4 - English society at the end of the 15th century
- Created by: Becca Newman
- Created on: 04-02-20 18:26
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- English Society at the end of the 15th Century
- The Structure of Society
- Wasn't as hierarchical as France or Spain, but was layered
- Society saw a growth in a professional + mercantile group
- Remnants of the feudal system were still visible
- Economic pressures + Black Death increased social mobility which scared conservative elites
- They pass 'sumptuary laws' which attempted to regulate how people dressed according to their status - FAILED
- Economic pressures + Black Death increased social mobility which scared conservative elites
- Remnants of the feudal system were still visible
- Society saw a growth in a professional + mercantile group
- Nobility
- Consisted of only 50-60 men
- Families died out + were replaced by those who had won the King's favour
- These families were relied on to maintain order in localities
- Families died out + were replaced by those who had won the King's favour
- Henry VII distrusted the nobility and so was reluctant to create new peerage titles
- He trusted military officials like Earl of Oxford + Lord Daubeney
- Didn't trust Northumberland even though he betrayed Richard III for him
- He trusted military officials like Earl of Oxford + Lord Daubeney
- He controlled the nobility through bonds and recognisances
- ******* feudalism & Retaining
- The key to nobles' power
- Wealthy magnates recruited knights + gentlemen to serve them as administrators, but they could be used for unlawful influence
- Henry made legislation against retaining
- 1486 - nobles were made to take an oath against illegally retaining
- 1487 - law against retaining was established
- 1504 Act reinforced the law - licenses for retaining could be sought
- Henry made legislation against retaining
- Consisted of only 50-60 men
- Gentry
- Often these were great landowners
- Many sought knighthoods to confirm their status
- 1490 - 500 knights
- It was assumed that those with this status would assist in the care of their locality
- Many sought knighthoods to confirm their status
- Nobles + Elites owned 15-20% of the country's land
- Esquires + 'meer gentry' were more numerous
- Esquires - eldest sons of knights, younger sons of barons etc
- Often these were great landowners
- Churchmen
- Hugely important spiritually and as a landowner
- Lower churchmen were rewarded for helping the people spiritually
- Bishops + abbots of larger religious houses sat in the House of \lords + had political roles
- Henry VII appointed bishops as men with legal training
- John Morton + Richard Fox
- Commoners
- Top of the commoners = 'middling sort' (rich merchants and craftsmen)
- In the countryside the 'middling sort' were yeomen farmers
- Black Death had caused a drop in land values and therefore an emergence of this group
- Known as 'peasant aristocracy'
- In the countryside the 'middling sort' were yeomen farmers
- Educated professionals - lawyers who had considerable influence
- Shopkeepers and skilled tradesmen were lower down but still respectable
- Dominated town councils + played key roles in guilds
- Husbandmen were below yeomen - were employed by yeomen or gentry
- 'Peasants' = yeomen and husbandmen
- Labourers were dependent on the income of their labour
- Though grazing rights meant this could be added on to
- Top of the commoners = 'middling sort' (rich merchants and craftsmen)
- Wasn't as hierarchical as France or Spain, but was layered
- Regional Divisions
- England could be cut in two to show divisions
- South + East of the line was were mixed farming prevaded
- In the North + West pastoral farming dominated
- Londoners tended to look down on northerners for their savagery
- Justice was increasingly administered at county level
- Areas of magnate influence often cut across county boundaries
- England could be cut in two to show divisions
- The Structure of Society
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