Henry VII - Government and Parliament

• What were the three main functions of Henry VII's council?

  1- to advise the king

  2- to administer the realm on the king's behalf

  3 - to make legal judgements
• How many men were recorded as having attended the council during this reign?

  227
• How many men were in Henry VII's working council?

  6-7
• What were the three main types of councillor?

  1. Members of the nobility

  2. Churchmen

  3. Laymen
• What were the three types of councillor - give examples of each.

  Members of the nobility - Lord Daubeney and Dynham

  Churchmen - Richard Fox and John Morton

  Laymen - Sir Reginald Bray
• Define magnate


  In this context, a member of the higher ranks of the nobility
• On what occasions would council members meet separately?

  To discuss and deal with key administrative concerns, for example Bray and Dudley sometimes met in London to deal with legal matters when the King was with his other councillors elsewhere.
• Who did Historian David Loades argue was Henry's 'most influential adviser'?

  His mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort
• What was the Great Council?

  The Great Council, not to be confused with the normal council, was a meeting of the House of Lords without the House of Commons. It had no set function, but often dealt with war or rebellion. It was not a permanent body and only met 5 times in Henry's reign.
• What was the function of the Council Learned?

  To maintain the king's revenue and exploit his prerogative rights
• When did the Council develop and who was its first leader?

  In the second half of Henry's reign, at first under the leadership of Reginald Bray.
• How does John Guy describe the Council Learned?

  As a specialist board
• Why was the council learned considered 'shady'

  It was not a recognised court of law, and its subjects had no right to appeal its decision.
• What does historian Thomas Penn say about the Council Learned?

  As something that cause 'fear, frustration and anger, as it bypassed the normal legal system
• Who was Bray's associate in the Council Learned?

  Richard Empson
• Who led the Council Learned with Empson after Bray's death in 1503?

  Edmund Dudley
• Who were the feared leaders of the Council Learned that created enemies in England?

  Edmund Dudley and Richard Empson
• What happened to Empson and Dudley after the King's death?

  Bishop Fox and Sir Thomas Lovell, who were some of the King's key advisors. After Henry VII's death in 1509, they removed Empson and Dudley from their positions to the sound of rejoicing in the streets.
• What did the Tudor's rely heavily upon?

  The Royal Court, which was the centre of government
• What was the royal court's function?

  - it housed the royal chamber

  - where the King could be found at any time

  - it's where advancements in position could be attained

  - where the support of the king and other influential figures could be attained
• What was the function of the household proper?

  It was responsible for looking after the king, courtiers and guests that were being entertained. These personal catering requirements were seen to by Lord Steward
• What was the Chamber?

  the private areas of the court; also a key department for the efficient collection of royal revenues
• What was the Lord Chamberlain?

  An experienced nobleman and member of the king's council, and a personal friend of the king.
• Why did the Lord Chamberlain have so much political power?

  he had administrative and political power, often speaking for the monarch in an official capacity, and was also responsible for organising court ceremonies.
• What was the Privy Chamber?


  comprising the close personal servants of the monarch; its members had direct access to the monarch and therefore could influence him or her more directly.
• How was Perkin Warbeck involved with the Privy Chamber?

  The position of Lord Chamberlain gained considerable trust. In 1495, Henry's Lord Chamberlain Sir William Stanley, was involved in a treasonable plot with Perkin Warbeck.
• What did Henry create in response to this betrayal?

  The Privy Chamber, a private chamber to which the king could retreat, protected by his most intimate servants.
• How did this remodel affect the court?

  This changed the character of the court, thus making it more difficult for those who were out of favour to regain the kings support.
• What was the function of parliament?

  To pass law as and grant taxation to the crown
• What was parliament's subsidiary function?


  A means in which local issues could be passed on by MPs to the King's officials
• How many parliaments did Henry call?

  7 parliaments

  5 in his first 10 years and 2 in the last 14 years
• What were Henry's early parliaments for?

  Issues of national security and raising revenue.
• What were Henry's later Parliaments for?

  Granted extraordinary revenue, enabling the king to go to war.
• What were fifteenths and tenths?

  A standard form of taxation calculated in the 14th century, paid by towns and boroughs to the Crown.
• How much revenue did Henry gain from fifteenths and tenths?

  £203,000
• What did Henry's final Parliament in 1504 achieve?

  Limited the demand for extraordinary revenue
• What does the research carried out by Historian Paul Cavill suggest about Parliament in Henry's reign?

  On the whole, parliament operated effectively, and the king respected its decisions. There were a number of private acts passed in response to local demands for improvement.
• Why was maintenance of law and order a huge responsibility for the King?

  Problems with law and order could lead to uprisings or rebellions, which could threaten Henry's authority
• What was the first thing Henry relied on to keep law and order in England?

  Trusted members of the nobility, which exercised power on his behalf across the country
• Who were some key members of the nobility that aided Henry in law and order?

  In the northwest - the Stanleys

  Northeast and Yorkshire - Earl of Northumberland