In the aftermath of the War of the Roses, Henry was aware that an understanding with the nobility was vital for stability and security. Restricting their numbers helped to ensure this. In medieval England, a rigid social hierarchy formed the basis of the system of governance. However, during the civil wars, the nobility took the law into their own hands “acting as quasi-kings in their own localities”. This seriously undermined the monarchy. To prevent this problem form resurfacing, Henry VII limited the number of peerage families by not creating many new nobles. For example, Edward IV created, in total, nine earls, two viscounts, and thirteen barons as well as rewards of dukedoms to existing peers. Henry VII created once earl and five barons, promoting his uncle, Jasper Tudor, from Earl of Pembrokeshire to Duke of Bedford. As the number of families fell from 54 to 44, Henry, “faced with a declining nobility, was clearly determined to establish his own supremacy”. He did this by rewarding 37 proven loyal nobles with the Order of Garter. This was the highest award of chivalry, but was without the financial obligations of titles. Thus, Henry successfully managed the number of nobles creating a select, loyal, controllable group.
Henry had close interest in the marriages of the nobility because under the feudal system, his permission was required for marriage. In the Middle Ages, it was common for powerful nobles to marry heiresses creating vast estates over which they had almost complete power. To stop this happening, Henry “ensured that leading magnates and their sons did not marry heiresses, thus preventing the creation of ‘super-nobles’. This prevented families such as the Stafford’s and the Percy’s from becoming too powerful. He also gave the inheritance of many unmarried women to the Crown. In this way Henry was really successful in limiting the power of nobility.
Henry, whilst respecting the local authority of the nobles, minimised their power in his central council. As Carpenter says, “the only men who Henry really did trust were certain officials…mostly of gentry region.” Not all Henry’s advisors were gentry, but many were. Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudly were mere lawyers and yet, tow of the most powerful people in the country in their roles as heads of Councils learned which regulated bonds and recognisances. Many Justices of Peace were also gentry. By allowing gentry to take up these positions instead of nobles, but not interfering in the regional noble authority, Henry successfully managed to control the influence of the nobility without causing resentment.
Henry succeeded in controlling the nobility by creating few new peerages, thereby limiting their numbers. He also enforced laws against livery and maintenance firmly without fear or favour. In the last few years of his reign, when due to Arthur’s death he felt insecure; Henry began to use the system of bonds and recognisance’s harshly. This resulted in a backlash from the nobility after his death. In spite of his harshness, Henry still made good use of the nobility to help him rule both local and national level and they were an important presence in the Royal Council too. Early Tudor England was a society that believed in good rule from above and in providing this for his subjects Henry’s nobility played a key role.
