1.2: Henry VIII (1509-1547)

Question 1

Describe Henry VIII

Answer 1

Henry ascended to the throne at 17 he had prior education but no experience he had a low work ethic and didn’t want to endorse himself if the remedial tasks of running the country

Question 2

What were the four things that outlined his fathers legacy

Answer 2

Finance: Left £300000 = Spent on weapons
Council Learned in Law: Empson and Dudley (HATED) = executed
Peace: France, Scotland, Spain and Ireland = Henry goes to war with two of the above
Conciliar Govt: Running as a well-formed establishment

Question 3

What were the Aims of Henry VIII’s Government

Answer 3

To establish his status amongst European monarchs through marriage.
To re-establish the role of authority
To establish himself as a warrior king through success in battle

Question 4

What happened in regard to Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon

Answer 4

It was complicated as she married Arthur (dead) suited councillors (toom the attention away from them) but Catherine was unable to produce a male heir so she was beheaded

Question 5

Why did Henry want to re-establish the role of the nobility

Answer 5

Shared tastes in the dominant military culture of the aristocracy. The sons of the nobility accompanied Henry in the sports and revels that took up so much of his time.

Question 6

What did Henry’s Foreign Policy look like on paper

Answer 6

Pursuit of military glory.Vast amounts of money are spent to achieve small gains. These bouts of aggression were mixed with occasional alliances with France against Spain and the HRE.

Question 7

Summarise Henry VIII

Answer 7

Henry VIII’s reign was one of low work ethic but grand ambitions and wanted nothing more than glory for himself - to be known as the ‘warrior king’. His trust in the nobility was certainly a change.

Question 8

What did Henrys early government look like

Answer 8

Parliament met much more frequently in the second half of Henry’s reign. During Henry VIII’s reign, governance via councils broke down for the first time because of conflict between the King’s own impulsive personality and thus of his more conservative councillors.

Question 9

Why was the Privy Chamber important

Answer 9

The Privy Chamber had been established as the King’s minions became gentlemen of the Privy Chamber. was the one part of government which was outside Wolsey’s immediate control.

Question 10

What happened during Cardinal Wolsey’s Reign as Chief Minister

Answer 10

1514 he was appointed as Henry’s Chief Minister
1518 he was appointed Papal Legate by Leo X
1525 Amicable Grant

Question 11

Summarise Henry’s Government

Answer 11

The reign changed England permanently but whether it was for the better or worse is debateable. The King can be seen as a unpredictable tyrant who destroyed much of what was positive about English life, and the person responsible for transformational and necessary change.

Question 12

What happened from 1540 to 1547

Answer 12

Norfolk set up the marriage between Henry and Catherine Howard. There was an allegation of an affair. Henry chose his sixth wife Katherine Parr as a Protestant, posed and tried unsuccessfully to embroil her in accusations of herself.

Question 13

What happened after Cromwell

Answer 13

The emergence of a Privy Council with fixed membership, supported by a secretary who kept a formal record of proceedings. In 1540 power law with conservatives in the Council .

Question 14

How did Cromwell Pressure the Pope

Answer 14

1531: Clergy collectively accused of partenaire fined.
1532: act in conditional restraint of Annates
1532: House of Commons supplication against the Ordinaries.
1532: Formal submission of the clergy to Henry VIII.

Question 15

What was the catalyst of Cromwell’s Downfall

Answer 15

The catalyst from Cromwell’s downfall was his failure to manage the King’s martial affairs satisfactorily

Question 16

What were Cromwell’s Domestic Policies

Answer 16

Cromwell was able to weaken the church; however he did have some help in this. For example, the Catholic Church had been weakened by the humanist criticisms of Colet and Erasmus. Also the Church’s claims to legal supremacy had been challenged in 1528

Question 17

What were the key events in 1509 to 1514

Answer 17

1510: Renewal of Treaty of Etaples
1512: The Conquering of Theoruanne and Tournai
1513: Battle of Flodden

Question 18

What was impact of foreign policy after these events have occurred (1509-1514)

Answer 18

It showed especially to France that Henry would never pursue for peace he wanted all out was which at a great cost to him and his country (money) and he never followed through cause he could have kept Scotland under his control but left that stone unturned

Question 19

What were the key events in 1514 to 1526

Answer 19

1517 – The Duke of Albany sent to cause Scottish-English discontent
1518 – Treaty of London
1519 – King Charles of Spain appointed Emperor of HRE
1520 – Field of Cloth and Gold.
1522 – England at war with France
1525 – Peace with France.

