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Government Under Wolsey - Coggle Diagram
Government Under Wolsey
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Privy Chamber
- Before 1519, the Privy Chamber was the one area of government Wolsey couldn't control.
- The Privy Chamber was established during Henry VII's reign, but its role was extended in the early years of Henry VIII's reign. Where young courtiers who enjoyed Henry VIII's personal favour became Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber.
However...
- It is viewed by historians that the Gentlemen distrusted Wolsey, who tried to neutralise their influence.
- In 1519 Wolsey secured the removal of these Gentlemen and replaced them with his own supporters, but most of the Gentlemen managed to recover their positions. Thus, the Privy Chamber remined outside of Wolsey's immediate control.
Legal reforms
Court of Chancery
- Wolsey was not a trained lawyer, but he was responsible for overseeing the legal system as he was Lord Chancellor.
- Wolsey had the right to preside over the Court if Chancery and he tried to use the court to uphold fair justice.
- The courts were used to deal with problems relating to enclosure and land that was left to others in wills.
- The main problem was that the chancery court became too popular so justice was dispensed slowly due to the vast number of cases.
Court of Star Chamber
- The Court of Star Chamber had been established by an Act of Parliament in 1487.
- It was an offshoot of the King's council and became the centre of government and justice under Wolsey.
- Wolsey extended the use of the Star Chamber as a way to increase cheap and fair justice.
- Wolsey also encouraged the use of the Star Chamber for private lawsuits.
- This proved too successful and he was forced to set up a series of overflow tribunals.
- A permanent committee was set up in 1519 to deal with cases involving the poor.
Financial reforms
The Tudor subsidy
- As under Henry VII, it was expected that taxpayers, including nobility, would provide extraordinary revenue when required. Thus was effectively achieved by raising subsidies.
- Wolsey made a substantial change in the way subsidies were demanded, a method he used again when later subsidies were demanded.
Instead...
Wolsey set up a national committee headed by himself. NOT allowing local commissioners to assess taxpayers who could be over generous with nobility.
This meant with direct and realistic assessments of the wealth of taxpayers, the nation's revenue became much more realistic.
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Eltham Ordinances
- Wolsey introduced the Eltham Ordinances in 1526.
- They were designed to reform the finances of the Privy Chamber.
- To reduce expenditure, Wolsey secured a reduction of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber.
- This was the one area of government that Wolsey did not have control over.
- It can be argued that Wolsey was trying to reduce the influence of other, instead of reforming finances.
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Wolsey and parliament
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The second was called so parliament could agree to taxation as a result of expensive foreign policy.