Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Society, Henry VII (Social Structure (King at the top, ruling over the…
Society, Henry VII
Social Structure
King at the top, ruling over the whole country and relatively unchallengeable
The nobility consisted of only about 50 to 60 men, who died regularly but were replaced by others who had walk or the kings favour
During Henry's reign, many weren't given influence due to Henry's mistrust of them, only trusting his staunch allies such as the Earl of Oxford, who had military strength too. Henry used methods such as attainders and bonds/recognisances to control the nobles
Next came the Clergy, who were very important in a religious England. They also owned large amounts of land, especially the abbots who came from large houses.
Local priests and friars however often held small personal wealth, being a lot poorer than the bishops and abbots who were sat in the House of Lords due to their legal training. The local priests also included chastity priests and curates, who were modestly rewarded.
The Gentry owned large amounts of land by the late 1400's, owning 15-20% of all the country's land.
Knights were the top of the gentry, and there were about 375 knights by 1490, with Sir Reginald Bray being one of them. Knighthood originally held military status but this was becoming less important, more a symbolic role. The lower levels off the gentry and those including JPs were more numerous.
Commoners included a variety of different people, including labourers who sold their labour to farmers, Yeoman farmers who emerged after the Black Death of 1341 who farmed large amounts of land - 'peasant aristocracy' - the emerging middle classes who were usually professionals living in towns and cities, and shop keepers and skilled tradesmen, who dominated councils and guilds
Warbeck Rebellion
Beginning in 1491, Warwick began to impersonate Richard duke of York, one of the lost princes in the tower. He moved from place to place and gained support and hospitality from Charles VIII of France and Margaret of Burgundy who trained him as a prince and gained English courtiers support
In 1495 Warbeck attempted to land in England but was spied on and informed upon by Sir Robert Clifford, meaning he fled to Scotland and James IV welcomed him
In 1496 James gave him a small force of Scottish troops but these soon retreated back across the border, and James married Henry's daughter Margaret. Warwick attempted to take advantage of the Cornish rebellion but gained little support and was crushed. He surrendered
Henry let him stay in court, but he tried to escape with Warwick and was confined to the tower, and later executed.
Serious?
- had a figurehead/alternate monarch
- had foreign backing
- lasted 10 years
- Henry had to send troops to defeat him
- Influenced Henry's foreign policy, delaying Arthurs marriage and stopped the cloth trade through Burgundy
Not serious?
- foreign support was thinly spread
- he only had a small force
- he was easily defeated by Henry
- Warbeck was an inept leader
The Cornish Rebellion, 1497
-
-
Rebel leaders included Lord Audley and other gentry, and he was executed
-
Serious?
- estimated 15,000 people included in the rebellion
- Warbeck attempted to gain its support
- rebels marched on London, and were only stopped when in Blackheath
Not serious?
- easily stopped by Daubeney
- they were lightly armed
- they were stopped before getting into London proper
- they weren't trying to overthrow the king
-
The Yorkshire Rebellion, 1489
Serious?
- killed Earl of Northumberland who was the highest noble in the area
- sparked by a resentment of higher taxation to be used in the campaign in Brittany, so influenced Henry's foreign policy
Not serious?
- Earl of Surrey, who was under an attainer, crushed it easily
- didn't want to overthrow the monarch
- no foreign backing
- away from Henry's power base, but it didn't get the significant support expected from a Yorkist area
- no real strong leadership
Warbeck vs Simnel
Similar?
- backed by Margaret of Burgundy
- both pretended to be Yorkist claimants
- Backed by nobles
- Both crushed in battle
Not similar?
- Warbecks lasted 10 years, had support from Scotland, was executed and had tried to gain support from another rebellion
- Simnel had been backed by Kildare, had 80000 soldiers, was treated leniently by Henry and was early in Henry's reign