Assess the role of the nobility in providing political stability in Tudor England

Assess the role of the nobility in maintaining political stability in Tudor England.

The nobility’s role during the Tudor era was something of great importance in the maintenance of political stability, despite undergoing a dramatic change throughout the 16th century. Although not all nobles remained loyal to the Crown, the Tudors relied heavily on them as councillors, administrators and as military leaders, chiefly due to their desirable attributes including prestige, wealth and importance. The nobility however was not the sole factor in maintaining stability; the clergy, the gentry, local authorities and of course the monarch had significant parts to play in the keeping of authority.

The Crown depended on the nobles a great deal, for instance all Tudor monarchs used the nobility as a source of advice, Henry VII summoned five great councils of the nobles and in the suppression of Lovel and Simnel he consulted with nobles such as Oxford and Pembroke. Pembroke again assisted Henry VIII with Wyatt’s rebellion and both Henry and Elizabeth held assemblies of nobles in the 1530s and 1580s to discuss matters of state. Elizabeth, although only including one noble in her council of 1601, still expected every peer and leading gentleman to attend the royal court intermittently to pay his respects. Many nobles also held leading political positions in Tudor administration, for example in Henry VII’s reign the Earl of Surrey governed the Northern council and the Earl of Pembroke administered the Welsh council.

The nobles however were not expected to just give advice and guidance, as there was no such thing as a police force or a professional standing army during the 16th century so it was down to the unpaid services of his nobility and gentry to act as Lord Lieutenants, Sheriffs and Justices of Peace. In the second half of the 15th century, nobles had often held the position of Sheriff but as time went on, the sheriff’s responsibilities were assigned to JPs (most of who were members of the gentry). Nevertheless, the nobility was still thought of as the second highest in the administrative hierarchy, being appointed as Lords Lieutenant as a temporary measure in 1549 in the wake of serious disturbances in central and southern England. They were expected to oversee counties where there had been rebellions or where there was a risk of subjects rebelling. Lieutenants such as Russell in the South-West and Northampton in East Anglia preformed both military and police duties; it seems Northumberland had done a good job in the appointment of these men as proved by the absence of any rebellions between 1550 and 1553. From 1588 most counties had a resident lord lieutenant due to the continued threat of invasion from Spain, for instance Elizabeth assigned nobles such as Hastings, Talbot and Stanley the role in their own counties. They were responsible for mustering and maintaining the county militia, supervising recusants, distributing grain in times of shortage and collecting loans on behalf of the Crown. They also worked closely with the JPs and the gentry, acting as a pivotal link in the chain between the ruling monarch and the administration. The lack of a serious rebellion after 1570 highlights their effectiveness.

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The nobility also assisted the monarch in quashing rebellions, for instance, Henry VII requested Surrey and Oxford to help suppress the Cornish rising, Edward VI was aided by Lord Russell and Lord Grey to quell the Western rebels and Earl of Warwick helped to defeat Kett’s rebellion. Mary needed Clinton and Pembroke to counter Wyatt’s rebels and Elizabeth depended on Sussex, Clinton and Hunsdon to bring down the Northern earls and even called upon the Earl of Nottingham to arrest Essex in 1601. One of the main reasons for the nobility’s contribution to the maintenance of stability was due to the lack of a permanent Tudor army. Nobles owned a considerable amount of land which meant that they often employed many men as workers, servants and as retainers which could supply a ‘ready-made’ army for the Crown. Examples of this include Lord Ferrers who supplied over 1000 men to the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 and the Duke of Norfolk who provided 700 men for Henry VIII, also in 1536, Mary issued over 2000 licences for retaining.

The nobility was never far from the monarch but nonetheless, not all of the Tudor nobles were loyal to the Crown. After the Wars of the Roses there still remained a few noble families who were unwilling to accept Henry VII as the rightful Tudor king, Henry understood that they were indispensible to the maintenance of political stability but recognised he would have to limit their power if they began to act independently. Measures were taken to regulate their power so they couldn’t build up private armies or ammunition against him. Still, Henry VII had to face rebellions that were led or supported by nobles such as the Pilgrimage of Grace led by Lord Hussey and Lord Darcy; Yorkist nobility also supported many minor rebellions. Even Elizabeth faced revolts from the Northern Earls and the Earl of Essex in 1601. The Crown knew that they wouldn’t be able to survive without the nobility but at the same time they were wary of them, especially at the beginning of the period. However, by the end of Elizabeth’s reign they had undergone a dramatic change based on the decline of feudal relations with their tenants and an interest in humanism; instead of military honour, war and violence which had previously influenced them socially, they showed good lordship, peace and civility.

There were many other factors that contributed to the maintenance of political stability in Tudor times, for instance, the role of the gentry should not be overlooked; they held important roles in Tudor society such as that of Justice of Peace. These special commissions were a very important method of administration in Tudor times and the gentry were often described as the ‘workhorses’ of Tudor administration as they seemed to work harder than anyone else in maintaining stability. They were given a huge range of roles including the examination of felons, committing rebels to the gaol, reviewing the empanelling of juries, punishing vagrants, clearing blocked sewers, fixing the price of grain in times of famine and overseeing the welfare of the poor. Really there was very little a JP was not expected to do both judicially and administratively and this variety of responsibilities highlight that the Tudor monarch would not be able to cope without them.

The Church too, being one of the only truly national institutions, acted as a rock of authority, just as it had done since medieval times. The church preached moral order and discipline to over 9500 parishes throughout England on a weekly basis; it became a focal point in the administration of poor relief and tackling social problems. Children were taught the catechism and instructed to ‘honour and obey the king and all that are put in authority under him’. The church supported the Crown consistently; when Henry VII came to the throne he was anointed with holy oil, Crowned by the Arch bishop and imbued with divine authority. Before the reformation, the church provided the leading ministers including Fox, Wolsey and Morton. However after the reformation, respect for the church was undermined as its political status declined, the clergy ceased to have a majority in the House of Lords and Elizabeth didn’t expect her bishops to engage in high politics. Cromwell tried to impose control using the church but there was concern about the loyalty of the priests for example, their involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace. Overall, the church acted as a prop for the monarchy towards the end of the period as opposed to a leading force against instability. In general the church remained supportive in keeping the country stable and peaceful.

Overall however, the institution of the monarchy was the most important element in the maintenance of political stability, the aura surrounding it kept many people in awe and helped to keep them peaceful. Many people in Tudor times believed that the king or queen had been chosen by God to lead them which meant that any act against the Crown was also an act against God: disobeying the king meant that one was not only a rebel but also a sinner. Propaganda was a technique used by the Crown to accentuate the ideas of power and authority which is linked with their ability to control pamphlets and church services, imposing paintings were also commissioned to add to the impressive image. The Crown also had at its disposal the means to win over and keep the political nation subservient like the ability to award honours such as peerages and knighthoods.

In conclusion, it must be seen that the nobility was an important factor in maintaining political stability in Tudor times. The monarchy would not have been able to cope without their advice, imposing image and above all, their ability to retain men. Whilst ostensibly the JP’s and the gentry had a huge practical role to play in the overall running of the country, there is no doubt that they were kept in line by the nobility. Nevertheless the institution of monarchy was the most important overall as the monarch was the source of unity and authority in the kingdom and was directly responsible for the protection of his or her subjects. Although the nobility were primarily responsible for putting down rebellions, they did so only as the instrument of the Crown – and so cannot be seen as the sole factor in maintaining stability.

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Natalya Luck

17th of Sep 2013

This is a superb response that offers a balanced and accurate answer to the question with an impressive amount of evidence used in support. Some references to historiography would have improved it further. 5 out of 5 stars.

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