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Henry VII government - Coggle Diagram
Henry VII government
Parliament
Pass laws, grant taxation to Crown
called 7 times largely, 5 of which happened in first 10 years of reign due to instability of consolidation of power
early parliaments were mainly for security - attenders, wardships, customs revenues, taxes
Finance
The Act of Resumption (1486) allowed Henry to reclaim all crown lands that had been granted away since the start of the Wars of the Roses.
profit from ward ship in 1504
parliament granting feudal aid (financial obligation) in 1504
obligations payable if: death of feudal tenant in chief
tax on their tenants for the knighting of their eldest son or the marriage of their eldest daughter.
useful additional source of revenue,- created some domestic anger specifically when Statute of Uses 1489 cut out loophole for avoidance of the charge
Henry seen as a miser King, increased royal finances greatly to create large sum for son Henry at about £300,000 plate and jewels and £10,000 cash
disagreements: Francis Bacon: treaure of state amounted to £1.8 million
John Guy: 1.8 mil is pure myth, henry forced to borrow money, had not such an extensive finance
Extraordinary Revenue
Henry received over £400,000 from extraordinary revenue, however invoked rebellions in 1489 and 1497
problems with parliament in 1504, Henry had to promise parliament not to raise any more money by this method, of extraordinary revenue
Henry VII did not approach the available wealth in the country. In 1489, Henry tried to introduce a form of income tax to raise the £100,000 needed to finance a war against the French. Such was the complexity behind collecting the tax – and the resistance to paying it – that only about £30,000 was ever collected. An efficient and effective system of tax collection was many years in the future.
Nobilty
51 Attainders were passed between 1504 -09 (secure?) and 46 were reversed during the reign. In total, 138 attainders were passed during his reign eg. Thomas Tyrell had to pay £1738 to reverse his father’s attainder.
Act of Star Chamber 1487
members of royal council sat on the chamber, meant prestigious nobles could be prosecuted
prosecuting any who acted in lawless, rebellious manner
1504 an act was passed which forbade corporations from making any regulations unless they first had the approval of Henry VII.
Council
advise the king, provide administration law and order
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Council Learned
originally operated by Reginald Bray, maintain and increase Henry's revenue, extracted money from Henry's subjects thus deeply unpopular
This dislike grew with emergence of Empson and Dudley 1503
Sir Richard Empson to the Presidency of the Council after 1504
thought to have manipulated the system by falsely claiming that people owed feudal dues, such as wardship,
Dudley confessed that he had acted illegally for the king in more than 80 cases in 1509
alienated the nobility from Henry further
Dudley stated "have many persons in danger at his pleasure"
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Bonds (place a noble in debt to the crown so he would remain loyal). Between 1499 and 1509 2/3rds of the nobles were held under bonds. Enforced by the Council Learned in Law enforce obeidience and increase monetary revenue
The Council Learned acted without a jury, exploited the prerogative rights of the king
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Court
centre of government, r
had to show HVII power modelled on European courts
concept of personal monarchy, courtier depend on relationship with the king rather than their position
structure and design meant o reflect wealth. taking inspiration of European royal courts (foreign recognition)
Chamber, presided over by Lord Chamberlai, infulential position
1495 Lord Chamberlain William Stanley involved in plot against HVII with Warbeck- fuelled his distrust of nobility
Remodelled Chamber, creating Privy chamber as King could retreat into, protected by most intimate subjects , made it difficult to achieve the favour of the King
Crown lands- income dropped to about 12,000 at beginning of reign, income from lands administered through inefficient Court of Exchequer, inexperience in financial matters
1487 Henry reverted to administration through chamber with rental income increase to about £42,000 per annum
Law and Order
Magnate control in the north jeopardised when Northumberland was murdered thus Henry VII, sent the Yorkist Earl of Surrey (previously imprisoned) to rule north
Due to there still being magnates he didn't trust (Marquis of Dorset) he employed an excellent spying network to report on magnates and implement Bonds and recognisances
Wales and the North
provincial councils closely linked to the royal council and had similar administrative and judicial power.
Had the authority to swiftly enforce the law and both were subordinate to Henry
Royal council closely observed these councils ensuring they did not get too powerful, key members were appointed King himself (the earl of Surrey and the Duke of Bedford)
Bishop of Carlisle appointed by king to preserve his prerogative rights
HVII developed personal form of government, tight knit control
Wales- 1493 council revived with Prince Arthur as head
Welshmen appointed to key positions in wales- ensured the support of people
by 1495 barely 6 lordships remained in private hands
governed a larger proportion of wales than any other king before
Northumberland's death still beneficial as Henry imposed his son with the title of Master of the King's wards 1503, maximise revenue from wardships huge increase from £350 to £6000
Bonds and recognisances keep control of nobility through threat of debt, status bond = legal document which bound an individual to another to perform an action or forfeit a specified sum of money recognisances formal acknowledgement of a debt or obligation which is enforced by means of financial penalty
Justices of the peace
maintain law and order at local level
Acts of Parliament increasing power of JP's become responsible for tax assessments, investigating complaints against local officials
weakness- only control of them was threat of removal from their position, Henry had to depend on the goodwill of his of his jps