AS FP2 : Henry VIII, Government ; policies, change over time

Question 1

Conceptual Awareness

How did Henry VIII continue some of the domestic policies of Henry VII?

Answer 1

• Henry continued the use of the Justices of the Peace to control local government instead of the nobility and encouraged talented advisors into government.

Question 2

How many times did Wolsey call for parliament?

Answer 2

4

Shows his want for absolute power and distrust for parliament.

Question 3

Conceptual Awareness

How did Henry VIII’s governance differ to Henry VII?

Answer 3

• Henry let his chief ministers do the mundane jobs for him
• Henry VIII’s attitude towards parliament changed throughout the reign (it was less supportive of him than his father’s had been) ; at the start of the reign parliament’s only function was to grant extraordinary revenue and to pass laws.

Question 4

Conceptual Awareness

What was the style of government from 1509 to c1514?

Answer 4

Concillar Government
Broken down by 1514 due to disagreements between Henry and his councillars e.g over Wars with France and Henry’s preference to surround himself with younger courtiers.

Question 5

Conceptual Awareness

What was Henry VIII’s style of government between c1514 and 1529?

Answer 5

Thomas Wolsey chief minister.
From c1514 Henry relied on Wolsey to manage government effectively.

Question 6

Conceptual Awareness

What style of government vetween 1529 and 1532?

Answer 6

Concillar government restored after the fall of Wolsey

Question 7

Conceptual Awareness

What style of Government between 1532 and 1540?

Answer 7

Thomas Cromwell as chief minister.

Question 8

Conceptual Awareness

What type of government between c1540 and 1547?

Answer 8

Concillar government restored in a new form - privy council emerged with a fixed membership. Conservatives dominated Privy Council.

Question 8

When and why did Parliament grow in importance?

Answer 8

Parliament grew in importance particularly from 1529 when the Reformation Parliament dealt with Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon and reformed the church.
- The Role of Henry’s Privy Chamber was also extended in the early years of Henry’s reign.

Question 9

What positions did Wolsey hold by 1515?

Answer 9

Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal and Lord Chancellor.

In control of Royal government and gave him immense powers because all the other courtiers had to go through him to speak to the king.

Question 10

What did Wolsey’s domestic policy focus on?

Answer 10

During the years of Wolsey’s chancellorship (1515-1529) domestic policy centred on strengthening Royal Authority and raising finance, particularly to support Henry’s wars with Scotland and France.

Question 11

Wolsey

What was the Court of Chancery - give a SEND fact.

Legal Reforms

Answer 11

Court of Chancery was used to uphold fair justice in problems related to enclosure and land - became clogged up with cases as it was so popular - rose to 120 cases per annum (only used a dozen or so times in H7’s reign).

Question 12

Wolsey

What was the Star Chamber?

Legal Reforms

Answer 12

From 1516 the Star Chamber, off-shoot from the king’s council, became the centre of both the government and legal system. Used to increase cheap and fair Justice.

Question 13

Wolsey

When did Wolsey pass legislation against enclosure?

Legal Reforms

Answer 13

1515

Question 13

Wolsey - Conceptual Awareness

Why did Wolsey want to reform finance?

Answer 13

Wolsey needed to be able to fund Henry’s aggressive foreign policy and understood that the current methods of raising money were insufficient.

Question 14

Wolsey successes

How did Wolsey change taxation?

Financial Reforms

Answer 14

Instead of using local commissioners to assess taxpayers wealth for raising subsidies Wolsey set up a network of Royal commissioners appointed by himself.

Question 15

Wolsey

What did Wolsey do in 1522 and 1523 to raise money?

Financial Reforms

Answer 15

Sent out a national survey to see how much the population were able to pay - raised £200,000 from forced loans but this was insufficient in times of inflation.
1523 - Tudor Subsidy, focused around income rather than property.

Question 16

Wolsey

What did the 1523 Tudor Subsidy show?

Financial Reforms

Answer 16

Wolsey’s poor management of Parliament - thought Wolsey was arrogant and wouldn’t grant him what he wanted.

Question 17

Wolsey - Failures

When was the Amicable Grant?

Financial Reforms

Answer 17

1525
Heavy tax levied without parliament’s approval

Question 18

Wolsey - Failures

How many people refused to pay the tax and where?

Financial Reforms

Answer 18

1000 people refused to pay the tax on the Essex-Suffolk border, and the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk reported 4000 refusals - forcing Wolsey to back down.

Question 19

Wolsey

What and when were the Eltham Ordinances?
SEND evidence

Financial Reforms

Answer 19

1526
Attempted to reform the finances of the Privy Chamber - an area of government that Wolsey did not have control of - benefited Wolsey as it secured a reduction of the number of men in the Privy Chamber e.g Sir William Compton replaced by Henry Norris.

In 1519 Wolsey had tried a similar thing but many regained their positions, Wolsey’s success shows his growing influence and power (although declining at this point)

Question 19

Wolsey - Failures

What did the failure of the Amicable Grant show Henry?

Financial Reforms

Answer 19

That he could not rely on the public for money.

Question 20

The Establishment of Royal Supremacy

When did the King’s great matter begin?

Answer 20

1525

Question 21

The Establishment of Royal Supremacy

Why was Pope Clement VII reluctant to grant Henry the annulment?

Answer 21

Catherine had appealed to the Pope for help, additionally Catherine’s nephew - Charles V of the HRE - had taken the pope hostage after the Sack of Rome and was fiercely opposed to the annulment.

Question 22

The Establishment of Royal Supremacy

What laws were passed that established the Royal supremacy?

Answer 22

1531 - English Clergy collectively fined £10000 for praemunire.
1532 - Act of Annates / supplication of the ordinances
1533 - Act of Restrain of Appeals

Question 23

When was Cromwell the First Minister?

Answer 23

From 1532 to 1540

Question 24

What is some evidence that Cromwell reformed government?

Answer 24

He established departments for different areas such as the Court of Augmentations and the Court of First Fruits and Tenths which handled the King’s finances from the Church.

Question 25

How did Cromwell reform the Privy Council?

Answer 25

Changed the composition of the privy councik, reducing it to 20 men. It increased its efficiency and a higher value was placed on talent rather than reward for personal service or status in government.

Question 26

Government during 1540 - 1547

How was the revived system of concillar government different to previous governments?

Answer 26

It was dominated by conservatives who were anxious to halt further religious change, such as Gardiner or the Duke of Norfolk.
Factionalism emerged due to the presence of both conservatives and reformers at court.