How to be an effective king

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  • How to be an effective king
    • What expected to do
      • Good man manager
      • 1. Consult leading nobleman
        • BUT make important decisions yourself
      • 2. Lead your army in war, providing inspirational leadership
      • 3. Punish law-breakers severely, make fair judgements
        • Show no mercy to traitors
      • Must follow tradition and custom
        • Not innovative or change the role of king
    • Royal Household
      • Consists of people who look after you wherever you travel
        • Commoners e.g. in the kitchen - hardly ever see them
        • Noblemen & gentry
          • Closest companions and organise your household
            • Keep you informed about whats happening in countries where they have land
          • Need to be rewarded well
            • But don't get them much land
              • Make yourself look poor and weak
    • Royal court
      • Court and household overlap
        • Not a place but a group of people
          • You as  king and your courtiers
            • There to entertain you e.g. music, chess, dancing
              • Display this to foreign visitors
                • Demonstrates wealth and power
    • Royal officials
      • Around 250 highly trained educated officials grouped in to departments
        • Two main groups
          • Chancery
            • Headed by the chancellor
            • Sends out letters, commands & grants
          • Exchequer
            • Headed by the treasurer
            • Collects and spends royal income
              • Finance isn't important
                • Can be successful without money in treasury
                  • Banks always keen to lend money but don't borrow too much
    • The council
      • The men that are your advisors & heads of government departments
        • e.g. the chancellor & treasurer
          • Made up from nobles, gentry & bishops
            • About 50 councillors
              • Only a few attend most meetings
      • Make the government work
        • Put your decisions in to action
      • Council meetings
        • chaired by chancellor
          • King needs to  be involved in most important discussion e.g. decisions about war
    • Parliament
      • Meets only when the King summons it
        • Closes when you choose to close it
        • Doesn't need to be called every year, can go 2 or more with our calling it
      • Consists of 2 houses
        • Lords
          • Most influential
        • Commons
          • Includes knights and wealthy merchants
            • King has to listen to this house
          • Persuade people to agree to taxation, usually to pay for warned defence
          • Need to be charmed and intimidated
          • Things going badly such as war
            • Complain to you on behalf of the commoners - ordinary people
              • Commoners can't be ignored and aren't stupid people
    • Local government
      • Organised by county
      • Noblemen and gentry that own land play crucial role in making local government work
        • Judges in county law
          • Lead in stopping crime
            • King chooses these as sheriffs
              • Job to oversee the courts and arrest major criminals
            • King may have to deal with serious crime himself
      • Don't like strangers from other areas getting involved in their local business
        • King has to be careful who he appoints as officials therefore
    • WHAT NOT TO DO
      • DO NOT lose wars against France or Scotland
        • Though better to fight bravely and lose than not to fight at all
      • DO NOT ignore high born noble advisors
        • Listen to their advice - make decisions yourself
      • DO NOT appear lenient to criminals especially anyone charged with treason
    • WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE AS KING
      • A full royal army
        • Depend on nobles & gentry
      • A fullt ime police force
        • Rely on sheriffs/ local constablesto catch criminals
          • local constables are un paid and part time
      • Annual taxation on peoples incomes
        • Your ability to pay for your household and family comes from rents on your land
          • Also from custom duties on imports and exports
      • Speedy communications
        • It takes 5 days to send an urgent message from London to York

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