This document contains in-dpeth revision notes about Henry VIII for AQA History A-Level. The specific points from the official AQA specification booklet are clearly marked and answered, thus, everything that the exam requires you to know for Henry VIII is in this document. I achieved an A* at Histo...
Henry VIII: character and aims; addressing Henry VII’s legacy
The character of Henry VIII
Succeeded throne April 1509
Well educated for role as king
Well read- introduced to humanist ideas
Charming- produced a good first impression
H7’s death concealed for 2 days
Imprisonment and execution of Empson and Dudley 1510- popular move-
symbolised the end to the old ways of ruling
H8 was very different form his father
o Lacked strong work ethic: enjoyed sports and hunting
o Little interest in day-to-day business and government
o Relied heavily on others: e.g. Wolsey and Cromwell
Character traits:
o Ruthlessness and cynicism: e.g. execution of E and D
o Insecurity: willing to restore to execution for treason, often on flimsy excuses
o Impulsive: marred CoA quickly, later marriages, decision to execute Cromwell
Believed in in divine right of kings- held catholic beliefs
Legacy of H7
H7 left for his son:
o Money- around £300,000
o Unpopular mechanisms for extracting money
o A peaceful foreign policy
o A conciliar form of government- decisions made through a council
Each of these would disappear in the first few years of H8’s reign
Money- H8’s lavish lifestyle- spent on his aggressive foreign policy towards France
Conciliar government after Wolsey’s focus on government
E&D killed
Council Learned in Law abolished by Act of Parliament 1510
H8 distanced himself from his father’s regime and ensured his own popularity among
the nobility
Aims of H8’s government
Wanted to establish himself and preserve the best of what his father had left him
while marking out a new course as king
Always eager to pursue glory and secure the succession to the throne
Showed little interest in policy making- except when it affected him personally
Lasting effects on his reign- such as the growing importance of Parliament, the
destruction of much traditional religion and plundering of church wealth arose from
circumstances and were not a result of clear-cut policy aims
,Laura Mason Henry VIII, 1509-1547
Aim Actions
- Dismantle unpopular aspects of this E&D executed
father’s legacy, while maintaining stability Council Learned abolished
Many bonds cancelled
- Establish his statues among European Marred CoA, 1509
monarchs through marriage and preserve
the dynasty (through the expectation of an
heir)
- Support the nobility where preserving a Nobles’ sons became H8’s personal companion in
strong government sport leisure and war (e.g. the earl of surrey to
Scotland)- but their political influence was limited-
e.g. Wolsey dominated as chief minister
- Establish himself as a worrier king through Pursued military glory through war with France
success in battle
Government: Crown and Parliament, ministers, domestic policies including the establishment of Royal
Supremacy
Government under H8
H8 hat inherited a strong and efficient central and
local government structure
Parliament- Traditional functions of parliament:
o Advice
o Taxation- supply crown with money
o Law-making
H8 made more use of parliament than H7 as he
needed (summoned 9 times compared to 7):
o Money (E.O revenue) to fund expensive
foreign wars
o Laws to establish royal supremacy
Reformation Parliament summoned 1529
dismissed 1536- called on 7 separate occasions-
dealt with H8’s divorce from CoA
The role of the Privy Chamber was also extended
when the king’s minions became Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber- increasing the
status of both
Domestic policies of Wolsey
Wolsey was a Churchman of humble origins
His organisational abilities (especially in the French campaign) impressed H8 and
he became Archbishop of York in 1514, a cardinal in 1515 and papal legate in
1518
Appointed Lord Chancellor in 1513- put him in control of royal government and
gave him immense power
During Wolsey’s reign- domestic policy focused on strengthening royal authority
and raising finance (for H8’s wars with Scotland and France)- he attempted to
make the government more efficient
Wolsey’s actions
, Laura Mason Henry VIII, 1509-1547
He presided over the court of chancery, which he used to uphold fair justice
in problems relating to enclosure of open fields or sheep farming, contracts
etc
From 1516 he extended the use of the court of Star Chamber- established as
an offshoot of the king’s council during H7- making it the centre of the
government and the legal system- used to increase cheap and fair justice and
heard cases of alleged misconduct and private lawsuits- 10x as many cases as
H7
Judicial Committee – help poor
Local law officers were appointed to enforce royal law
The authority of the crown over regional councils was extended
Finance
- Subsidy tax introduced
o Flexible system based on wealth rather than fixed rate
o Realistic, people were able to pay and needs of Crown are met
- 1515 – Act of Resumption, increased land back to throne, higher income
- Royal income<needs for war- not exclusive to Wolsey
Instead of using local commissioners to assess taxpayers’ wealth for the
raising of subsidies, he set up a network of royal commissioners appointed by
himself
1513- Crown demanded a subsidy of £800,000- parliament reluctant to grant
it
1525- extraordinary revenue= insufficient to finance war in France- tried the
raise the Amicable Grant- this was a voluntary gift to the king from his
subjects- in reality it was a heavy tax levied without parliament approval-
lead to widespread resistance- H8 denied any knowledge of it- had to be
abandoned
1526- introduced Eltham Ordinances- aimed to reduce royal household
expenditure by reforming the Privy Chamber’s finances- but through them
Wolsey also succeeded in reducing the influence of the Privy Chamber
Wolsey’s Downfall
Failed to achieve H8’s annulment through the court/ legal system
Charged with Praemunire
Died before execution
Establishment of Royal Supremacy
The ‘King’s great matter’
Concerned the annulment of H8 to CoA- could only be granted by Pope, Clement VII
Henry had no male heir and had fallen for AB
Pope reluctant to issue a papal bull to annul the marriage as his predecessor’s
dispensation to allow H8 and CoA to marry the pope would have been questioning
and undermining the validity of the dispensation issued by Julius II
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