Henry VIII Full Note
Syllabu
1) The ascension of Henry and the Wolsey years until 1529
- Accession and the reign to 151
- Cardinal Wolsey: his rise, domestic policies, relationship with Henry VIII, political
dominance and fall in 152
- Foreign policy, 1513–1529, including the ‘Divorce
2) The politics of the divorce, the break from Rome, the role of Parliament, faction and
politics 1529-36
- The ‘Divorce’ and politics and the Court, 1529–153
- The break from Rome: key stage
- The role of Parliament and its impact in legislation – the power of the Crow
- The roles of Cranmer and especially Cromwel
3) Politics, the court and government 1536-47
- The role of Cromwell and his fall in 154
- Politics after 1536, factional politic
- Henry VIII’s position after 154
- The controversy over Henry VIII’s wil
4) Religious ideas 1520-47
- The Henrician Reformation, c. 1529–154
- Lutheran controversies in the 1520s and the campaign against the clerg
- Doctrinal changes in the 1530s and 1540s: Lutheran and Catholi
- The English Bibl
- The extent of changes in personnel, institutions and belief
- The Dissolution of the Monasterie
5) Opposition to the Henrecian reformation (nominated topic, so source questions on this)
- More, Fisher and other individual
- The Pilgrimage of Grace: areas, causes, features and importanc
- Royal responses and the defeat of oppositio
6) Foreign policy 1529-47
- Key events and feature
- The contrasts of the 1530s and 1540s: the importance of Scotland and France; the costs
and effects of war
Question
1) How in uential was the role of faction on politics during the reign of Henry VIII? (2013
2) ‘Neither Protestant nor Catholic, and satisfying to few people.’ Discuss this view of the
Henrician Church 1534–47. (2013
3) How successful was English foreign policy in the period 1513–29? (2013
4) How successful was Wolsey in extending and consolidating royal authority in England?
(2014
5) To what extent was Cromwell’s fall in 1540 the result of factional politics? (2014
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, 6) How consistent were the aims of English foreign policy in the period 1529–47? (2014
7) Was Wolsey’s fall principally the result of his own limitations? (2015
8) Who played the greater role in bringing about political and social change in the period
1529 to 1536: Cranmer or Cromwell? (2015
9) Why was there not more opposition to the Henrician Reformation before the outbreak of
the Pilgrimage of Grace? (2015
10) ‘Catholicism without the Pope.’ How adequately does this phrase describe the effect of
the changes brought about by the Henrician Reformation in the years 1529–1547? (2016
11) How great a contribution was made by Thomas Cromwell to the development of Henry
VIII’s government in the 1530s? (2016
12) What, if anything, did the foreign policy of Henry VIII achieve between 1530 and 1547?
(2016
1) The ascension of Henry and the Wolsey years until 1529
Legacy of Henry VII
- Henry inherited a large amount of surplus cash from his father
- However, the nobility had been alienated by Henry VII’s methods of imposing bonds and
recognisances on them
In 1509, the accession of Henry was welcomed by his subjects, especially the nobility
Henry’s character
- “Highly-strung and unstable” (Scarisbrick
- He was “unseasoned and untrained” for kingship (Scarisbrick). Before 1509, Henry had little in
the way of political education because he was not originally destined to rule (he only became
heir to the throne following Arthur’s death in 1502)
- Wanted to rule rather than be ruled (once hit Cromwell on the head
- “The Mirror for a Prince” (written for him by his tutor Skelton) told him not to trust councillors and
do work himself wherever possible.
- Intelligent, although far from being a rst-rate schola
- Egoisti
- Eager for glory (especially for the French crown - Henry V was his role model). Henry wanted to
be an imperial king (e.g. at a tournament in 1511, the imperial crown was used as a motif on his
gold and purple pavilion)
- Henry was seen as the ideal of the Renaissance prince
- In 1509, More wrote to Erasmus, saying that Henry “does not wish for gold or gems or precious
stones, but virtue, glory and immortality”.
- For most of the reign, he was unwilling to deal with government and administration personally,
preferring to indulge his sporting passions instead. However, when interested (e.g. foreign policy
and the annulment) he was capable of sustained hard work.
Problems facing Henry on becoming King in 150
Within a few weeks of becoming King, Henry married Catherine.
Henry was only 18 when he came to the throne. He therefore inherited a Council, chosen by his
father, that comprised most of his father’s old councillors. However, the arrest and execution of the
despised Empson and Dudley showed that Henry was distancing himself from his father’s
unpopular reign. Henry also abolished the Council Learned (which used bonds and recognisances
to keep the nobility and gentry loyal to the king) in his rst Parliament.
