1. The Evolution of Government

2. Structure of Government
The King
The Royal Court and Household- Privy Chamber, Privy Council
Prerogative courts- star Chamber etc
The Military
The Church
Common law courts
Court of chancery and Exchequer- financial admin
Parliament
Local courts, JPs

3. So the King’s power was at its strongest when he exercised it as...
Power lay with the King, but to exercise it effectively he relied on the co-operation of the nobility and clergy, who filled important offices and sat in parliament.
So the King’s power was at its strongest when he exercised it as...

4. KING-IN-PARLIAMENT

5. Privy Chamber
Privy Chamber- King’s private servants e.g gentlemen of the Privy Chamber

6. Privy Council Appointed by the King Managed income and expenditure
Council included officers of state, leading churchmen, the greater nobility and the King’s personal friends and servants.

7. Privy Council and Chamber
Numbered up to 100 altogether
But day to day work done by small inner circle

8. The Church
Church and King had been long-time allies for mutual benefit
Bishops and archbishops were members of parliament and could be members of King’s council
The church consecrated the King at his coronation, emphasising his role under God and taught him the importance of oaths, loyalty and independence
The church also provided educated clerks and administrators for royal service- in return the King protected the church
His right to make appointments in the church gave him an important role of patronage
Since 1534 however, mutual co-operation had become royal control

9. Parliament Important but occasional
Parliaments were called to suit the King’s purposes, mainly law and tax, sometimes trials and attainders
Kings could make laws by proclamation (Prerogatives of the crown) but it was recognised that statute law made in parliament was superior
The upper house, Lords, was more influential and included titled nobility, royal councillors, bishops and abbots
The lower house, Commons, was filled by country gentry, borough corporations (including the city of London) and royal officials

10. The Break With Rome
Economic impacts- any new bishop paid one year’s income to the crown instead of the church (First Fruits and Tenths), clergy paid £4800 a year to Rome but in 1535 they paid £46052 to Henry! Closure of monasteries in late 1530’s created huge wealth for the crown (£800,000 by 1547).
Political impacts- Henry’s political power was now massively increased as he became Supreme Head of the Church, parliaments role had become more important and England was becoming a nation state- no international interference.
Social impacts- This came later with the dissolution of the monasteries and Pilgrimage of Grace, no real change for most people who continued to worship as usual- little common opposition to break with Rome. However high profile opposition- Elizabeth Barton, John Fisher, Thomas More all executed.

11. The role of Cromwell
had seen a wave of uncertainty in terms of royal policy, but after 1532 this changed
Threats gave way to real blows as a more definite policy took place- the establishment of the Royal Supremacy
Cromwell was at the heart of these changes
1531- Church forced to acknowledge a relatively meaningless title and agree to heavy fines (submission of the clergy 15th May)
Henry was now, on paper at least, Supreme Head of the Church
Valor Ecclesiasticus and dissolution of monasteries-
1536 Ten Articles
1538 Royal Injunctions- English bible to be placed in all parishes, removal of relics, discouragement of pilgrimages
Bishops Book- no mention of transubstantiation

12. Did Royal Authority Increase?

13. Law enforcement; central administration and local government

14. YES IT INCREASED
NO IT DIDN’T INCREASE
Administrative revolution radically changed structure and organisation of central government
Creation of Privy Council- government by the King replaced by government under the King
Extension of royal authority to the regions- outlying regions brought under control of government
1543 second act of union divided Wales in to counties and established sheriffs and JP’s across the country- little resistance in Wales towards this
Suppression of 1549 rebellions
Reformed government of Wales
Act to resume control of Liberties and Franchises
Reorganisation of North after Death of Northumberland
Cromwell set about building up the resources of the crown and organising a bureaucratic system of administration, based on an inner or ‘Privy’ council and organised departments of state that could operate, if necessary, without the direct intervention of the monarch, thus in a sense reducing the power of the monarch
Smaller, more bureaucratic Privy Council led by Cromwell regularly, had a defined agenda and its own clerical staff- capable of operating without direct royal intervention
Henry’s attempt to extend control of northern marches unsuccessful- showed regional loyalties remained strong
Northern resistance strongest
Wakefield plot 1541

15. Resources: finance, taxation, role of patronage

16. YES IT INCREASED NO IT DIDN’T INCREASE
Reorganisation of royal finance into bureaucratic departments
1534 Act of First Fruit and Tenths transferred clerical taxes from the Pope to the King and set up an administrative court to collect and manage the revenue
1536 Court of Augmentations set up to handle money from the dissolution of the monasteries- became a model for future establishments e.g. The 1540 Court of Wards
First 10 years after dissolution brought the crown over a million pounds of new income
King: responsible for choosing chief officers, could also devise new offices such as Vicegerent in Spirituals
Membership of the royal council depended on King’s trust and favour
Patronage: Mainly created ‘new men’ for service- Cromwell always dependent on King’s favour, easy to keep in check
Reduced magnate power in N and SW
Despite financial developments, the crown remained financially unstable
Henry came to the crown when it was solvent but left it in debt
By 1549 (Somerset’s fall) any hope of financial stability was lost due to decisions to garrison Scotland and debase the coinage
Nobility remained a powerful force and could use this to bring down powerful political enemies e.g. Cromwell
Power of magnates in localities e.g. North
Despite the increase in royal power in the localities, in the absence of regional councils powerful local figureheads still proved useful for local defence and in times of emergency fear of French attack, Henry appointed several Lord Lieutenants
Distributed patronage to noblemen to strengthen authority, as a result powerful families began to develop e.g. John Russell in SW grew stronger- more powerful than magnates

17. Royal Supremacy and control of Church

18. YES IT INCREASED NO IT DIDN’T INCREASE
Church and state replaced by Church in State- church firmly under control of the King, church independence quashed
Act in Restraint of Appeals 1533, Act of Supremacy and Treason Act 1534: dismantled papal influence and thus the extension of royal power
English Church divided into a number of dioceses- held church courts which monitored morals and behaviour. King was able to take over the existing machinery
Dissolution of Monasteries meant transfer of property to the crown, huge financial benefit
By the time of Henry’s death it was a national church, led by the King and its doctrines defined in parliament, was therefore subject to secular control
Second book of Common Prayer, royal injunctions, acts of uniformity in Edward’s reign
Jan 1552 Treason Act- offence to question supremacy
Pilgrimage of grace

19. Making of laws and role of King-in-Parliament

20. YES IT INCREASED
NO IT DIDN’T INCREASE
Increased scope and authority of Statute law- using parliament to enforce Reformation of the Crown was emphasising that nothing lay outside the competence of parliamentary statute, potential for change...
King and parliament replaced by King-in-Parliament
Cromwell’s development of the notion of King-in-Parliament imposed limitations on the rule of Rex Solus- the King alone
King needed parliament in order to create Statute law- parliament could if necessary act to limit the King’s power