the government (tudor)

The role of the council

the role of the council under henry vii had three main functions
-to advise the king

-to administer the realm on the kings behalf

-to make legal judgements

who was part of the council

The king ruled with a “council” of advisors they supported him in , making decisions . around 227 attended during his reign yet henry vii’s actual council had around six to seven members

The council learned in law

formed in 1495

first under Sir reginald bray then Empson and Dudley ,Its function was ;

to maintain the kings revenue and exploit his prerogative rights . it was the council learned that made up the system of bonds and recognizances work so effectively and thus being able to trap many of the kings subjects

prerogative rights

describes the rights or powers which the monarch could exercise without requiring the consent of parliament

How were the workings of the council learned viewed by historians?

Have often been seen as rather “shady” operation by historians

it was not a recognised court of law and those summoned before it had no chance to appeal , Thomas Penn argued that the Council Learned caused fear frustration and anger as it bypassed the normal legal system

Parliament

• met 7 times during the reign, mainly in early years

• Role:

  • Grant taxation

  • Pass laws

• First Parliament (November 1485) confirmed Henry's title, issued Acts of Attainder, and granted tonnage and poundage for life

• Less used later in reign — Henry preferred personal control

How often did henry vii call parliament

Only the king could call parliament henry called parliament a total of seven times during his reign , calling them five times in the first part of the reign

Justices of Peace

At a local level , Henry relied heavily on the justices of peace to maintain law and order , they were responsible for routine administration such as;

tax assessments

alehouse regulation

the maintenance of law and order

Replaced nobles as the main enforcers of royal authority in counties

When did justices of peace get more power?

from 1485 they could arrest and question poachers or hunters that were in disguise

from 1487 they could grant bail to those awaiting trial

from 1495 they could replace juries who were suspected as being bribed

how were justices of the peace appointed?

18 JPs per county

JPs were appointed on a county by county basis and met four times a year to administer justice through sessions it was quite commons for royals to be JPs in the county of interest , most JPs were local gentry who took on the unpaid role in hopes for a better position

Customs duties

• Traditional source of income

• Henry tried to maximise through tighter control

• Brought in around £40,000 per year

John Morton

Was an english cleric , civil lawyer and administrator during wars of the roses

Henry viis most trusted advisor

He worked against Richard III and was promoted by Henry to archbishop of Canterbury and later made a cardinial

Edmund Dudley

17 August 1510 Faced execution - ordered by Henry VIII

Financial agent and administrator of Henry VII

He served as leading member of the council learned in the law

Richard Foxe

An English Churchman. He founded the Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

He was one of the top negotiators in Henry’s government. Involved in both marital and diplomatic negotiations E.g. the marriage of Prince Arthur to Catherine of Aragon.

Sir Reginald Bray

Minister of henry vii

Knight of the shire for Northamptonshire in parliament (1491)

collected taxes on behalf of Henry VII

The Court of Star Chamber:

The Star Chamber was a legal institution under Henry VII. It was established to deal with cases involving the abuse of power by the nobility and other elites.

Purpose: The Star Chamber allowed the king to enforce the law and deal with corruption or abuses of power by the nobility, particularly when the regular courts were insufficient.

Impact: The court was a means of maintaining law and order while curbing the power of the traditional nobility. It helped Henry deal with rebels or unruly nobles who might otherwise undermine his authority.

The Privy Chamber:

Privy Chamber’s Significance: It offered the king more direct control over his affairs and ensured that he had personal access to those most loyal to him. The Privy Chamber also helped to limit the influence of the traditional nobility, as the king could rely on a more trusted group of advisers.

Feudal Dues

Henry increased revenue through the collection of feudal dues and taxes. This was a key part of his strategy to increase royal income without relying on Parliament for frequent taxation.

1487

~£350

1507

~£6,000

Increase of over 17x from beginning to end of reign — a sign of Henry’s administrative success and ruthlessness.

Henry’s parliaments

Nov 1485-Mar 1486

Nov 1487 - Dec 1487

Jan 1489-Feb 1490

Oct 1491 - March 1492

Jan 1497-Mar 1491

Jan 1504-Apr 1504

Only the king could call parliament,largely concerned with national security and raising revenue

Acts of attainders

Effective tool of control

Nobles feared losing their land and status; many paid for reversals

his first two parliaments passed the acts of attainder,declaring individuals guilty without having to go o trial , their property would go to the crown

• Used to punish and disempower disloyal nobles — especially those who supported Yorkist claimants.

Parliamentary grants

Taxes granted by Parliament for specific purposes, usually war.

1489 – £100,000 for war in Brittany → Yorkshire Rebellion 1496 – tax for Scottish campaign → Cornish Rebellion (1497)

sparked rebellion

how much did henry vii leave henry viii

around £400,000

Careful Distribution:

instead created non-landed honours like the Order of the Garter — he gave out 22 Garter knighthoods.Henry did not grant excessive land or titles to the nobility. Instead, he relied on smaller rewards, such as granting office positions or giving financial rewards for service.

Example laws

• 1504: Parliament agreed Henry could have £40,000 through feudal dues for Prince Arthur’s knighthood – though Arthur was dead!

Crown lands

• Henry inherited less than Edward IV due to Yorkist losses

• Act of Resumption (1486): Reclaimed all lands granted since 1455

• Income from crown lands rose from £12,000 p.a. (1485) to £42,000 p.a. (1509)

Feudal dues

• Payments from nobles for events like marriages, wardships

• Raised £350 in 1487, up to £6,000 in 1507

Bonds data

Two-thirds of nobles under bonds by 1509

To control the nobility – nobles would remain obedient to avoid paying huge sums.

To raise crown revenue – these payments added significantly to royal finances.

taxation

• Occasional taxes: e.g. 1489 subsidy for Brittany campaign

• Yorkshire and Cornish rebellions both linked to tax resistance

illegal retaining

• 1487 Act: Required a licence for retaining

• 1504 Act: Set fines of £5 per illegal retainer per month

  • E.g. Lord Burgavenny fined £70,550 in 1506 for illegal retaining

Henry vii parliament

Strong central control - Effective financial reform - Nobility subdued - Maintained security and peace

- Harsh financial policies - Widespread resentment of Council Learned - Regional discontent over taxation - Personal rule limited Parliament’s role

his financial measures

These financial measures not only stabilised the monarchy but also undermined rival nobles and reduced reliance on Parliament, directly enhancing his authority.

dynastic security

While dynastic and foreign measures gave Henry a solid foundation, they were often defensive rather than transformative — less effective in consolidating long-term authority than financial or noble control.