Henry VII= Structure of Society & Size of Nobility

Nobility
1. Dominated landownership
  1. Despite not having no more than 50 or 60 men
2. Peerage was not a closed group
  1. Often died out & were repleaced
3. Crown relied on them to control certain areas
4. How Henry controlled major nobles
  1. Seen in the aftermath of Bosworth
  2. Decreased the numbers unlike Edward IV
  3. Controlled the marriages of them & Kept a close eye on powerful families
    Annotations:
    - So they would not link themselves the great heiresses
  4. Rarely elevated people to higher positions
Gentry
1. Came below the nobility
2. By end on 15th centry= great landowners
3. Important members sought knighthood to prove themselves
4. 1490= 375 knights
  1. They were expected to contribute to maintain law
5. With the nobility they owned 15-20% of land
6. Esquires & 'mere gentry' were numerous
  1. Eldest sons of Knights
  2. Younger sons on Barons
  3. Magistrates & other men of wealth
Churchmen
1. Church was important for its role as a landowner
2. Social status of the clergy varied
  1. Low parish level
    1. Curates & chantry priests were awarded for deal with spiritual needs
      1. However...
        Bishops & abbots of larger religious houses were impotant who sat in the House of Lords
3. King had large control over the Church
  1. Henry used this to appoint bishop men who had legal training & were knowledgeable
    1. He was reluctant to appoint men with aristocratic backgrounds
      1. Meant that the clergy was becoming less socially exclusive
Commoner
1. Top end were lawyers & educated professionals
2. Lower down were shopkeepers
3. Even lower were small farmers
4. Lowest were labourers
Henry`s use of partronage
1. He didn`t try to buy their loyalty
  1. Was careful over the distribution of titles
2. Believed that it had to be earned

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Henry VII= Structure of Society & Size of Nobility

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	Created by Emily Costi-Mouyia about 7 years ago