NOBILITY

what were some issues with nobility?

• those with great wealth and power potential rivals to crown

• potential “overmighty nobles” , e.g. Earl of Warwick coined “Kingmaker”

• many had to be killed after BoB - unclear loyalty

Nobility size - PEERAGE

START OF REIGN:

• 50 peers

• 16 major peers (e.g. dukes/marquises/earls)

END OF REIGN:

• 35 peers

• 10 major peers

Benefits of nobility

• helped maintain law and order in areas where they held land and estates e.g. JPs

how did Henry control nobles?

• bought support by land and titles “carrots”

• forced support by showing consequences of opposing “sticks”

• ruthless impartiality - harsh with everyone - no favourites, even fined own mother

“cat and mouse policy” - AoA

“carrots and sticks”

• AoA = acts which allowed the confiscation of family right to inherit land. Loss of land meant disaster for noble families

• Reversible - used to ensure good behaviour

• 138 passed during reign, 46 reversed (Tyrell paid almost £1800 to reverse his and his fathers)

CAT AND MOUSE POLICY

• H willing to forgive if loyalty demonstrated.

• Noble’s father died fighting for Richard in BoB.

• Noble imprisoned in tower following H victory and viewed with suspicion, so AoA’s passed to remove land, possessions

• resisted involvement in plot to let him escape from tower. as reward - released, put in charge of maintaining northern law and order. AoA reversed, title restored but H careful not to restore all lands

bonds and recognisances - positives and negatives

“carrots and sticks”

• bond = written agreement where noble who’s offended king pays for offence as security for future good behaviour

• recognisance = formal acknowledgement of debt

• not new, but H used more than any king

• H Council Learned in Law enforced punishment - common court too long

✔could remove disloyal nobles power completely

✔effective at restoring loyalty

✔ discouraged disloyalty, e.g. marquis of Dorset paid £10,000 bond

✖sometimes asked for for personal reasons, e.g. 10k from Beaumont and Westmoreland as loyalty guarantee