Primogeniture challenged by Mary - Act Concerning the Regal Power 1554
Defenders of the royal prerogative - all acts still approved by parl
Compromise and cooperation - Henry delegated to chief ministers, Edward and Mary more dedicated to changes in defence of the realm. Elizabeth was surrounded by key advisers
Relatively effective govt - Act of Supremacy 1534 made monarchy more powerful
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The Privy Council
After 1536 - led by president and governed by collective responsibility. Day-to-day govt of realm
Drafted bill to be passed in parl and advised monarch directly (acted as Henry's chief minister after death of Cromwell)
After 1554 - managed national finances and defence
Edward - bypassed by Somerset but restored by Northumberland - increased council to 33, restored members to 'inner council' and created smaller committees
Mary - PC of 20. Philip established council of most trusted advisers. Returned England to influence of Rome
Elizabeth - advisery role with fewer members, led by William Cecil. Met everyday by 1590s. Added prosecution of heresy. Supervised poor laws, enforced reformation and fixed prices and wages.
Though PC could advise monarch, this could be ignored.
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Government Finances
Henry:
New taxes (Wolsey's subsidy) and retrenchment by Acts of Resumption.
New Courts - Court of Augmentations 1536 and Court of First Fruits and Tenths 1540
1542-1551 raised 1.27 mil from debasing coinage
Country faced bankruptcy on death
Edward:
Different offices established. Court of Augmentations absorbed Court of General Surveyors 1547
Mary:
All financial bodies became part of the Exchequer. Increased income and decreased expenditure: avoidance of war and creation of Surveyor General of the customs and work of the Lord Treasurer.
Elizabeth:
Rebased coinage late 1550s.
Increase in ordinary sources of income by 50% but didn't exploit all sources.
English crown solvent
Left debt of £350,000 on death
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The Royal Court and Household
Court key in distribution of patronage - more signif than passing of parliamentary statutes
Privy chamber - intimate contact with monarch, increasingly political
Factions - fought for control over monarch
Female monarchs reduced political imp of chamber. Elizabeth shifted political work outside of chambers to Cecil.
Emergence of favourites under Elizabeth
Court essential in creating and maintaining cult of the Virgin queen - 'golden age'
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The Legal System
The Court of King's Bench - Subject and monarch
The Court of Common Pleas - Subject and subject
The Court of Star Chamber (members of PC) - used under Wolsey. 12-120 cases. Tried to combat enclosures
The Court of Requests - access to justice for poor under Wolsey
Cromwell - harmonised system, regional differences abolished. Canon law fell under control of crown after Act of Supremacy.
Elizabeth - Exchequer given greater role - from 1585 became an appeal court. Increase in statutes.
Edward - repealed all Henry's catholic and heresy laws
Mary- removed Edward's laws and attempted to rewrite laws of Henry
Elizabeth - repealed Mary's heresy laws and restored the supremacy
By 1558 the legal power of the crown increased everywhere but Ireland
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