Henry VII - Reform of government

1485 - 1509

Controlling the nobility

Henry controlled nobility by:

Banning them from raising armies themselves

Limiting the number of lords from 57 to 44

37 nobles awarded Order of the Garter

Kept land belonging to Yorkist families etc

Bonds and recognisances

Bonds were written agreements stating that you owed Henry VII money if you didn’t fulfil your promises.

Recognisances were a formal acknowledgement of a debt or an obligation that already existed and an agreement to pay money if the obligation wasn’t completed.

36 out of 62 noble families gave bonds and/or recognisances to Henry Tudor.

Star Chamber

Court run by men loyal to Henry who punished those that Henry did not like. Dealt with administration cases, relieving the King of personally hearing cases.

Retaining

The practise of recruiting gentry to fight for them.

Henry didn’t want to risk nobles becoming too powerful so he passed laws in 1487 & 1504 restricting retaining.

Act of Attainder

Passed by Parliament as a way of punishing nobles guilty of treason by stripping them of their titles, land and wealth.

Total of 138 attainders were passed by Henry VII however 46 were reversed.

Council learned

An offshoot of the Royal council and was run by Sir Richard Empson and Sir Reginald Bray, later Edmund Dudley who were hated by the people.

A dealt with all crown lands wardship marriage all the kings tenants and the collection of feudal dues that were owed.

Acted without a jury and actively advanced the position of the king.

Patronage

Henry Tudor could reward gentry with titles and land though he rarely did.

Justice’s of the peace

These maintained law and order in the countryside and dealt with anything except treason. They were given authority to impose bonds on sheriff however they were mostly corrupt.

Royal council

Royal council advised the king administered the realm on the King's behalf and made legal judgments.

It included nobles churchmen laymen, there was no rules or procedures just advice.

Parliament

Henry VII called 7 parliaments mainly for money and national security.

Parliament's role was to pass laws and taxes and pass acts against illegal retaining for Henry. Generally, parliament gave Henry what he wanted.

Ordinary & Extraordinary Revenue

Ordinary revenue was income Henry VII received annually. 1509 Henry got £42,000 from the crown lands. He got £40,000 from custom duties and also money from feudal due.

Extraordinary revenue was, parliamentary grants, loans and benevolences, clerical taxes, feudal obligations and the £5,000 French pensions.