Eltham Ordinance facts for kids
The Eltham Ordinance was a plan made in January 1526 to change how King Henry VIII's court worked. It was created by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, a very powerful advisor to the King. The plan was named after Eltham Palace in Kent, where Wolsey came up with it. Wolsey wanted to make the court more organized and save money, but also to gain more power for himself. However, this big plan never fully happened.
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Why the Eltham Ordinance Was Created
Cardinal Wolsey was a very important person in King Henry VIII's court. He noticed that other courtiers (people who worked for the King) were becoming quite influential. By 1518, Wolsey had enough power to control who could meet the King. But the King's private group of advisors, called the Privy chamber, and the main King's Council were still very strong.
In 1526, Wolsey decided to make big changes to the court. The Eltham Ordinance suggested that the King's Council should become much smaller. It would be a working group that could easily travel with the King. This new council would have twenty permanent members, who were "the most important officers of the realm." They would meet the King every day in his dining room. These members would focus only on government issues and help the King with important decisions.
The Ordinance started by saying that when King Henry was away from London, the court became messy. It said that "rascals and vagabonds" were everywhere in the court. However, some historians believe that saying the King's absence caused problems was just an excuse.
Saving Money and Controlling the Court
The main goal of the Eltham Ordinance was to save money for the court, especially when the King traveled. When Tudor kings like Henry VIII traveled, they brought countless courtiers and servants with them. This huge group would often use up all the food and resources in an area. They had to move often just to find new food supplies.
England was also spending a lot of money on wars with France. This made saving money even more important. However, it's not fully clear how much money the government actually needed to save.
What the Eltham Ordinance Included
The Eltham Ordinance was presented as a serious effort to improve the court. It followed other court reforms from 1525. The Ordinance was a very detailed set of rules for how life at court should be. It even included rules for small things, like how spent candles should be managed. This shows how ambitious and detailed the plan was.
The lists of household items mentioned in the Ordinance, like candle wax, help historians understand what was expensive back then. These items, which we might think are ordinary today, were important for how the court looked and felt. The Ordinance also had many rules to prevent theft of household items, even furniture. This suggests that stealing was common at court.
Keeping Order and Morals
The Ordinance tried to get rid of "rascals and vagabonds" and replace them with "servants honest in gesture and behaviour." To keep high moral standards, the plan wanted to create a very open environment. There would be no private places, and everyone would always be watched and judged. This idea of a perfect, orderly court, compared to the real-life mess, can also be seen in books and plays from that time.
Wolsey also managed to make the new council focus on legal issues. This helped to fully form the Star Chamber, a special court that dealt with serious crimes. A small group of important people, including Bishop John Clerk, Dean Richard Sampson, Secretary William Knight, and Chancellor Thomas More, became the King's inner council. At least two of them always stayed with the King.
On the other hand, some of Wolsey's rivals were forced to leave the court. These included Sir William Compton, Sir Francis Bryan, Sir Nicholas Carew, and Thomas and George Boleyn.
What Happened Next
Cardinal Wolsey's big plan for the Eltham Ordinance never fully happened. In 1527, Wolsey failed to get King Henry's marriage to Queen Catherine ended. Because of this, he lost the King's favor. By 1529, Wolsey was removed from his court job and lost all his property.
After Wolsey's death, another important advisor, Thomas Cromwell, brought back similar ideas. He used them in his own court reforms, known as the Cromwellian Ordinances, between 1538 and 1540.
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