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Tudor government & rebellion - Coggle Diagram
Tudor government & rebellion
1. Henry VII - establishing the Tudor dynasty
Securing the throne
Becoming King: after BoB crowned
Oct 1485
, married Elizabeth of York Jan 1486, had Arthur
Parliament called
Nov 1485
to demonstrate kingship, get recognition, went on progress
Supporters: John De Vere made earl of Oxford, Lord Stanley made earl of Derby, attract and maintain loyal men like John Morton Lord Chancellor
Opponents: handling was balanced, dated reign to
Aug 21st 1485
(traitors), imprisoned Yorkists eg William de la Pole young earl of Warwick, nobled who were suspected were stripped of their land + titles, Percy's family's gratitude + loyalty for leniency
Rivals and rebellions
Enemies: prevented or defeated all conspiracies, opposition from remnants of York family, 1886-1499 de la Poles at home and Margaret of Burgundy abroad
Pretenders: either Edward IV's sons or imprisoned Earl of Warwick, Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck used by Yorkists to question, Edmund de la Pole was a genuine claimant
Foreign rivals: political and diplomatic skills helped, put Yorkists under arrest, used spies + informers, agreements with European rulers cut off Warbecks support, pretenders rooted out potential enemies in purge of 1495
Foreign policy
Diplomacy: wanted to gain acceptance, England ranked poorly, crown might seek shelter/assistance, favourable words from foreign ruler gives credibility
Pope: issued a bill in 1485 excommunicating pretenders to the throne and their supporters
France: lacked resources to defeat, Treaty of Etaples
1492
; Charles VIII not to support rebels and English neutrality when France invades Italy
Netherlands: 1496 Margaret of Burgundy agreed not to support Warbeck
Spain:
1489
Medina Del Campo, counterweight, Arthur + Catherine of Aragon 1501
Scotland: 3 year truce under James III, James IV hostile but marries Henry's Margaret Tudor
Conclusion: ends expensive wars, establishing himself
Strengthen royal government
15th century gov was personal gov by the king and his advisors
Personal quality of monarch = quality of reign
Made major decisions without help of a Chief Minister
Control of nobility
Encouraging law + order in localities
Increasing wealth of the Crown
Henry and his government
The Council:
Most trusted supporters; give advice, tasks of managing the kingdom
Able men to advise and serve him on his council eg John Morton
Background in law and admin eg Sir Thomas Lovell
Emergence of committees eg Council Learned in the Law, Star Chamber
Parliament:
Minor role in political life
Ruled through decrees and proclamations
He called 7 parliaments in his reign
Continuous presence unecessary to gov
Role: grant Henry taxes + pass laws such as to limit power of nobility
Control of the nobility:
Controlling retaining, using acts of attainder against the actively disloyal
Reverse attainder and restore lands and titles if he thought he'd secure their loyalty
Bonds and recognisances on the doubted
No great magnates had regional power bases
Tried to control retaining through
1504
Act that required licenses + imposed fines but nobles found ways around this
Regional government:
Henry not hostile to nobility, needed their cooperation to govern, used them and gentry for controlling outlying regions
From
1489
Earl of Surrey ruled the north
Made Richard Fox bishop of Durham to reduce his influence
1494
gave Arthur POW Principality of Wales and Marcher lordships
1501
Council appointed to administer his estates, oversee admin of justice in Principality, Marches of Wales, adjoining counties on the border
Law and order
Ensured laws were obeyed by relying on the nobility and gentry
Stanley family had much power in Lancashire and Chester
Increasing use of local gentry as JPs
Passed acts to increase JPs scope of powers
By 1509 JPs were Crown's most important administrators
Finanace
Cautious and realistic approach, took direct personal interest in national finance
Followed Edward IV's example by dealing with admin of finance through Chamber and the Privy Chamber
Established Surveyor of the King's Wards to investigate money owed to the king from warships
Court of Audit for government spending
Royal estates, customs revenues, trade
Sir Reginald Bray, Empsom + Dudley
Avoided aggressive foreign policy
Revenues in surplus
Significance - new monarchy, success
New monarchy:
Considerable continuity, used many methods of his predecessors
1471-1509 much done to restore power of the crown
New vigour that made machinery work much more effectively
Success:
Establishment of tudor dynasty
Christine Carpenter says achievement is made much more dramatic than it was
2. Tudor revolution in government
Introduction
G.R Elton claimed that in the
1530s
Henry VIII's Chief Minister Thomas Cromwell changed the nature of the way England and Wales was governed so fundamentally that this constituted 'revolution'
Most revisionist historians don't deny teh distinct shift from medieval to modern
Array of criticisms at Elton's theory from questioning Cromwell's motives to saying he had no master plan and was reacting to events on a pragmatic basis
Role of parliament
1) Cromwell increased the power of the state and the competence of parliament within state. Also used parliament to enforce the takeover of the church by the crown
2) Established the principle that king-in-parliament constitutes the highest authority
Criticisms
1) Loach says the 'revolution' didn't lay in the role of parliament because it remained ocasional and at the discretion of the monarch but it was competent to deal with any matter
