Domestic Policy

• Between 1455 and 1585, England had been torn apart by the War of the Roses: civil war between House of York and House of Lancaster posed a threat to Henry’s Throne due to a history of tensions and violent overthrowings.
• Henry VII had an illegitimate claim to the throne, which was further weakened due to primogeniture.
• Henry VII consolidated his power through clever use of dates, rewarding his supporters, removing threats, clever use of parliament, marriage and family, and improving royal finances.
• Edward IV had divided the country into spheres of influence, with each sphere having a magnate in control.
• Henry VII needed this nobility to help him remain in control but didn’t want to give too much power in case they challenged his authority.
• Henry VII used three broad groups of Nobles: Magnates, Loyal Nobles, and Questionable Nobles.
• Earl of Surrey was a Questionable noble who was released from the Tower to rule in the North on Henry’s behalf.
• Justices of the Peace combined the modern roles of police officer, magistrate, judge etc…
• Bonds and Recognisances were used for maintenance of control and enforcing order and obedience.
• Henry VII was the country’s largest landowner, and his rental income was important to the crown’s ordinary revenue.
• At the start of his reign, income from crown lands was administrated by the Court of Exchequer, resulting in a drop of £12,000 per annum.
• In 1492, Henry VII reverted to Edward’s system of administration, and finances improved to around £42,000 per annum.
• Feudal Dues/ Royal Prerogative increased profits from worship.
• Parliament granted feudal aid in 1504.
• Obligations payable on the death of the feudal tenant in chief became a useful additional source of revenue which landowners found particularly irritating, especially when the statute of uses of 1489 cut out a potential loophole for avoiding the charge.
• Henry VII was granted Tonnage and Poundage for life.
• Henry VII married Elizabeth of York in 1486, daughter of Edward IV, sister of Edward and Richard of York, niece of Richard, cousin of Edward Earl of Warwick.
• The marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York marked the last step in consolidation as he wanted to build his power without relying on this marriage.
• Permanent body – but no established rules or procedures
• Another method of gaining money was pensions from other foreign powers (e.g., Treaty of Etaples)
• what was HATED by everyone? Not an official court so those against it had no legal right to appeal


  Council Learned in the Law
• The court travelled around with Henry, and it was set up in the berries country houses that he stayed in
• Sir Reginald Bray – faithful servant of H7 & helped him to raise funds before the Battle of Bosworth
• H7's court and household tended to be over the top to try and keep pace with the French and burgundy courts.
• Edmund Dudley made a lot of enemies and after H7’s death he faced a counterattack
• Council Learned Maintained king’s revenue and exploited his prerogative rights (didn’t need consent of parliament).
• Sketchy sub-council to keep the nobility in check
• The Household = The household proper was responsible for looking after the king, the courtiers, guests, and others who were being entertained
• Parliament met infrequently but did grant the monarch taxes and passed laws
• The council learned in the law developed during the 2nd half of his reign.
• Profits from Bonds and Recognisances contributed to royal finances.
• There were two main council bodies during his reign:

  1. Normal Council
  2. Council Learned in the Law
• The personal and catering requirements of the court + household were supervised by the Lord Steward
• William Stanley's involvement in a Perkin Warbeck conspiracy was a considerable blow.
• King sanctioned the nobility using carrots and sticks to promote loyalty to the Tudor Throne
• Sir William Stanley, lord chamberlain, was involved with a treasonable plot with Perkin Warbeck
• What did the privy council do? This changed the character of the court and made it more difficult for those who were out of favour to regain the king’s support.
• Henry’s response to betrayal by William Stanley was to remodel the chamber by creating a new Privy chamber (to which the king could retreat and be protected by his most intimate servants)
• The Council Learned was an offshoot of the normal council.
• Who Increased the ruthlessness of Henrys reign?


  Sir Richard Empson