Henry VIII: Characteristics
"Despite their differences in approach, Henry VII and Henry VIII
shared the same political aims.” Assess the validity of this view.
What were Henry VII’s aims? Henry VII’s primary aim was to secure the Tudor
dynasty, which could be accomplished through marriage and children. This was
important both domestically and abroad, and therefore, it was important to secure the
recognition of foreign powers and prevent rebellion in this time. Additionally, Henry VII
aimed to secure the crown’s financial position.
What were Henry VIII’s aims? Henry VIII aimed to remove any unpopular aspects
of Henry VII’s legacy, which can be seen through the execution of Empson and Dudley
and the abolition of the Council Learned. Similarly to Henry VII, he wanted to establish his
status amongst European monarchs, but also preserve strong government and establish
himself as a warrior king.
Did their approaches differ? Henry VII tried to marry off members of his family in
order to build European recognition, whereas Henry VIII achieved this through the
military and alliances. Furthermore, Henry VII’s rebellions had a greater impact on foreign
policy, which meant that he had to dictate his alliances according to this, whereas Henry
VIII already was established as a monarch and there were few rebellions in his reign to
worry about. Their approaches differed due to the different circumstances of their reigns.
Factors Within Theme
Foreign Policy – marriage alliances, battle, military glory
Domestic Policy – rebellions, using the nobility
Finance – secure financial position for Henry VIII
Historiography
“Henry seemed the epitome of kingship” Lucy Wooding
"Despite their differences in approach, Henry VII and Henry VIII
shared the same political aims.” Assess the validity of this view.
Conclusion: Overall, Henry VII and Henry VIII shared some of the same political aims,
although this can only be seen in foreign policy. However, their differences in aims in
domestic policy and finance can be reflective of the alternative circumstances of their
respective reigns, which is further illustrated by their different approaches. In both cases,
we can see foreign marriage alliances and limited influence of the nobility, but under
Henry VII, these were necessities, whereas under Henry VIII, these were preferences.
Points
Same aims in foreign policy
Henry VII
o Establish himself as Tudor monarch
o Married children off:
Arthur to Catherine of Aragon
Margaret to James IV
, o Tried to get himself married to others across Europe when Elizabeth of York
died
Henry VIII
o International recognition
o Tried through military glory
E.g. glory at Battle of the Spurs
1518 Treaty of London – acting as the Arbiter.
o Also married to Catherine of Aragon – international alliances
Different Aims in domestic Policy
Henry VII
o Put down rebellions throughout his reign e.g. Perkin Warbeck, Cornish
Rebellion, Lambert Simnel
o Reducing the power of the nobles
Bonds and recognisances
Council Learned
Henry VIII
o Different aims
o Abolished Council learned
o Reduced bonds and recognisances
o Executed Empson and Dudley
o Supported the nobility by becoming acquainted with nobles’ sons
However, political influence was limited
o Still relied on Henry VII’s ministers
Different aims in finance
Henry VII
o Wanted to secure financial position
o Henry VIII inherited £300,000 in the crown coffers
Henry VIII
o No attention to finance
o Left England in debt for Edward
o Focus primarily on military glory
o Boulogne campaign in 1544 meant that Edward was in lots of debt.
, Henry VIII: Government
To what extent was there a revolution in government under Henry
VIII?
What would a revolution in government look like? A revolution would be
something that more than the natural progression of government during this time. This
can be seen through excessive legislation passed through, or an extreme reformation in
the running of the country.
In what areas was there a revolution? There was a revolution in parliament, as
this saw huge amounts of legislation being passed, plus changes to the parliamentary
system. However, there was also a revolution in terms of royal control over local areas
within the country, such as the Act of Union with Wales in 1536 and the establishment of
the Council of the North in 1537.
In what areas wasn’t there a revolution? Although there were major reforms to
areas such as finance, these were so excessive that it didn’t simplify it whatsoever, which
therefore shows that this was possibly regressive. It can also be argued that there wasn’t
a revolution in the Privy council, as although this did adjust and change, this was a more
natural progression rather than a revolution.
Factors Within Theme
Parliament – marriage alliances, battle, military glory
Royal control – rebellions, using the nobility
Finance – secure financial position for Henry VIII
Historiography
'Tudor readjustment in government indeed, but no revolution’ Starkey
‘Henry wielded a power unequalled by any other English monarch’ Graves
To what extent was there a revolution in government under Henry
VIII?
Conclusion: There was revolution to a certain extent under Henry VIII. This is primarily
evident in Parliament, although this is likely because the King needed them to expand his
own power in order to break with Rome. However, there was also some revolution in
terms of royal authority, as we can see that Henry’s expanse of control grew over this
period. Although there were some areas where this failed (such as the south), this can be
seen as successful through examples such as the Council of the North. Finally, there was
no revolution in finance, as although there was change, this didn’t improve the situation
and the old exchequer system that was being used was still very slow. Therefore, Starkey
is correct when he says that there was “readjustment” but no “revolution”, which
emphasises that the statement is only somewhat correct.
Points
There was a revolution in Parliament
Legislation
o Over 1000 pages of legislation during Henry’s reign
