Parliament
Parliament played a role in Henry VII's government, though it met infrequently and was not central to governance. The House of Lords was considered more important than the House of Commons.
Key points about Parliament under Henry VII:
- Only the king could call Parliament
- Henry called his first parliament after his coronation in November 1485
- He called a total of 7 parliaments during his reign
- Parliament was used less frequently as Henry felt more secure in his reign
Example: Henry called 5 parliaments in his first 10 years, but only 2 in the remaining 14 years of his reign.
Henry's early parliaments were mainly concerned with:
- National security
- Raising revenue
Highlight: Parliament passed numerous acts of attainder, where individuals were declared guilty without trial and their property was forfeited to the crown.
Vocabulary: Tonnage and poundage were customs duties granted to the monarch by Parliament, typically for life.
Parliament generally operated effectively under Henry VII, with the king accepting its decisions.
Domestic Policy
Maintaining law and order was essential for Henry VII to prevent uprisings and rebellions. He implemented a system of regional and local government to achieve this goal.
Regional Government:
- Controlled by the nobility
- Great magnates were powerful mainly in the north of England
- Henry VII preferred to rely on lesser magnates
Example: The Stanleys controlled the northwest, while the Earl of Northumberland ruled the northeast until 1489.
Local Government:
- Justices of the Peace JPs were responsible for local administration
- JPs were local gentry who met four times a year
- Their responsibilities included routine administration, tax assessments, and maintaining law and order
Highlight: JPs helped Henry VII rule the country by maintaining law and order on a smaller scale and supporting the king.
Definition: Justices of the Peace JPs were local officials appointed by the monarch to maintain law and order in their respective areas.