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, The Council was against an aggressive foreign policy for nancial and security reasons. However,
Henry was undeterred and was supported by other young nobles and by Catherine (who was
concerned to promote her father Ferdinand’s interests)
The rst half of Henry’s reign has often been seen as a period of limited achievement
Wolse
The ma
- Self-seeking (just before his death his annual revenues were £30,000
- The sculptor for Wolsey’s tomb was briefed to surpass Torrigiani’s Westminster Abbey
monument to Henry VII and Elizabeth of York
- Vili ed by contemporaries and even some historians. Garret Mattingley has pictured him as an
“unwieldy hulk of corrupted esh”
Rise to powe
- Became almoner to the court of Henry VII and royal chaplain in 1507
- Joined the Council in 1510
- Wolsey’s big break came when he organised the French campaign that enabled Henry to defeat
the French at the Battle of the Spurs in 1513
- Became Archbishop of York in 1514
- The zenith of his power came when he was appointed Cardinal and Lord Chancellor in 1515
- Became papal legate in 1518
- He remained Henry’s chief minister until his fall in 1529
How did Wolsey rise to power
1) The patronage syste
- Wolsey’s rst bene ce came from the Marquess of Dorset, whose sons he had taught
- Attached himself to the in uential Bishop Richard Foxe, being sent on his recommendation as
envoy to the Emperor Maximilian I
2) Wolsey’s positive personal qualitie
- Wolsey was ambitious (Vergil) and a hard-worker
- Wolsey could express witty and pithy arguments in the Council chamber that convinced the
other councillors to follow his lead. Cavendish said that he possessed “ornate eloquence”
- Good grasp of detail and strong managerial skills
- His low-birth prevented him becoming dangerous to the crown
3) French expedition 151
- Wolsey proved himself to be an able administrator, gaining Henry’s con dence
4) Fortunate situations that Wolsey was able to take advantage o
- Foxe and Wareham’s resignations in 1516 and 1515 respectively enabled Wolsey to take a
signi cant position within government
How great was Wolsey’s hold on power
1. How does he achieve / maintain hold on power?
2. Relations with the nobility
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, 3. Wolsey legal reform
4. Economic reform
5. Financial reform / Parliamentary management
6. Church reformer
How did Wolsey maintain power 1515-27
He knew that he had to be in regular contact with Henry, sending Henry letters and having an
audience with him each Sunday
Henry was generally prepared to let Wolsey have his way in domestic affairs (except patronage)
In 1518 Wolsey drafted in his own man Richard Pace to be a gentleman in attendance on the King
and to deal with royal correspondence. Then in 1518, he expelled the minions
Before 1518, Wolsey kept power by encouraging Henry in his pleasures. After 1518 he proposed
suddenly reforming governmental departments and the economy. Henry agreed to replace the
minions with more serious careerists
In 1520, Henry readmitted the minions, who were given the formal title of Gentlemen of the Privy
Chamber. Wolsey reduced their in uence from 1521-1525 by using them as ambassadors abroad
and on military expeditions to France
In 1525, the peace with France led to the return of many minions and the turmoil caused by the
Amicable Grant in 1525 meant that Wolsey had to deal with his fellow councillors, who increasingly
opposed him.
The interventions in his divorce by Henry marked a fulcrum in the reign. No longer did Wolsey have
the discretion to formulate policy in consultation with the king. He had to endorse and pursue
diplomatically to their conclusion the speci c arguments selected by the king
As Henry increasingly became interested in policy-making, he realised the lack of counsellors
attendant on his person at court. By 1525 he demanded that Wolsey get him more councillors
The Eltham Ordinances (1526) reduced the number of privy councillors from 12 to 6 in the name of
economy, removing his chief enemies such as William Compton (Groom of the Stool) and
replacing him with the neutral Henry Norris. The dismissed councillors and some others (20
councillors in all) comprised the new Council Attendant on the King. However, the council carried
out its duties away from the king, and only two of these councillors were always present at court to
advise Henry
Wolsey and the nobilit
The nobility was essential, both for Henry’s foreign wars and for the key link the provided between
the localities and central government. Wolsey could not alienate or discard them
Traditionally, it is suggested that Wolsey’s relations with the nobility were poor - they resented his
humble origins, wealth and power. Polydore Vergil has stated that Wolsey suppressed the nobility
to prevent them from challenging his position.
However, Wolsey seems to have cooperated well with the nobility, especially those who governed
the localities (Morris). However, at the highest political level, Wolsey’s relations with the great
nobles were frosty (e.g. the Howards and the Suffolks). This was especially a problem in 1522,
when the renewal of war with France made the nobility increasingly essential to the king
The Howards played a key role in Wolsey’s downfall
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