Jump to content

Council of the North: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Crabstane (talk | contribs)
Crabstane (talk | contribs)
m History: content moved
Line 5: Line 5:


==History==
==History==
The first 'council in the north' was established in 1484 by King [[Richard III of England]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Reid|first=Rachel R.|date=1921|title=The King's Council in the North|url=https://archive.org/details/kingscouncilinno00reiduoft/page/243/mode/2up|location=London|publisher=Longmans, Green and Co|page=243}}</ref> It was established to administer Royal justice in the northern parts of England - Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Northumberland.<ref name = "enc">Susan Walters Schmid, John A. Wagner (eds), ''Encyclopedia of Tudor England'', ABC-CLIO, 2011. pp. 304–5.</ref> The council was administered from Sheriff Hutton. Richard placed the council in the hands of [[John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln]], who was charged with control primarily of Yorkshire.<ref>Frederick William Brooks, ''York and the Council of the North'', Borthwick Publications, 1954, p. 4.</ref>
The first 'council in the north' was established in 1484 by King [[Richard III of England]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Reid|first=Rachel R.|date=1921|title=The King's Council in the North|url=https://archive.org/details/kingscouncilinno00reiduoft/page/243/mode/2up|location=London|publisher=Longmans, Green and Co|page=243}}</ref> The council was administered from Sheriff Hutton. Richard placed the council in the hands of [[John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln]], who was charged with control primarily of Yorkshire.<ref>Frederick William Brooks, ''York and the Council of the North'', Borthwick Publications, 1954, p. 4.</ref>


After Richard's death the council was re-established by Henry VII in 1489, nominally led by the king's young son [[Arthur, Prince of Wales|Arthur Tudor]]. After Arthur's early death it existed as a sporadically constituted body to deal with pressing issues.<ref name = "enc"/> Most of the administration of the north was handled by the king's mother [[Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby|Margaret Beaufort]] via a council based in the Midlands.<ref name = "enc"/>
After Richard's death the council was re-established by Henry VII in 1489, nominally led by the king's young son [[Arthur, Prince of Wales|Arthur Tudor]]. After Arthur's early death it existed as a sporadically constituted body to deal with pressing issues.<ref name = "enc"/> Most of the administration of the north was handled by the king's mother [[Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby|Margaret Beaufort]] via a council based in the Midlands.<ref name = "enc"/>


===Re-creation===
===Re-creation===
The Council was re-established by [[Henry VIII]] in 1537, after a period when the north was governed by a less formally constituted council led by [[Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset|Henry Fitzroy]].<ref name = "enc"/><ref name=york>[http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/after-the-dissolution After the dissolution]</ref> Resistance to the Reformation was the spur to the recreation of the council.
The Council was re-established by [[Henry VIII]] in 1537, after a period when the north was governed by a less formally constituted council led by [[Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset|Henry Fitzroy]].<ref name = "enc"/><ref name=york>[http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/after-the-dissolution After the dissolution]</ref> The Council was established to administer Royal justice in the northern parts of England - Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Northumberland.<ref name = "enc">Susan Walters Schmid, John A. Wagner (eds), ''Encyclopedia of Tudor England'', ABC-CLIO, 2011. pp. 304–5.</ref>


Resentment arose in the North following the [[English Reformation]], the [[Church of England]]'s split from [[Rome]] and the [[dissolution of the Monasteries]]. In the North, most people's faith remained staunchly [[Roman Catholic]] and were unhappy with changes. A rebellion rose up in [[York]] creating a 30,000 strong Catholic army, carrying crosses and banners depicting the [[Holy Wounds]]. This movement became known as the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]].
Resistance to the Reformation was the spur to the recreation of the council. Resentment arose in the North following the [[English Reformation]], the [[Church of England]]'s split from [[Rome]] and the [[dissolution of the Monasteries]]. In the North, most people's faith remained staunchly [[Roman Catholic]] and were unhappy with changes. A rebellion rose up in [[York]] creating a 30,000 strong Catholic army, carrying crosses and banners depicting the [[Holy Wounds]]. This movement became known as the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]].