Question 20

What was impact of foreign policy after these events have occurred (1514-1526)

Answer 20

The new French king, Francis I, quickly became a rival to Henry. Charles I replaced him and he desired an alliance with France. The Treaty of London attempted to create peace within Western Europe, although this became meaningless due to future conflicts. This change in French attitude was due to the growing power of Spain.

Question 21

What were the key events in 1527 to 1540

Answer 21

1527 – Sack of Rome, Pope Clement VII a prisoner of the Emperor
1535 - Volar Ecclesiasticus
1539 – Dissolution of The Monasteries

Question 22

What was impact of foreign policy after these events have occurred (1527-1540)

Answer 22

Henry became less involved due to his involvement in the “Great Matter”. Henry believed that a break with Rome was his only option This did not work as Charles and Francis had made friends again and cut off England. Ireland became difficult to control with Kildare and impossible without him

Question 23

What were the key events in 1540 to 1547

Answer 23

1542 – Invasion of Scotland
1544 – Invasions of Scotland and France
1546 – Peace with France

Question 24

What was impact on foreign policy after these events have occurred (1540-1547)

Answer 24

The death of James V; Henry once again failed to lead up on this opportunity. Henry agreed an alliance with the emperor to facilitate the French invasion. He assembled a large army and headed it. The emperor made peace with France. Peace was agreed in 1546, neither side could afford to continue war.

Question 25

Summarise Henry’s Foreign Policy

Answer 25

Henry’s obsessive, aggressive foreign policy was terrible. He spent far too much in war costs, without seeing the consequences, and due to his desire for glory he, ironically, made a disgrace of England

Question 26

What was the role of the nobility under Henry VIII

Answer 26

The size of the peerage increased under Henry VIII also Henry sometimes gave nobles property to enable them to exert royal authority in certain areas

Question 27

What was the role of the Gentry under Henry VIII

Answer 27

There were about 5000 gentry families in 1540 there Knighthoods were conferred as a sign of royal favour – there were about 200 knightly families in 1524 furthermore the number of gentry increased. The increase of JPs increased the number of those who participated in local administration.

Question 28

What was the role of Commoners under Henry VIII

Answer 28

They had very few possessions and little chance of regular and stable work, the government was fearful of them because outbreaks of disorder were common and there was little change in the commoner’s social structure

Question 29

What was the regional issues involving wales

Answer 29

Before 1536 Wales didn’t have one form of rule. After 1536, it had almost completely merged with England aside from the survival of the Welsh language

Question 30

What was the regional issues involving The Anglo-Welsh Border

Answer 30

The four bordering English counties (Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire) were under the jurisdiction of the Council of Wales

Question 31

What were the regional issues surrounding the Anglo-Scottish Border

Answer 31

To maintain order in the north, he had to choose between the nobility (who could exploit their power), the gentry, or complete outsiders (who would have little influence)

Question 32

What were the regional issues surrounding the council in the North

Answer 32

The council was re-established as a permanent body in York as it was difficult to govern areas so far away from London

Question 33

What was the social impact of religious change

Answer 33

The reaction to the break with Rome was quite underwhelming = People fearing there may be attacks on Parish churches + The king took huge amounts of the church’s land but lost 2/3rds of it to finance war this lead to many communities revolved around their monasteries