2) Bernard has claimed that, at all times, it was the king who had control of policy, and that Cromwell was simply doing what Henry told him to
Structure of government
Privy Council:
Was group of 70-90 leading noblemen, clergy and members of the royal househould
In the
30s
it emerged as a more professional elite group of about 20 permanent councillors that assumed responsibility of millitary matters, the church, finance, law and administration, as well as the day to day running of government
Criticisms
1) Guy and Starkey - his opponents set up the PC in
1540
to limit his authority
2) Hoak - it was set up in response to the POG and once the crisis had been resolved, it largely disappeared, to be revived again in the reign of Edward VI
Secretary:
As Principal Secretary to the King, he managed to extend his influence from the househould to virtually every area of public life
Elton claims that he made it an office of state
Criticisms
He didn't institute any formal, lasting changes
Loades, whilst conceding that Cromwell was a man of considerable ability, stresses that it was Gardiner who made the role of secretary important
Finances:
The househould system of finances was transformed by the new revenues generated by the break with Rome, new institutions were made to manage these new finances
1) Court of Augmentations
2) Court of First Fruits and Tenths
Criticisms
Cameron has claimed that these courts were less of a bureaucratic innovation and more about Cromwell's own importance
His financial systems were not fully institutionalised by the time of his death but they were later put into effect during Mary's reign
Relationship between church and state
By making Henry VIII the Supreme Head of the church in England, Cromwell had carried out a revolution in the relationship between church and state
The independence of the Church was quashed, and gave the monarch far more control over Church and its finances
Criticisms
Eventhough Henry was made head of the church, not much changed in the church systems
The Dissolution of the Monasteries was a major change, but carried out for financial, rather than religious reasons
Control of the monarch was demonstrated when Henry reversed the Ten Articles passed by Cromwell for being too revolutionary
Control over outlying regions
In
1536
the Act of Union with Wales reorganised local government in the principality, and on the borderlands of the marches
The power of marcher lordships was swept away, and Wales was divided into shires like England
An Act Against Liberties and Franchises removed and restricted the special powers exercised by regional nobles in the north and west
Criticisms
Although this policy was less successful in the west and north, in the reform of government and administration in Wales and the Marches elements of a 'revolution' can be detected
Cromwell intended to extend power over the outlying regions but his success was limited - weakest point of Elton's argument
Conclusion
Even Elton has modified his original theory, but he still sees Cromwell as the initiator and driving force of policies in the
1530s
It is indeed true to say that Cromwell changed the way in which England and Wales were governed; that the nature, speed and extent of his achievements put the gov in a stronger position
3. Tudor Chief Ministers
Introduction
Although the Tudor monarchy was one of which the ruler was directly involved in the business of government, the role of CM became increasingly evident during the period
CM's '...' had a great deal of influence in running the different aspects of the country and collectively caused fundamental development in the day-to-day running of the country
Despite this, historians debate...
1. Empson & Dudley
Info:
Two of the most powerful men on Henry's council and they worked as royal debt collectors under Henry's reign. They enforced the kings rights
Both men worked on the Council Leanred in the Law and saw to the collection of the king's monies as well as being responsible for the issuing of bonds and financial penalties on the gentry
Significance:
+The men both gained their experience whilst serving under Yorkist kings
-Due to their stringent approach on money collection they became deeply unpopular with the gentry and were executed under charge of embezzling money under Henry VIII
2. Thomas Wolsey
Info:
Worked under Henry VIII from 1514, had big influence
Financial changes raised considerable money through subsidies, taxation and forced loans
Passed tax reforms; Act of Resumption, The Subsidy
Introduced changes to Star Chamber and dissolved some monasteries and churches
Significance:
+Made law accessible to the poor - groundwork
+Increased revenue in Crown lands and the amount of money taken in tax from the rich
+Caused unrest and Wolsey and Henry were forced to withdraw the tax
+Church became more centralised
+Pope's representative in England
-His gain in incomes still could not finance war
-Enclosures continued and Wolsey stirred up hatred from landowners from his interest in social reform
3. Thomas Cromwell
Info:
Served under Wolsey as assistant, grew in importance when he offered solution to divorce
Made changes to the structure of gov, improved the way finances were collected, increased the role of parliament through the passing of statutes to authorise reformation
Church and state -> Church in state
Act of Union with Wales,
1536
Significance:
+Henry had huge confidence in Cromwell which is displayed by the many titles given to him eg Lord Privy Seal
+Argued by Elton that he was responsible for a revolution in government
-Guy and Starkey - his opponents set up the PC in 1540 to limit his authority
