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Essay on Foreign Policy Successes and Failures under Henry VIII and Edward VI
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“Foreign Policy in the years 1532-1553 can be described as a series of expensive failures”Although the end of Henry VIII’s reign and the Mid-Tudor period was certainly wrought with
chaotic foreign policy decisions, it would be unfair to ignore the independent foreign policy
successes of the era, as fleeting as they may have been. Henry’s Third French War showed
progression in his foreign policy and led to territorial gain. Furthermore, under Henry and
Somerset - in Edward’s name - there were significant victories over Scotland. The foreign policy
of the period yielded some short-term successes and many long-term failures.
Firstly, Henry’s military success in Scotland, though expensive, conveyed a development of his
understanding of foreign policy. In February 1543, after the Habsburg-Valois conflict broke out
again, Henry entered England into an Imperial Alliance. This was in line with his previous
actions during the Habsburg-Valois conflict. However, while both Charles and Henry pledged to
invade France within two years, Henry subverted this agreement. Initially he delayed the march
on Paris due to issues in Scotland. By the middle of 1544, he did sail to Calais with 48,000 men
but without the intention to help Charles. He personally besieged and captured Boulogne and,
under Norfolk, soldiers attacked Montreuil. Although this betrayal may seem to fit into a pattern
of rage-fuelled leadership, it must be remembered that Henry was betrayed by Charles and
Ferdinand in previous French Wars. His foreign policy changed as he learned from his
betrayals. The Third French War may have cost two million pounds, but this was spent for
purely English gain. There were undoubtedly harmful consequences of Henry’s actions. The war
was partly financed by debasing the coinage, which only served to worsen inflation and cause
greater issues for his teenage heir. Nevertheless, in the short-term Henry experienced few
repercussions. In July 1545 France’s invasion attempt failed. And under the Peace of Ardres,
Henry not only kept hold of Boulogne - which he had captured in September 1544, but also got
France to agree to pay outstanding pensions which could soften the financial blow. Considering
the unexpectedly rapid peace treaty of Crépy between the Holy Roman Empire and France,
Henry could have gotten off a lot worse. Despite his policy being risky, Henry’s deviation from
the position of England, set up by Wolsey, in European geo-poltics left his country more
exposed but also more powerful. Unlike Wolsey’s delicate foreign policy, Henry’s later more
assertive actions led to England being less vulnerable to the whims of Charles V - essentially by
betraying him first. The Third French War was far from a total success. Boulogne did not stay
English for long and it is hard to justify the amount of money spent considering the meagre
territorial gains. There was symbolic value in gaining land in France. However, the real success
lies rather in the position into which England was manoeuvred by Henry. A position in which
they had far more control in dealing with the European powers than demonstrated in any
previous moment in the Habsburg-Valois Wars.
Moreover, the Scottish policy carried over from Henry’s reign into Somerset’s protectorate at
times was highly successful. In November 1542, enraged at his nephew’s disrespect, Henry
ordered a border raid which resulted in the great success of Solway Moss. Shortly after, James
V died. Henry used the Scottish nobles he had captured to set up a pro-english party in
Scotland. This led to the Treaties of Greenwich in 1543, which included the betrothal of Edward
to Mary. Although the return of the pro-french party in September 1543 ruined this attempt to
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