Question 34

What was The Pilgrimage of Grace

Answer 34

One religious motive was the dissolution of the monasteries
The other religious motive was the fear for Parish churches and traditional religious practices
The secular motives were: resentment of taxation by ordinary people; the crowns attempt to impose the Duke of Suffolk in Lincolnshire;

Question 35

What was The Amicable Grant (1525)

Answer 35

Many people then refused to pay the Amicable Grant in 1525, particularly in Essex and South Suffolk. Norfolk and Suffolk were faced with about 4000 resistors – they were unemployed and couldn’t pay. The resistors were treated leniently as they begged for forgiveness finally Henry backed down and funded future wars by selling off monastic lands

Question 36

How did Henry suppress the rebellions

Answer 36

Henry’s overall dealing with the rebellion was poor as he ignored warnings of the resentment to the increase in taxation which he did not want to hear – he was fortunate that the Duke of Norfolk showed common sense and flexibility.

Question 37

Summarise Society under Henry VIII

Answer 37

The size of the Nobility and Gentry increased under Henry VIII, there was little change to commoners. Religious changes were unexpected as everyone was fairly happy with the church. The religious motives of the Pilgrimage of grace were the dissolutions of the monasteries and the fear for the Parish church and religious practices. Henry dealt with the rebellion poorly as he ignored the warning signs of public resentment to taxation.

Question 38

Did Henry carry on with exploration

Answer 38

No Henry had little interest in exploration he only wanted to increase trade merchants carried on but were unable to gather royal support

Question 39

Was England Prosperous under Henry VIII

Answer 39

The population grew from 1525 and the mortality rate declined whilst incomes were going up along with food prices there was a short term boom but at a long-term cost to living standards (increased money in circulation and devalued)

Question 40

Was there a depression under Henry VIII

Answer 40

It could be considered as one because bad harvests in the 1520s led to a rise in food prices (double) while real wages were declining and the debasement of the coinage made this even worse and there was evidence of growing unemployment

Question 41

What industries prospered under Henry VIII

Answer 41

Continued rise in cloth exports (biggest growth in the cloth industry )
Woollen cloth exports almost doubled
Increase in exports of hides and tin.
Cornish tin remained a prize export

Question 42

What happened to English Trade under Henry VIII

Answer 42

Antwerp remained the leading export route‐ more cloth was routed through London ‐ damaging impact on other ports eg. Bristol and Hull. Trade was dominated by Merchant Adventures ‐ they gave large loans to the crown‐in return they received privileges.

Question 43

What was the issue with farming

Answer 43

Enclosure‐more efficient medium farms. Common land enclosed‐increased cultivation. Muddled legislation 1489 and 1515 for enclosure. Wolsey commissioned an investigation. Proceedings against 1888 defendants for enclosing illegally.

Question 44

What did John Colet did to Schools

Answer 44

He made the curriculum based on humanist principles and teaching methods basically to create the next humanist politicians and public speakers.

Question 45

What happened to the system as a whole in Henry VIII reign

Answer 45

The knowledge of classical learning increased amongst the elite groups in society, approaches to education Henry saw himself as a promoter of new ideas and of humanism and the crown needed well-educated diplomats who could communicate with their counterparts in other countries

Question 46

What were the four main things the Church was accused of

Answer 46

Anti-clericalism, pluralism (receiving the profits of more than one post), simony (the purchase of a Church office) and non-residence (receiving the profits of a post but not being present to perform the duties associated with it)

Question 47

What did Henry change in the Church

Answer 47

1534: Act of Supremacy
1536: Cromwell appointed vice regent in spirituals
1536: Act of Ten Articles and The Bishop’s Book
1539: Act of Six Articles
1539: Dissolution of The Monasteries
1543: King’s Book

Question 48

Summarise Religion under Henry VIII

Answer 48

There had been little attempts as yet to alter the interior of churches. Much had changed overall, however, with the jurisdiction of the Pope being destroyed. The king was a much more visible figure of authority. A massive transfer of resources from the Church to the crown. Wider Renaissance culture had become firmly entrenched at court