Essay responding to the statement: "Religious divisions were the main reason for the fall of Cromwell
155 views 3 purchases
Course
1C The Tudors: England, 1485-1603
Institution
AQA
Book
AQA A-level History
Full-mark essay assessing whether religious divisions were the main reason for Cromwell's fall from grace. Includes a paragraph on the stated reason (religious divisions), the opposition at court, and the financial disagreements. Also contains relevant historian quotes. Essay is balanced and arrive...
AQA A Level History example essay A* standard - Henry VIII government and Privy Council
AQA A Level History Tudors 1540-1562 Example Essay A* standard (Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I)
AQA A Level History Tudors 1540-1562 Example Essay A* standard (Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I)
All for this textbook (44)
Written for
A/AS Level
AQA
History
1C The Tudors: England, 1485-1603
All documents for this subject (23)
Seller
Follow
blissross
Reviews received
Content preview
21st March
‘Religious divisions were the main reason for the fall of Cromwell.’ How far do
you agree?
By 1532, Thomas Cromwell had effectively taken over the management of the King’s
divorce, and by 1536, he had drafted a series of Acts that destroyed the power of Rome,
created the Church of England and granted Henry unprecedented power and status as a
monarch. However, he lost his influence even quicker than he had gained it due to the
actions that he took, primarily those concerned with religious division that were
implemented too fast too soon for the King. It was these such religious divisions that
contributed to other factors, including the deterioration of Henry’s relationship with
Cromwell, opposition at Court and financial disagreements, that all amounted to why
Cromwell was arrested in June 1540 and executed a month later.
Religious divisions were the main reason for the fall of Cromwell because it was his radical
Protestant beliefs that led him to enforce many changes regarding the Catholic Church, a
very controversial matter that had serious consequences for Henry. Cromwell himself was a
Protestant, with a Lutheran mindset, and following his appointment as Vicar General in
January 1535, a government post created by Henry himself to give Cromwell power to
institute Church reform, Cromwell had the power to make religious decisions on behalf of
the King. He exercised the power that this appointment gave him in a multitude of different
ways. For example, he declared that an English translation of the Bible must be placed in
every parish Church and he banned Catholic traditions such as idols and pilgrimages.
Furthermore, Cromwell wanted to abolish monastic life altogether and so came about the
dissolution of the monasteries between 1536 and 1540. Cromwell had instructed his
commissioners to find the most damaging pieces of evidence about each monastic
institution that they visited, even if that meant listening to unfounded gossip and rumours.
Historians have tended to dismiss the official reason for the dissolution (that the
monasteries were corrupt and dirty places), instead looking elsewhere for the causes; the
fact that monasteries were a constant reminder of the Catholic Church, of which Cromwell
was desperate to cut all ties with, has been deeply considered as one of the truer reasons
for the dissolution. However, such extreme measures were too radical for Henry and it
could be argued that the excommunication from the Catholic Church (1538) was never in
Henry’s interests, considering the King remained a Catholic until his death in 1547. Although
Henry had already upset the Pope with his actions in the past, specifically those concerned
with the annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, it was the religious divisions that
Cromwell imposed, such as the dissolution of the monasteries, that were the tipping point
for the Pope to issue his bull of excommunication against Henry. It is after this point that we
see an ever-growing wedge emerge in Henry and Cromwell’s relationship and it is likely that
Henry thrust a great proportion of the blame for his unwanted excommunication upon
Cromwell.
Others may argue, however, that Cromwell’s relationship with Henry was the main reason
for his fall. Staying in the King’s favour was imperative to Cromwell’s survival, but as the
years progressed his positive relationship with Henry became endangered until it was no
more. Henry disliked Cromwell’s extreme Protestant reformist policies, exacerbated by the
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller blissross. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.53. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
