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A* AQA A Level Breadth Study: The Tudor Dynasty - Henry VIII Notes
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  • AQA A-level History: The Tudors: England 1485-1603

This document covers all of Henry VIII as part of the Tudor Dynasty AQA A level course. Topics covered include: - Henry VIII Introduction - Henry VIII Foreign Policy - The Church & The Break From Rome - The Impacts of the Reformation - Henry VIII Government under Cromwell & his Fall - W...

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  • January 21, 2022
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  • 2018/2019
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  • henry viii
  • a level
  • aqa
  • history
  • king
  • tudors
  • wolsey
  • break from rome
  • cromwell
  • foreign policy
  • reformation
  • catholic
  • protestant
  • henry viii wifes
  • divorce

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HENRY VIII – THE NEW KING

The Character and Aims of Henry VIII

THE CHARACTERS OF HENRY VIII:
 Henry succeeded the throne in April 1509, 2 months before 18th birthday
 Well educated in prep for role as king -> well read + introduced to humanist ideas (renaissance
prince)
 Charming + agreeable + produced positive 1st impression
 Manner of succession displays astuteness + ruthlessness on part of new king -> death of H VII
was concealed for 2 days whilst Prince H + some of old councillors secured position
 Richard Fox, Thomas Lovell + Richard Weston established themselves in power + arranged
imprisonment of Dudley + Empson on 1st day of new reign -> popular move, symbolised end of
old ways of ruling

Henry VIII’s way of ruling = v different from his father’s:
 Lacked a strong work ethic, enjoying courtly activities e.g. pageants, revelry, sports, hunting
+ tournaments
 Had little interest in daily business of gov but could act decisively when he chose
 Relied heavily on others – members of Council + at times a chief minister
(Wolsey/Cromwell)

Henry also exhibited certain character traits:
 Ruthlessness + cynicism (e.g. execution of Empson + Dudley)
 Insecurity (e.g. willingness to resort to execution for treason, often using flimsy excuses)
 Impulsiveness (eg. Speed with which he married C of Aragon, later marriages to Anne of
Cleves + C Howard & decision to execute Thomas Cromwell – all of which he later regretted
Henry believed in own ‘divine right’ to rule + conformed to the practices of Catholic Church

Characteristics of H VII + H VIII displayed by Holbein in painting:
 H VIII showed to be strong, young, powerful stance, lavish clothing
 H VII = pale, frail, weak, leaning on alter for support

1. How does Henry VII’s view of Henry VIII change once he becomes the sole heir?
 Changes dramatically, Henry ‘closeted away’, protected from court and society until H VII
dies
 Age 10, involved in sitting as judge in courts + educated by H’s various councillors
 Henry VIII reflects reign of Edward IV
2. Why do think this happens?
 1 of heirs already dead, wants to protect H as much as possible in order to produce a future king
who will be successful
3. Why does Cunningham label Henry VIII as a ‘traditional medieval king?’ (Remember: Henry VII
modern vs. medieval debate)
 Process of preparing Henry VIII to be king
4. Why is Henry VIII’s transition to the throne ‘bizarre’?
 H emerges as a rich and glorious king
 Just surrounded by councilors who tried to instillmethods of Henry VII in Henry

,THE LEGACY OF HENRY VII:
Strong inheritance:
 Main legacy to son = full Crown coffer (around £300,000) but also bequeathed peaceful
kingdom in which nobility had been checked + Tudor dynasty secured (H VII died Solvent)
 Peaceful foreign policy -> third rate power, H VII = not aggressive/empire seeking (no threat)
 Efficient government helped provide stability + welcome respite after Wars of the Roses
- Conciliar forms of gov (vanished under H VIII through Wolsey)
 Had a good relationship with the Church
Weak inheritance:
o BUT some methods of raising revenue = unpopular -> hence Empson + Dudley executed
o Nobility possibly frustrated at harsh restriction placed on them by H VII

WAS HENRY VIII ‘BORN TO BE KING’
Education:
 Spent his early years with mother, GM + sisters at Eltham Palace -> not expected to succeed
 Not given any responsibility after Arthur’s death to make decisions on his own
 Good renaissance education - studied English, French, Latin, Greek, arithmetic and astronomy
 Sat on council meetings and travelled with the royal progresses
 HVII added four young men to Prince Henry’s household - referred to in the account books as -
‘spears’ - personal bodyguards who accompanied him in military training
 HVII made sure that his son looked like a chivalrous warrior prince and leader

