2.2 Henry VIII - Foreign Policy

Question 1

what were Henry’s aims from 1510-1520?

Answer 1

• honour and glory on the battlefield
• anti-french and scottish policy
• be regarded as a major european player

Question 2

there are 4

what were the events of 1510-1520?

Answer 2

1. • 1513: the battle of the spurs
2. • 1513: the battle of flodden field
3. • 1518: the treaty of london
4. • 1529: the field of the cloth of gold

1. Ferdinand wants to take Italy, uses Henry to invade France to distract the French. The first attempt in 1512 did nothing but the second attempt a year later was a bit more successful. The battle was more of a squirmish than a fight but Henry claims a huge victory. He gains Tournai and Therouanne which he has to garrison, leads to expenses and not much benefit.
2. As Henry attacked France this triggers the Auld alliance. James IV of Scotland invades in 1513 leading to the battle of Flodden Field. The English were victorious. They lost about 1,500 men whereas the Scots lost around 10,000 as well as 9 earls, 13 barons, 3 bishops and James IV himself. James V was a baby at this time so Margaret Tudor is regent.
3. Following the two battles Henry has run out of money. Wolsey must diplomatically achieve honour and glory. Following the encroaching Ottoman Turks, Wolsey sets up the Treaty of London, universal peace amongst Christians. 26 countries showed up to sign it and it temporarily made England the diplomatic centre of Europe. However, in 1519 Charles V becomes HRE, France is now completely surrounded and so no longer interested in universal peace.
4. This was a diplomatic meeting/tournament between Henry VIII and Francis I near Calais. It featured feasting, wrestling, jousting etc.

Question 3

there are 4

what were the events from 1520-1530?

Answer 3

1. 1525: the battle of pavia
2. 1526: the league of cognac
3. 1527: the anulment campaign begins, sack of Rome
4. 1529: the battle of landriano

1. battle between France and Spain. Charles V wins and captures Francis I, keeping him hostage in exchange for his two sons. As Francis is kidnapped Henry wants to invade France but he simply doesn’t have the funds. Wolsey attempts to raise money through the amicable grant but it causes a rebellion
2. England joins the league of cognac, an anti-habsburg alliance
3. starts to put Henry at threat of a Catholic crusade. Charles V captures the pope.
4. between France and Spain. France lose again and are forced to sign the peace of cambrai.

Question 4

there are 6

what happened from 1530-1540?

Answer 4

1. 1532: failed alliance with france
2. 1536: act of ten articles
3. 1538: treaty of nice
4. 1538: pope excommunicates henry
5. 1539: act of six articles
6. 1540: schmalkaldic league

1. Henry wants an alliance with France to go against Charles V but Francis I’s son is arranged to marry Catherine de Medici, the pope’s niece which was incompatible with England’s religious policies
2. Henry is starting to attract attention to religious policy in England with more reformist settlements. However, France and Spain have just gone back to war so are not focused on Henry.
3. France and Spain sign a peace treaty so are no longer distracted from Henry.
4. the pope further sends an envoy to France and Scotland to gain support for a crusade against England. Money from the dissolution is spent building the navy and coastal defences out of fear.
5. act of 6 articles a response to possible invasion? Henry presenting England as much more Catholic.
6. group of German protestant princes negotiated through Cromwell. the league doesn’t achieve anything militarily. The Cleves marriage also occurs… the marriage was annulled after 6 months

Question 5

there are 4

what were the events from 1540-1550

Answer 5

1. 1542: the battle of solway moss
2. 1544: the capture of boulogne
3. 1545: the battle of ancrum moor
4. 1546: the treaty of adres

1. following provocation from James V, Henry VIII invades Scotland. Around 1000 Scottish prisoners are taken and around a week after the battle James V died of fever. Mary queen of scots was around a week old at the time. Henry wanted the treaty of greenwich to marry his son Edward to Mary but Scotland refuses. Henry retaliates through the rough wooing which was criticised for a lack of strategic objective
2. Henry commits 48,000 troops to attack the north of France whilst Charles claimed to attack the south, however, he never committed. Henry was almost stranded in France so he attacked Boulogne instead. He captured and fortified it and as it was a port it was more valuable than previous land won.
3. France invades England in retaliation, sending troops to Scotland and then invading via the border. England lost the battle and the French fleet then sailed to the Isle of Wight and sank Henry’s flagship, the Mary Rose. The French were not able to attack the mainland as the winds were not in their favour.
4. in this treaty it is agreed that Henry gets to keep Boulogne until 1554. He receives 10,000 pounds a year from the French as pension money but the war cost him around 2 million pounds. In 1545 the amount of silver in a coin in England was 50% what it had been at the beginning of his reign and by 1546 it was only 33%. Massive debasement.

Question 6

what were relations like with Ireland throughout Henry’s reign?

Answer 6

• England only had control over the pale
• Henry tried to work with the Earl of Kildare to have authority over the country
• in 1536 Kildare leads a rebellion against Henry on religious grounds in which he announces support for Charles V and the pope
• Henry brutally put this rebellion down as a way to teach them a lesson and stop them supporting foreign powers
• in 1541 Henry appoints an Irish governor to make it a kingdom under English control, Irish would surrender their lands and have it returned if they pledged loyalty to Henry and could then sit in Westminster
• he sent over Antony St Leger, there wasn’t much change but it laid the groundwork for future negotiations with Ireland