9 How successfully did Henry VII restore royal finances?

Starter Activity

“Three Ways to Restore Finances”

Using page 143, identify and explain the three main financial aims of Henry VII:

Reorganise financial administration

Exploit sources of ordinary revenue

Increase income from extraordinary revenue

Stretch:
 Why was strong finance especially important for Henry as a new monarch?

Financial Administration Investigation (Individual Task)

Using page 144:

Examine how Henry changed financial administration.

Chamber system managed crown lands, feudal dues, profits from justice and the French pension.

Trusted councillors were given roles closer to finances due to the change

Allows him to have the money come to him more directly rather than going through a middle man

Money reached him quicker with less interference and missing money.

Add a few details to each of these methods:

• Shift from Exchequer to Chamber system

• Use of trusted councillors

• Greater personal control

• Increase in efficiency

Use your notes to answer these questions:

1. Why was the Exchequer inefficient?

2. How did the Chamber system improve royal control?

3. Why did this increase Henry’s power politically as well as financially?

Ordinary vs Extraordinary Revenue

Using pages 144–145:

Students create a comparison chart:

Key evidence to include:

• Crown lands increased from £29,000 (1485) to £42,000 (1509)

• Act of Resumption (1486)

• Feudal dues

• Bonds and recognisances

• Loans and taxation

• Treaty of Étaples pension (£5,000 per year)

Debate – which opinion do you agree with more?

Group A:

Henry VII restored royal finances successfully.

Group B:

Henry VII’s financial success is exaggerated.

Each group must use evidence from pages 143–146.

Prompts:

• Was Henry efficient or just greedy?

• Did financial policies cause resentment?

• Were extraordinary revenues reliable?

Groups present arguments (5 mins each), followed by open class discussion.