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A* Early Tudors Henry VIII Exemplar Essay 6
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‘Wolsey’s lack of noble support was the most important reason for his fall from power’. How far do you agree?
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Henry VIII practice essay 6‘Wolsey’s lack of noble support was the most important reason for his fall from power’. How far do
you agree?
The apparent attempt of Cardinal Wolsey to rule with a king’s power base established
jealousy among the nobility which at least catalysed his fall from power, if not caused it directly.
Living in a literal palace fit for a king at Hampton Court, Wolsey arguably dictated England’s domestic
and foreign policy between 1514-1530, which challenged the Great Chain of Being as the nobility
saw themselves as the natural advisors to the king. As a result, not a single noble came to Wolsey’s
aid when his position came under threat in 1529. Historians such as Randell have argued that Wolsey
further compromised his relationship with the nobility by his manipulation of the existing judicial
system to perpetuate his personal agenda. Court records in the 1520s suggest that Wolsey used his
position as Lord Chancellor to launch a systematic scheme of repressing the nobility, as he charged
them frequently with affrays and breaches of maintenance. The Duke of Buckingham was executed
in May 1521 for, in the opinion of foreign ambassadors, ‘murmuring against the chancellor’s doings’.
Subsequently, it could be argued that Wolsey ruled as a tyrant impersonating the king,
unscrupulously using his position as Lord Chancellor – and hence, head of the legal system – to
further his own interests and oppress those against whom he had a grudge. There is also convincing
evidence that Wolsey interfered in the marriage agreements of the aristocracy, something which
they bitterly resented and increased discontent among the higher orders. Although they never
materialised directly, there were certainly rumours of a plot against Wolsey among the nobility.
Their passivity upon Wolsey’s arrest could be seen as evidence of this plot in action, since the fall of
Wolsey was undoubtedly in the interests of the nobility. Perhaps if Wolsey had treated them as his
friends rather than his enemies then they may have come to his aid when he fell from the king’s
favour. The fact that this was not the case strongly suggests that the nobility played a consequential
role in his downfall.
However, revisionist historians have disputed the view that Wolsey was unpopular with the
nobility. They point to the fact that Earl of Worcester considered Wolsey a good friend, and that
Wolsey offered carrots as well as sticks. The very fact that no plot materialised against Wolsey
suggests that most nobles accepted his authority, as long as the king did. The real reason responsible
for Wolsey’s fall from power seems to have been Henry VIII himself; the failure of his chief advisor to
satisfy his need for a divorce should be seen as the most important factor which led to Wolsey’s
downfall. Divorce became an urgent necessity for Henry because of Catherine of Aragon’s inability to
bear him children and his uncontrollable love for Anne Boleyn. Wolsey had promised a swift
resolution owing to his papal influence, but every attempt to convince Pope Clement ended in
disappointment. Time was against the cardinal as with the passing of time, Henry’s chances of
passing on the throne to a male heir able to rule without a regent were becoming less likely. It is
surprising, therefore, that Henry gave Wolsey as much time as he did, standing as testament to his
popularity with the king and how it was simply the ‘great matter’ which brought about his fall. It was
not only Anne Boleyn’s beauty which convinced Henry to charge Wolsey, but also her faction, since
her father in particular did much to undermine the Lord Chancellor at court. The Boleyn faction
multiplied his problems until he could no longer control events either domestically or abroad. As a
result, it seems credible to suggest that the combination of the potent Boleyn faction together with
Henry’s need to secure the Tudor dynasty was the most important reason for his fall from power.
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