What did Henry VIII achieve in the early years of his reign?

·         Continued to use JPs

·         Continued to encourage talented advisors and administrators from outside to nobility

·         Privy chamber became more important – only the most intimate advisors and courtiers were allowed to attend

·         Privy council = 20 men at court and gave advice on matters of state

·         Never gave the affairs of government personal attention

·         Henry delegated power to chancellors of state

·         Henry does not like the unglamorous aspects of ruling

·         Disbanded the council learned in law

·         Cancelled 175 bonds and recognisances

·         Treaty the nobility as his friends and associates

·         Still didn’t trust some of the nobility

·         Yorkists called themselves the ‘White Rose Party’

·         Earl of Suffolk still a threat – had him executed in 1513

·         Richard was killed in the Battle of Pavia

France:

·         Revived hostilities

·         1512 – led an army there

·         Wolsey organised a second expedition there

·         1514 – Treaty of Saint Germaine-en-laye

Scotland:

·         Scotland invaded north-east of England with intention to divert English troops from France

·         Scots lost about 10,000 men

·         King James IV was killed

·         Henry followed his father in spending lavishly on buildings, art and court ceremony

·         Henry kept the chamber system increasingly used by his father to gather taxes and make payments

·         Used parliament to raise extraordinary taxes

·         As a result of the wars fought against both Scotland and France between 1512 and 1514 , the English treasury was in debt

·         The surplus built up by Henry VII between 1485-1509 had been wiped out