Spheres of influence – old – Reginae Regis

Characters will have membership of different spheres of influence. These are mostly restricted to male characters. Each of them has specific powers described below.

Deciding the future of England

To decide a clear future for England, the characters will need the backing of a lot of the court, including strong support from each of the spheres of influence below.
Decisions about England’s future without sufficient backing from the spheres of influence will risk a Civil War.

Privy Council

Represent senior nobles and their influence
Respected statesmen appointed by the King to advise him
They only provide advice, they have no power in the King’s absence

The Privy Council is made up mostly of senior Statesmen whose role is to advise the King. What notice the King takes of their advice is his own business.
While a role on the Privy Council is powerful and exclusive, they do not have any formal legal power in their own right and they do not rule in a King’s absence. In a King’s absence he appoints at Regent to rule in his absence who takes on his full legal powers and the Privy Council advises them. Henry has only ever appointed Queens as Regents, as is the custom.
Some members of the Privy Council may have titles that grant them specific powers at court. These will be enforced by guards and functionaries where needed.

Queens

Hold huge influence with Henry, can lobby him directly
Each has her own court of supporters who rely on her favour
May act as Regent for the King, holding his full legal powers
Have their own hierarchy based on date of marriage

The Queens hold large amounts of power within the court. They are used to meeting each other informally to resolve conflicts between them and their courts and to address subjects of mutual concern. Each Queen of course has her own agenda and a long list of priorities.
Queens can also act as Regent in the absence of a King, or if an heir is too young to inherit. Henry is unlikely to travel again at his age, but he won’t live forever.
The Queens have their own subtle internal hierarchy. Henry had perhaps not considered the practical issues with having multiple wives, and eventually Catherine of Aragon was returned to court on the understanding she would take a senior role to resolve disagreements between the Queens. The rest of the Queens have their own internal hierarchy, mostly based on date of marriage.

Parliament

Some members of court hold key roles in Parliament
Parliament controls laws and raises taxes; Henry’s great reforms have all involved Acts of Parliament
Henry has massive influence over Parliament
The order of succession is legally unclear at present

Many members of court also hold senior roles in Parliament and control large blocs of influence there. Parliament passes laws, these can range from taxes to control of the state religion in the Act of Supremacy. This is how Henry has reformed England to what it is now. It is rare that Parliament will refuse to pass what the King wants, but clever parliamentarians find ways to influence his desires long before they get made into law.
One matter that has come up repeatedly is the order of succession after Henry’s death. This has changed several times with new wives and new heirs inspiring new Acts of Succession; these have left things in a wildly inconsistent state.

Military

England does not have a standing professional army
Specific nobles can raise their own large armies in a matter of weeks, they will know how many
These nobles also have a small core of guards, knights and attendants that they can call on in an emergency
All these troops are loyal to the noble personally, not the King or country

There is no mechanical tactical military game in this larp, but people are welcome to make up plans or threats using their general geographical position and their force sizes as a springboard for RP.

England does not have a permanent army paid by the state at this time. Instead, troops are raised as a militia when needed by senior Nobles on behalf of the King as part of their obligation to him and to the country. The other side of this obligation is that the King must maintain the loyalty of these nobles, as they are well placed to support a civil war.
In this context a military leader is not a captain of small unit tactics, or even necessarily a general. They are the Noble who can raise the army and who commands their ultimate loyalty.
Each military leader will have a small core of professional soldiers, knights and household guards they can call on quickly in emergencies. They will be able to levy a force of many thousands of militia with a few weeks’ notice. Each military leader will have an approximate troop strength of their potential levy.

Convocation of Bishops

The Convocation of Bishops Governs the Church
They have changed English theology to create the Henrician Church of England and break with Rome
Can agree changes to religion and theology
Henry has massive influence as Head of the Church

The governing body of the Henrician Church of England is overseen by its Archbishops and made up of its Bishops. Theoretically they are the authority on religion and theology in England, but in practice they are controlled by the King. The Convocation of Bishops also passed Henry’s various acts comprising the English Reformation, putting the King at the top of it.
The Bishops are at Court are those most trusted by Henry to meet the Catholic delegation and discuss theology and any offers that Rome is presenting. It will be difficult to change details of the state religion or theology without support from most of the Bishops present, but Henry’s reign has demonstrated that religious change can afford a few casualties. Complete moral purity is in short supply since any Bishop present at court has changed religion at least once to get to where he is today rather than end up dead.