Society and Economy

• English society under Henry VII

  • Still structured like the feudal system
  • Growing professional and mercantile group in London and other cities
• The Black Death (1348-9) increased social mobility which was concerning for the conservative members of society
• The Church

  • Clergy were tried in church courts, including for religious crimes like adultery
  • Church influence was all-pervasive
  • Church had its own courts
• Church administration

  • Based in the Vatican and responsible for administration
  • Based in England and had to do what the King wanted as well as the church
• Pope Martin V declared that the king was in charge of England's church system
• Archbishops

  • Only 2 in England, 1 in Canterbury and 1 in York, all potentially significantly important
  • King had a large say in appointments
  • Many sat in House of Lords so Henry could control them
• Ranks of nobles

  • Duke
  • Marquis
  • Earl
  • Viscount
  • Baron
• Ways Henry controlled the nobility

  • The great council (meeting of nobles to advise and make decisions)
  • House of Lords (only met 5 times)
  • Patronage (granting land and titles to loyal supporters)
  • Order of the Garter (ultimate mark of trust and power, reserved for most faithful servants)
  • King's council (small and influential, position was a sign of trust and loyalty)
• Henry's 5 key councilors

  • Reginald Bray
  • Giles Daubeney
  • Richard Guildford
  • Thomas Lovell
  • John Riselly
• Sticks used by Henry to control the nobility

  • Crown lands (gain as much land as possible to give Henry more power)
  • Feudal dues (medieval taxes rarely exploited by kings)
  • Wardships, marriages, livery, relief
  • Retaining (private armies made illegal)
  • Bonds and recognisances (36/62 noble families on these between 1485-1509)
• The Gentry

  • Consisted of around 500 knights, 800 esquires and 5000 gentlemen in 1500
  • Greater gentry were often great landowners, had military obligations to the king, and had to control local administration
  • Lesser gentry were far more numerous, had less social importance, and had to enforce Henry's parliamentary standards and manage crown lands
• The nobility and gentry combined made up roughly 1% of the population
• Types of farms


  • Grain
  • Fruit
  • Mixed
  • Pastoral
• There were 2 main rebellions in 1489 and 1497, both triggered by taxation
• Yorkshire Rebellion - 1489


  1. Caused by resentment of taxation to fund the Brittany campaign

  2. Henry Purcell (Earl of Northumberland) was murdered for trying to collect the tax

  3. Rebellion led by Sir John Egremont

  4. Easily put down and the tax was never collected

  5. Earl of Surrey's act of attainder reversed and he was made the new Earl of Northumberland