Controlling nobles

what factors influenced H7s relations towards the nobles

H7 was a usurper (others could take the throne with force) & people were tires of the instability of the WotR

The nobility may have not been power-hungry individuals eager for a rebellion, but may have wanted a …

stable, secure, monarchy

what did the monarchs H6 & E4 prove about the monarchy

when a ruler was weak/disliked so was the monarchy

H7 needed the noble’s…..to be secure

loyalty/submission

15th century society saw government as a…

co-operative effort between king & nobles

15th century society saw government as a co-operative effort between king & nobles because…

of the nobles wealth & territorial power, no king could govern effectively without them

The number of nobles … within H7s reign

greatly reduced

It was normal for the nobility to … (25% every 25 years), these families were always replaced by wealthy families previously excluded from the peerage.

lose a number of families from its ranks

it was normal for the nobility to lose a number of families from its ranks (…), these families were always replaced by wealthy families previously excluded from the peerage.

25% every 25 years

it was normal for the nobility to lose a number of families from its ranks (25% every 25 years), these families were …

always replaced by wealthy families previously excluded from the peerage

During H7s reign, the nobility remained largely intact, but was …

subtly reduced in power & numbers

How did H7 control nobles?

Reward & Sanction

what examples of rewards did H7 use

patronage, order of the garter, king’s council & great council

what was patronage

the giving of positions of power, land, titles etc. - was traditionally used by mediaeval kings to buy loyalty

how did H7 use patronage to ensure loyalty

patronage came as a result of good & loyal service

what is an example of patronage

Jasper Tudor made Duke of Bedford & restored to his Welsh estates for supporting H7 before the BoB

Lord Daubeney was promoted to peerage after showing value in leading the royal forces against the Cornish rebels

why was the order of the garter useful for controlling nobles

Was a significant honour reserved for the King’s closest servants

why was order of the garter useful for H7

gave the recipient prestige but not power/land

why was the king’s council useful in controlling nobles

Was a sign of the king’s confidence - the emphasis was on loyalty to trusted servants

give an example of H7 using order of the garter to control nobles

H7 created 37 Knights of the Garter incl. Earl of Oxford & Reginald Bray

give an example of H7 using King’s council to control nobles

Reginald Bray, Giles Daubeney, Richard Guilford

how was the great council good in controlling nobles

Discussed high matters of state, usually in moments of urgency when calling parliament would have taken too long (position of prestige & influence)

why was the Great Council useful for H7

were a way of gaining the agreement & support of his most important subjects (if nobles were involved in a major decision they couldn’t criticise H7 for it)

example of H7 using the great council

the great council met 5 times in H7s reign

what uses of sanction did H7 use

Acts of Attainder, Bonds & Recognisances, Feudal Dues, Retaining, Crown lands

what were acts of attainder

Acts that lead to a family losing the right to possess its land - the loss of such land would cause economic & social ruin for a family

why were acts of attainder useful

were reversible & good behaviour could be rewarded with a  reversal of the attainder

what is an example of H7 using attainders

Thomas Howard (Earl of Surrey) - fought for R3 at BoB lands attained & imprisoned by 1492 all attainders had been reversed

what were bonds

written agreements in which people promised money if they failed to carry out their promises

what were recognisances

a formal acknowledgment of a debt/obligation that already existed with the understanding to pay money if this obligation was not met

how were bonds & recognisances used to ensure good behaviour

Promises/obligation centred around issues of good behaviour/keeping peace

what is an example of H7 using bonds & recognisances

Thomas Grey Marquis of Dorset (supported R3 after defecting from H7s camp in France). 1492 giving recognisances of £1000. By 1499 had proved his loyalty to H7 & these agreements were cancelled.

H7 use of…. & ….became more severe as his reign went on

bonds & recognisances & acts of attainder

how did H7 use feudal dues to control nobles

H7 asserted his power as king through feudal rights over the nobility

what is an example of H7 using feudal dues

Katherine Dowager Duchess of Buckingham was fined £7000 in 1496 for marrying without the king’s licence

what is retaining

the long-held noble practice of recruiting gentry followers who were used for administrative purposes & local fighting forces

why was retaining useful for H7

They had played an important role in the noble skirmishes of the WotR and were thus viewed by H7 as a threat to his own power

What is an example of H7 limiting retaining

1485: HOL & HOC had to swear that they would not retain illegally. 

1504: nobles had to obtain special licences to retain - these had to be obtained from the king in person.

why were crown lands useful

The more land H7 possessed the more power he was seen to have

what is an example of H7 using crown lands to control nobles

1486: Parliament passed the Act of Resumption, which recovered all properties granted away since 1455.