It was promised that the rebels would be pardoned and a parliament would be held in York to discuss their demands. The rebels, convinced that monasteries would be reopened, returned to their homes. However, after the failed [[Bigod's Rebellion|Rebellion by Sir Francis Bigod]], Henry had an excuse to arrest rebel leaders and to execute 200 people involved. Suppression followed the Pilgrimage of Grace. The Council was reorganised again in 1538 under [[Robert Holgate]] as President.<ref name=york/> It organised four sessions annually, in York, Durham, Newcastle and Hull.<ref name = "enc"/>
It was promised that the rebels would be pardoned and a parliament would be held in York to discuss their demands. The rebels, convinced that monasteries would be reopened, returned to their homes. However, after the failed [[Bigod's Rebellion|Rebellion by Sir Francis Bigod]], Henry had an excuse to arrest rebel leaders and to execute 200 people involved. Suppression followed the Pilgrimage of Grace. The Council was reorganised again in 1538 under [[Robert Holgate]] as President.<ref name=york/> It organised four sessions annually, in York, Durham, Newcastle and Hull.<ref name = "enc"/>

Revision as of 08:34, 26 July 2021

King's Manor, York, the seat of the Council of the North 1539–1641

The Council of the North was an administrative body first set up in 1484 by King Richard III of England, to improve access to conciliar justice in Northern England. This built upon steps by King Edward IV of England in delegating authority in the north to Richard, duke of Gloucester (i.e. before Richard himself became king), and in establishing the Council of Wales and the Marches.[1]

It was based in Yorkshire throughout its history: first at Sheriff Hutton Castle and at Sandal Castle, and then at King's Manor, York. Henry VIII re-established the Council after the English Reformation, when the north became identified with Roman Catholicism. It was abolished in 1641, just before the English Civil War.

History

The first 'council in the north' was established in 1484 by King Richard III of England.[2] The council was administered from Sheriff Hutton. Richard placed the council in the hands of John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln, who was charged with control primarily of Yorkshire.[3]

After Richard's death the council was re-established by Henry VII in 1489, nominally led by the king's young son Arthur Tudor. After Arthur's early death it existed as a sporadically constituted body to deal with pressing issues.[4] Most of the administration of the north was handled by the king's mother Margaret Beaufort via a council based in the Midlands.[4]

Re-creation

The Council was re-established by Henry VIII in 1537, after a period when the north was governed by a less formally constituted council led by Henry Fitzroy.[4][5] The Council was established to administer Royal justice in the northern parts of England - Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Northumberland.[4]

Resistance to the Reformation was the spur to the recreation of the council. Resentment arose in the North following the English Reformation, the Church of England's split from Rome and the dissolution of the Monasteries. In the North, most people's faith remained staunchly Roman Catholic and were unhappy with changes. A rebellion rose up in York creating a 30,000 strong Catholic army, carrying crosses and banners depicting the Holy Wounds. This movement became known as the Pilgrimage of Grace.

It was promised that the rebels would be pardoned and a parliament would be held in York to discuss their demands. The rebels, convinced that monasteries would be reopened, returned to their homes. However, after the failed Rebellion by Sir Francis Bigod, Henry had an excuse to arrest rebel leaders and to execute 200 people involved. Suppression followed the Pilgrimage of Grace. The Council was reorganised again in 1538 under Robert Holgate as President.[5] It organised four sessions annually, in York, Durham, Newcastle and Hull.[4]

After York Abbey's dissolution, founded by the Lord of Richmond as St Mary's, its abbot's house was retained by the king and allocated it to the Council in 1539. The building is now called King's Manor.[5]

Abolition

In 1620, Thomas Wentworth gave a famous speech to the council in which he emphasised "authority of the king" as the basis for social order: "the keystone which closeth up the arch of government".[6] By 1640, the council was no longer perceived as a centralising Royal power agent in the north, as a potential locus of resistance. Edward Hyde advocated the council's abolition. Long Parliament abolished the Council in 1641 for reasons relating to the Reformation: the Council was a chief supporter of Catholic Recusants.[7]

Presidents

See also

References

  1. ^ Reid, Rachel R. (1921). The King's Council in the North. London: Longmans, Green and Co. p. 41, 59, 243.
  2. ^ Reid, Rachel R. (1921). The King's Council in the North. London: Longmans, Green and Co. p. 243.
  3. ^ Frederick William Brooks, York and the Council of the North, Borthwick Publications, 1954, p. 4.
  4. ^ a b c d e Susan Walters Schmid, John A. Wagner (eds), Encyclopedia of Tudor England, ABC-CLIO, 2011. pp. 304–5.
  5. ^ a b c After the dissolution
  6. ^ Robert Wilcher. The Writing of Royalism 1628-1660, Cambridge University Press, 2001, p. 3.
  7. ^ King's Manor Tudor and Stuart
  8. ^ Reid, Rachel R. (1921). The King's Council in the North. London: Longmans, Green and Co. p. 486.

Sources

  • Brooks, Frederick William (1954). York and the Council of the North. Borthwick Publications.
  • Brooks, Frederick William (1966). The Council of the North (pamphlet no. 25). Historical Association.
  • Evans, Antonia, ed. (2002). The York Book. York: Blue Bridge. ISBN 0-9542749-0-3.
  • Reid, Rachel R. (1921). The King's Council in the North. London: Longmans, Green and Co.