From Henry to Elizabeth

In 1976, in one of his challenging Presidential addresses to the Royal Historical Society, Professor Geoffrey Elton drew attention to the importance of the court as a ‘point of contact' between the Tudors and their subjects. It was, he suggested, a central and essential aspect of personal government, but in many ways ill-defined and little understood.

Having endeavoured to teach the subject and being acutely aware of the lack of any systematic discussion, in 1986 I endeavoured to describe the court, and to explain its ethos and function in the Tudor Court. Very soon afterwards the subject was further advanced by the appearance of a most stimulating collection of essays entitled The English Court from the Wars of the Roses to the Civil War. Among those stimulated was Professor Elton, whose sharply critical response set up a controversy which still continues, and seems likely to continue. That controversy focuses upon the role of the courts as the context of government, particularly in the reign of Henry VIII, but it raises a variety of other interesting and relevant issues. No serious student of Tudor politics can any longer ignore the court, any more than the council or the parliament can be ignored. A renaissance prince needed maiestas, just as he needed law and military service. The king's pleasure was honour, just as his wrath was disgrace - or death...