What actions did H take in the early days of his reign to be a successful monarch:
 Announced intention to make war on France
 Showed himself to be strong, generous and brave
 Restored rule of law + natural order: ancient rights of nobility
 Repealed taxes + dues on merchants who could now trade freely again -> loved for this
 Released some prisoners

HENRY VIII – ‘RENAISSANCE PRINCE’:
 Great social + cultural change of 14 th-16th C
 Renaissance – revival of European art, learning + culture characterised by interest in vulture +
ideas of ancient Greece + Rome + enthusiasm for learning, scholarship + arts
 Renaissance writers wrote about qualities of ideal prince. Included being well-educated, just,
merciful + an excellent warrior + leader

,WHAT WAS THE IMPRESSION AT HENRY’S CORONATION (JUNE 1509)
 Dawning of new age -> coronation greeted with ‘hysterical optimism’ –(Lauren Johnson)
 Out with the old, in with the new
 ‘the end of our slavery, the fount of our liberty; the end of sadness and the beginning of joy’-
Thomas More presented this poem to H at coronation
 Monarchs often written about in glowing terms by contemporaries – exaggerated
 People in high spirits – v high living standards
However there were problems both present + soon after coronation:
- Contests over enclosure often spiralled into violence
- Religious non-conformity, repression of Heresy of ‘Lollardy -> many public burnings (1510-12)
- Food shortages due to failed harvests s + ‘disease killed far more than hunger’ (plague)

The Aims of Henry VIII

AIMS AS KING:
1) Dismantle unpopular aspects of his father’s legacy while maintaining stability
Actions:
 Empson + Dudley executed; Council Learned abolished (Jan 1510); many bonds cancelled
 Was a public decision

2) Dynastic security
 Establish status among European monarchs through marriage + preserve dynasty (through
expectation of heir
Actions:
o Married Catherine of Aragon (June 1509)
o Seen as chivalrous towards virtuous young C, seen as conscious decision to put right
wrongs of past
o Since Arthur’s death, H7 refused to return her (/dowry) to parents / marry her to Henry –
had been prisoner in foreign land + won widespread admiration in England

3) Support nobility while preserving strong gov
Actions:
o Nobles’ sons became Henry’s personal companions in sport, leisure + war but their
political influence was limited e.g. Wolsey dominated as chief minister

4) Establish himself as warrIor king through success in battle
 Wanted to be King of France
 Imperial King
Actions:
o Pursued military glory through war with France - believes he has rightful inheritance to
French crown, only 80yrs since Henry VI crowned king of F
o Inspiration: Henry V at Agincourt during Hundred years war

5) Imperial king
Actions:
o Imperial King – dates back to Roman Empire – placed King next to God in importance on
Earth
o referred to England as ‘Empire’ governed by ‘one supreme head and king’

, WHAT WAS HENRY LIKE AS A KING:
1) Appearance and physique
 ‘striking’ in early years of adult life + took pride in his appearance
 Had a fine physique -> tall, large framed, well-proportioned + very muscular
 Carried himself well + paid a lot of attention to what he wore – ‘best dressed sovereign
in the world’ (described by foreigner)

2) Interests
 Sport -> jousting
 Food; health -> emphasises wealth (lavish)
 More interested in romance than physical love -> Anne Boleyn
o Little interest in day to day running of country

3) Intellectual abilities
 Prided himself on intelligence
 Promoted people based on intellectual skills -> didn’t make judgements based on
emotion
 Sent to outsmart members of aristocracy
o But had lack to intellectual training

4) Values and attitudes
 Strong belief in hierarchy -> made him strong, believed he was top of hierarchy (hence
problem with pope)
o Believed women were inferior
o Lacked remorse + was emotionless -> executed many who rebelled against his policies

5) Beliefs
 Believed strongly in divine right of kings
 Brought up believing he was a true knight + should be chivalrous -> warrior, jouster
 Should provide ‘trophies for his fair lady’ -> conquering abroad, warrior king

6) Personality and character
 Servants could act almost independently -> willing to blame them when it goes wrong
 Determined
o Could be a bully
o Indecisive on certain policies

AIMS OF HENRY VIII’S GOVERNMENT:
 Early aims related to establishing himself + reserving best of what father left him while
marking out new course as king
 Once position consolidated, aims became less clear -> always eager to pursue glory + secure
succession to throne BUT showed little interest in policy making except when it affected him
personally
 Lasting effects of reign eg. Growing importance of P, destruction of much traditional religion +
plundering of Church wealth arose from circumstances + weren’t the results of clear set of
policy aims

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