To understand court, you must first understand its structure. At the centre stands the king, the source of all power. He can, if he wishes, make or unmake men in a second unless hampered by tradition, custom or the law. Gifts, lands and titles may be handed out in a burst of generosity or confiscated in a fit of rage. All of which makes judging the monarchs' next move a vital skill.
Some kings are more reliable than others.
Henry VII was a model king in this respect, taking a personal interest in almost everything that went on, even auditing his own accounts to root out fraud. Henry VIII on the other hand was not, repeatedly disappearing on hunting trips for weeks on end, or simply losing interest in being king for a time. Such absences left a vacuum at the centre of court which was dangerous to fill, but potentially rewarding. I was different again. She was almost always at court, but hated making decisions.