King Henry Tudor Laws Essay

Law: * during the reign of King Henry VIII English society followed Tudor Sumptuary laws, these were laws which marked a person’s social status by legally specifying what they could wear, what they could eat, and even what kind of furniture they could have in their homes. * It is believed that the changing nature of trade, religion and society under King Henry VIII’s rule led to an increasing need for such regulations to keep the social balance intact and to exercise greater control over the masses and the nobility. The laws also addressed the problem of people living above their means and prevented class distinctions from being blurred. * If these laws were broken the punishment was, the items would be confiscated and a fine would
* The nobility consisted of the dukes, earls and barons. The nobility would be called upon to muster up armies in times of war. * The gentry consisted of the Yeoman or farmers. * The church was also very powerful in Tudor times until King Henry VIII broke away from the Holy Roman Catholic Church. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT * There were many different forms of execution and torture during the Tudor era such as Hanging, beheading, burning, being ‘pressed’, boiled alive, whipping, branding with hot irons, the pillory and many more. * Hanging was imposed upon those convicted of murder and manslaughter as well as other severe crimes. * Beheading was the punishment enacted on offenders from the nobility. * Burning at the stake was the punishment used on heretics, it was meant to symbolize the flames that awaited the sinner in hell. * Being ‘pressed’ involved execution by being crushed. * The pillory was a T shaped block of wood with holes for the hands and head, the person being punished would be placed in the middle of the market to be ridiculed by