Breadth 2 - Changes in the sinews of power

How significant was royal income for the successful expression of political power in late medieval England?

Routine expenditure

• Maintenance of the king, family, and retainers. Lavish clothes, food, drink
• Regular defence costs - Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Calais
• Administration - staff in Exchequer and Chamber

Exceptional expenditure

• Ceremonial costs - coronations, weddings, baptisms
• Exceptional defence costs - conquests of France

Income

• Decline in traditional income - fall in tax from wool trade
• Very high defence costs - Henry IV in Wales, Henry V in France
• Henry VI very unsuccessful in France - a lot of debt - lots of criticism
• Was key for Edward IV to improve finances - improved relations with creditors, forced loans and gifts, 1475 Treaty of Picquiny - died solvent
• Henry VII increased income

Land

• In theory - all land belongs to king, he grants it to those who are loyal
• King needed to respect hereditary claims of noble families - e.g Richard II disinheriting Henry IV led to usurpation
• Limited land in England - motivation to invade France - could give land to nobles
• Forfeiture - Treasonous lords had to give up lands - could give to more loyal nobles. E.g. Warwick, George, duke of Clarence
• Acts of Attainder - land lost to family forever - Henry VII used it to scare nobles
• Heirs could regain land through constant repayments to crown - e.g Henry Percy
• Wars of the Roses meant lots of land constantly redistributed - good for followers of king but offered no real income in long run
• Demese lands (crown lands) granted if no land left - Henry VI had to do this a lot

To what extent was the Duchy of Lancaster an advantage for Henry IV?

• Henry IV came to throne - he was duke of Lancaster
• Charter from 1399 states Duchy was kings property, seperate from others
• Duchy so valuable it had administrative council
• Could show Henry IV unstable - had something to fall back on
• Duchy provided good income and loyal retinues
• Henry told parliment he could live on his own (to gain popularity), only need tax in war - menat parliment unwilling to grant future kings tax - should raise money himself
• Hard to raise money - black death meant labour expensive, hard to farm
• Income from Duchy to support family. Some used for favoured members of household. Some used for government finances
• Henry V brought Duchy closer to royal finances- increased profits and funding for government finances
• Hnery VI - income reduced from Duchy - poor leadership - less productive land
• Henry V marriage - dowry to come from Duchy
• Henry VI projects - Cambridge, Eton
• Henry IV not had own interests - meant as a judge was bias. Needed lands to retain Lancastrian supporters because was usurper
• Henry V confident as king - used to extend support
• Henry VI not strong enough - relied on nobles - meant Duchy lands in conflict

What happened to income from Duchy lands after the fall of the House of…