Council of the North facts for kids

King's Manor, York, where the Council of the North met from 1539 to 1641

The Council of the North was an important group that helped rule Northern England a long time ago. King Richard III of England first set it up in 1484. He wanted to make sure people in the north could get fair decisions from the king's court more easily. This idea came from earlier steps by King Edward IV of England, who had given power to Richard (when he was still a duke) to help manage the north. Edward IV also created a similar group called the Council of Wales and the Marches.

The Council of the North was always based in Yorkshire. It started at Sheriff Hutton Castle and Sandal Castle. Later, it moved to King's Manor in York. King Henry VIII brought the Council back after the English Reformation. This was because many people in the north stayed Catholic, and the king wanted to keep control. The Council was finally ended in 1641, just before the big war called the English Civil War.

History of the Council of the North

The very first 'council in the north' was created in 1484 by King Richard III of England. This council was managed from Sheriff Hutton. Richard put John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln in charge. His main job was to control Yorkshire. It seems that people from places like Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland started using this new council for their legal problems. This was because fewer cases from these areas were going to the main king's court in London.

After King Richard died, King Henry VII started the council again in 1489. It was officially led by the king's young son, Arthur Tudor. After Arthur died young, the council met only when there were urgent issues. Thomas Savage, who was the Archbishop of York, led the council from 1501 until he died in 1507. During his time, he often argued with Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland. Northumberland was one of the most powerful noblemen in the north. He wanted his friends to get jobs on the council, but he couldn't make it happen. The Archbishop and the Earl's groups even had a small fight on a road near York in 1504. After this, the Archbishop's influence went down, but he still led the council. After Savage died, the king's mother, Margaret Beaufort, mostly managed the north from a council based in the Midlands.

The Council Returns Stronger

King Henry VIII brought the Council back in a big way in 1537. Before this, the north was managed by a less formal group led by Henry Fitzroy. The Council was set up again to make sure the king's laws were followed in northern England. This included areas like Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland.

The main reason for bringing the Council back was the strong disagreement in the north about the English Reformation. This was when the Church of England broke away from the Pope and the monasteries were closed. Many people in the North were still very Catholic and were unhappy with these changes. A large group of people rebelled in York. They formed an army of 30,000 Catholics, carrying crosses and religious flags. This uprising was called the Pilgrimage of Grace.

The king promised to forgive the rebels and hold a meeting in York to talk about their demands. The rebels believed the monasteries would reopen, so they went home. However, after a smaller rebellion led by Sir Francis Bigod failed, King Henry had a reason to arrest the rebel leaders. About 200 people involved were executed. After this, the king took strong control. The Council was reorganized again in 1538 under Robert Holgate. It held four meetings each year in York, Durham, Newcastle, and Hull.

After York Abbey was closed down, the king kept the abbot's house. In 1539, he gave it to the Council. This building is now known as King's Manor.

The Council is Ended

In 1620, Thomas Wentworth gave an important speech to the council. He said that the "authority of the king" was the most important thing for keeping society in order. By 1640, some people no longer saw the council as a way for the king to control the north. Instead, they saw it as a possible place where people might resist the king. Edward Hyde suggested that the council should be ended. The Long Parliament officially abolished the Council in 1641. One reason was that the Council was seen as a main supporter of Catholics who refused to attend Church of England services.

Leaders of the Council

• Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of Durham 1530–1533
• Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland 1533–1536
• Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, 1536–1537
• Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of Durham 1537–1538
• Robert Holgate, Bishop of Llandaff (later Archbishop of York), 1538–1549
• Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, 1549–1560
• Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland, 1561–1563
• Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, 1564
• Thomas Young, Archbishop of York, 1564–1568
• Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 1568–1572
• Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, 1572–1595
• Matthew Hutton, Bishop of Durham & Archbishop of York, 1596–1599
• Thomas Cecil, Lord Burghley 1599–1603
• Edmund Sheffield, 3rd Baron Sheffield 1603–1619
• Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland 1619–1628
• Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford 1628–1641

See also

• Council of Wales and the Marches
• Council of the West