Question

Why did towns buy royal charters?

a) to keep goods at a stable price
b) to set up schools universities
c) to gain independence from feudal lords
d) to avoid being overrun by the army

Answer 1

Towns purchased royal charters primarily to attain self-governance and economic benefits by becoming independent from feudal lords, fitting into the broader mercantilist policies of maximizing national wealth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Towns bought royal charters primarily to gain independence from feudal lords. By obtaining a royal charter, a town would have legal rights and privileges that allowed it to self-govern, rather than being subject to the whims of local nobility. This move was part of a larger trend during the age of mercantilism where monarchies like England sought to establish greater control over their domains and consolidate power which sometimes went against the interests of feudal lords.

The royal charters were a method to bring towns directly under the authority of the Crown, bypassing the feudal hierarchy. These charters were attractive to townsfolk who desired a measure of self-determination and were willing to pay for that privilege. In addition to independence, these charters often granted the townspeople certain economic benefits, such as the ability to hold markets and control trade.

Further, mercantilist policies like the Navigation Acts controlled colonial trade to benefit the home country, illustrating the economic intertwining of the empire and its colonies. Governments of the time also sponsored trading ventures and regulated the economy through government regulation to maximize national wealth.