‘The key factor in upholding and extending royal authority in the years 1485-1603 was the
development of the institutions of central government’
Institutions of central government, including the Privy Chamber, Privy Council, Secretary and
Lord Lieutenants, altered and developed significantly between the years 1485-1603, which
contributed to upholding and extending the authority of the monarch. To measure this
extension of royal authority, one must consider the extent to which the development of the
institutions of central government allowed the monarch to suppress potential rebellions, avoid
being undermined by influential and dominant advisers, and improve the efficiency of
government administration.
On one hand, the development of the institutions of central government were crucial to
upholding and extending royal authority because this increased the ability of the monarch to
rule independently. The Privy Chamber, for example, was reformed during the reign of Henry
VIII which allowed his staff, known as Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, to access the dry stamp.
This enabled them to sign documents in the king’s name, undermining royal authority. Similarly,
during the reign of Edward VI, the dry stamp was in control of members of his Privy Chamber,
including those employed as protectors of the young king. However, when Mary I ascended to
the throne in 1553, the dry stamp was kept under lock and key, only to be accessed by the
queen. This contributed to upholding royal authority because it prevented the monarch from
being undermined by influential and persuasive advisers, which suggests that institutions of
central government became a key factor in upholding and extending royal authority during the
Tudor period. However, during the reign of Elizabeth I, the Privy Council became increasingly
powerful with regard to policies and major decisions, which therefore undermined the influence
of the Privy Chamber..
Another benefit of the development of the institutions of central government with regard to
upholding royal authority was the development of the Privy Council. During the reign of Henry
VII, the Privy Council seemed preferable to calling regular parliaments, and as a result consisted
of 227 members, including both Yorkists and Lancastrians. When establishing a Tudor dynasty,
this inclusivity was vital in order to suppress rebellions, and therefore the Privy Council
immediately developed importance regarding upholding royal authority. In 1540, however,
Henry VIII reformed the Privy Council to include just nineteen experienced administrators who
typically met three times per week. This also enabled Council members to issue orders in the
monarch’s name which, while undermining royal authority, also contributed to preventing
rebellions by increasing the influence of both Yorkists and Lancastrians. When Elizabeth I
ascended to the throne in 1558, the Privy Council had remained a small group of elites, but they
often met twice per day to discuss developments in domestic and foreign policy. This
contributed to extending royal authority because it improved the efficiency of central
government administration and may have positively impacted the monarch’s ability to prevent
rebellions, due to the Council’s increased awareness of public opinion.
