Henry's Reform of Government

• How did he control nobility?

  Fairly distrusting of the nobility.

  Bonds and Recognizances- payments to Henry if they didn't carry out promises or obligations. Empson and Dudley, generally disliked.

  Retaining- Lords could recruit lower class to fight, used in King's army also. Too powerful? Restrictions in 1487 and 1504.

  Banned them from raising their own armies, reduced power.

  Limited no. of new lords, peers dropped from 57 to 44.

  Rewarded gentry with patronage, titles and land. But rarely and only to key followers e.g, Jasper Tudor (Duke of Bedford)

  Kept land belonging to peerage.
• Star Chamber, what was it?


  Court run by men loyal to Henry VII

  Punished those who angered him.

  Used to deal with cases where nobles defied the main court's authority.
• Privy Chamber?


  Most intimate servants to the King.

  Made it much more difficult for those not in it to access the king and regain the king's favour.

  Henry tended to distance himself from the traditional contacts in court for the king.
• Council Learned in Law


  Offshoot of the Royal Council run by Sir Richard Empson and Sir Reginald Bray, later Edmund Dudley, who were largely disliked by the people.

  Dealt with Crown lands, maintaining the king's revenue and exploiting prerogative rights.

  Bonds and recognizances , made it work so effectively in raising finance, rather shady, no chance to appeal as it was not recognised by the court of law.
• Royal Council and Parliament


  Advised the king, administered the realm and made legal judgements.

  Made up of nobles, churchmen and laymen, e.g Empson, Dudley, John Fox and Morton.

  Only held 7 Parliaments, mainly for money and national security.

  Role of P was to pass laws and taxes

  Passed Acts against illegal retaining

  Generally gave Henry what he needed, e.g tonnage and poundage for life and extraordinary revenue in fifteenths and tenths.
• What did JP's (Justice's of the Peace) do?


  Maintained law and order in the countryside

  Were given authority to impose bonds on sheriffs

  Reports of corruptness
• Raised Crown's ordinary revenue


  From 12000 at the start to around 42000 at the end per year.

  Through Crown lands
• Assessment of Henry VII's government.

  • Manipulated people through coercion and reward to do what he wanted, much attention to detail.
  • Set up policies e.g, bonds , recs and obligations to control behaviour.
  • Created very few nobles, and was reluctant to promote or reward servants excessively.
  • Attainders reduced nobles further.
  • Kept personal estates of the crown in his own hands, only leased lands.
  • Very involved in running day-to-day government, almost paranoid that he would lose control if he wasn't.
  • Centralised government, From the King down.