The Royal Household

As you know from fairy tales, as well as history, the king lived in a castle or palace.  Castles and palaces were, of course, big, draughty places which needed a lot of servants.  In addition, the king, being a busy chap, needed men to help him run the country and his own estates and to run the servants, too!  These men were also his servants, but were members of the gentry and nobility, rather than just menial servants.  In fact, service - especially to the king - was viewed as honourable, and a good way of 'making it'.  We've got to distinguish between 'below-stairs' servants (menials, including cooks and skivvies) and 'above-stairs' ones - these were the nobles and gentlemen.  Some of the 'above-stairs' servants did fairly menial things, too - e.g. the Groom of the Stool, who wiped the king's bottom (amongst other things).

 

Royal government was very personal and quite informal, although it gradually became more formal during the whole Tudor period.  Under Henry, and then his son, the Household increased in number; office-holders in the Household were the king's trusted friends and advisers, and were multi-purpose.  The householders made up the king's affinity, i.e. a wide group of people (knights and esquires) who would help govern in the localities.

 

The main historian to read here is David Starkey, who argued that the Court (which was roughly synonymous with the Household) was the most important thing in Tudor government, and that matters as basic as who controlled access to the king had a major impact on royal policy.  Other further reading:

Steven Gunn, Early Tudor Government

John Guy, Tudor England

 


Above stairs:  The man in charge here was the Lord Chamberlain.

privy chamber                    presence chamber                    great hall


Below stairs:  The man in charge here was the Lord Steward.

buttery                        kitchens


 

 

The Privy Purse

The Royal Household still exists.  This picture is the Privy Purse, carried by the Keeper of the Privy Purse at the Coronation.  The coat of arms is from the 18th century.