward IV?
Lord Fauconberg (Warwick's uncle) was made the Earl of Kent.
How did Edward IV use the rest of his patronage to establish a new Yorkist nobility?
Edward concentrated the rest of the patronage on establishing a new Yorkist nobility = rewarding lesser gentry who had served both him and his father, e.g. Humphrey Stafford was made baron in 1461 and William Herbert was made Earl of Pembroke.
How much had royal revenues fallen under Henry VI compared to Henry IV?
Under Henry VI = revenues had fallen to less than £24,000 per annum compared to revenues of £90,000 under Henry IV.
What financial problems did the Crown face under Henry VI?
Unpaid wages and debts = the Crown was insolvent and lacking credit.
What was Edward IV's biggest financial challenge?
Edward's biggest challenge was to fix this problem.
How did Edward IV improve the Crown's financial situation regarding credit?
Edward managed to turn around the situation regarding credit so now London merchants were prepared to lend money to the Crown.
What taxes were granted to Edward IV by parliament, and for what purpose?
Edward was granted two taxes by parliament to pay for two military campaigns (1462 - against Scotland and 1468 against France).
What did Edward IV do with the money granted for military campaigns, and how did taxpayers react?
Both times Edward did not fight, pocketed some of the money to pay off debts, this was much needed but still angered the taxpayers.
What was a key source of income for the Crown, and what was the issue with it?
Key source of income = royal estates (but the income wasn't as high as it should've been).
What was established in 1461 to improve the management of royal estates?
1461: a special administration was set up, staffed by experienced estate administrators whose role was to visit crown estates and ensure they were properly audited and that all revenues were paid to the Crown.
Why was the old system of managing royal estates changed?
The old system was changed because the fixed rates were too low and benefited the farmer far more than the king.
What was the result of the changes to the management of Crown lands?
This meant that the Crown lands were making an increased contribution to royal finances.
What was the issue with the old system of managing revenues from Crown lands?
Under the old system, revenues from the Crown lands went to the exchequer but it was not equipped for the job = lacking staff with experience in land management, very slow at taking in and spending money.
How did the chamber system of finance differ from the old system?
Under the chamber system of finance, income from the king's land went directly to the chamber (the king's main financial agency within his household) = money was obtained and spent more quickly.
What were the advantages of the chamber system of finance?
It was under the control of the King and his most trusted and experienced officials = opportunities for embezzling the crown were lessened.
When were the benefits of Edward IV's financial changes more evident?
The benefits of these changes were seen much more in Edward IV's second reign.
What primarily benefited the Crown's finances during Edward IV's first reign?
What really benefited the Crown's finances in the first reign was political stability and lack of war.
What was Edward IV determined to do regarding the law, and how did he demonstrate this?
Edward was determined to enforce the law = he toured those areas in the Midlands and the north where there were disturbances.
How did Edward IV show his personal interest in justice?
Where there were causes of treason, Edward tried to supervise the proceedings himself = shows his personal interest in justice.
How did Edward IV attempt to deal with the problem of nobles retaining private armies?
Edward attempted to deal with the problem of nobles retaining private armies = at the start of his reign, legislation was introduced placing restrictions on giving liveries and in 1468, most forms of retaining were made illegal.
What criticism has been made about Edward IV's enforcement of retaining laws, and how did his policy address this?
Edward has been criticised for not enforcing these laws, however, his policy of allowing a certain amount of retaining by royal licence gave the king the means to control the process.
What factors contributed to increased disorder and discontent towards the end of Edward IV's reign?
Towards the end of his reign = disorder and discontentment increased due to poor harvests, economic hardship, and the alleged waste of taxpayers' money by the king = this was made worse by Warwick who was using his agents in the north to encourage people to rebel.
What was a sign of a lack of faith in Edward IV's rule towards the end of his reign?
Feuding between individual noble families was being played out on the battlefield e.g. the Battle of Nibley Green 1470 = a sure sign of a lack of faith in the King.
What was one of the biggest problems during Edward IV's reign?
One of the biggest problems of Edward's reign = lack of law and order.
Why did nobles often take matters into their own hands during Edward IV's reign?
The nobles had no faith in the king so they often took matters into their own hands.