4. Duke of Northumberland
Info:
-Became Lord Protector to Edwrad VI, overthrew the hated Somerset
Asserted control over royal househould - > King
Entrusted experienced men to increase crowns revenue and cut expenditure in order to restore the economy
War: ended expensive wars with Scotland and France, signed Treaty of Boulogne
Significance:
Traditionally seen by historians as a devious ruler who enjoyed little success but his reputation upgraded as historians acknowledge his success in dealing with inherited financial problems
Control of both the King and Council ensured that he had 'unhinderedpower' to act in the King's name
Some hiistorians argue that Edward started to dictate business to his councillors from the age of 14, others feel he was nothing other than his puppet
Ultimately fails in his succession attempt - desperate coup to retain his power and influence
5. William Cecil
Info:
One of her most trusted advisors and remained in power until his death
Cecil believed in toleration where religion was concerned
Influential over foreign policy, laying great powers of France and Spain off one another to protect English interests
Arranged the support of Dutch rebels with the Treaty of Nonsuch which agreed to send millitary aid
Significance:
Full confidence of the Queen and few could doubt his loyalty to her, as well as the various positions she gave him over 40 years
The spy network he put in place identified numerous plots including the Babbington Plot that proved Mary Queen of Scots' disloyalty
Conclusion
The actions and varying significance of different CMs discussed in this essay makes it clear that the role of CM...
'...' were effective and had a great deal of influence in running different aspects of the country
4. Elizabethan government
Personal monarchy
By the end of her reign it met 6x/week and became a professional, organised body but the Queen took important decisions and had the final say
Still an age of personal monarchy and the PC exerted little pressure re succession or Dutch revolt
Although she rarely attended meetings and wasn't compelled to accept its advice, she seldom diregarded it completely
The PC did once act collectively against her, sending out the death warrant for MQS without telling her until after the execution
Functions of PC remained unchanged, Crown took dominance
Privy Council
PC played important role in her gov: she reduced the number to make management easier and retained over half of Mary's PC for continuity
She built a core of subservient, professional, experienced, loyal men from established families who would serve for long periods, improving effectiveness and continuity of the council
Relatively few great nobles, one clergyman
"Composition weak and narrow" claim has little support but unlikely to challenge the Queen
Most of PC shared concerns of he gentry (that they belonged to), and shared the same fundamental objectives as the Queen: safety and unity of the relm
Parliament
She used her right to call and dismiss them to her advantage and they were largely cooperative with her using them to bolster her gov with financial subsidies and approve legilsation
There were boundaries they couldn't cross and she wouldn't surrender her royal prerogative. Parliament's role was still mainly to support royal policy rather than initiate its own
Parliament met only when called by the Queen but sometimes the passage of a subsidy bill was deliberately delayed in order to force the Queen to consider a request eg in
1556
to marry and name her successor
The Queen vetoed many bills, most significantly those concerning execution of mQS 1572 or those hostile to Roman Catholics
Historians views on parliament
Neale believes Parliament increased in power during her reign and HoC saw a significant increase in membership from 398 to 462, as well as a change in character in the form of an increase in country gentry yet many were reluctant to attend once elected
Elton agrees parliament made the gov of the realm more smoothly effective, but challenged Neale saying he overestimated importance of the Commons, and underestimated that of the Lords eg RC opposition to ECS in Lords in
59
She frequently ignored political debates and their power did not change in fundamental characteristics
Puritan choir of 40 MPs cooperated to attack crown policies and bring radical change. She faced this but bequeathed to James an institution which poses challenges for less adept Stuarts (beginning of decline in power of throne)
Revisionist view
Revisionist is the accpeted view; parliament was a source of strength to the Tudors, but did not eclipse them. 'An important but irregular part of Elizabethan gov'
Historians stress high level of cooperation between her and parliament, exercised through PC whose members sat in both houses
Serious conflict occurred oly when PC and MPs agreed against her eg in 66 over succession
Little coordinated opposition to the Queen who has skilled Parliamentary managers in both Houses and whose rhetorical abilties helped her get her own way
There was little that was new in terms of procedure and function of parliament but changes in makeup of commons had a subtle but pervasive effect
Control over freedom of speech
In theory Parliament had freedom of speech but Queen appointed Speaker and decided on the topics to be debated eg foreign policy and religion by PC only
When in 1571 MPs wanted to discuss her marriage, Elizabeth exercised her royal prerogative and told them that they had no right to discuss her personal issues
In 1587 when they discussed changes to the CoE she was furious, demanding they stop and ordering the arrest of 5 MPs