Chapter 7 Flashcards
When did Henry VII die?
21st April 1509
When was Henry VIII proclaimed King?
23rd April 1509
When did Henry VIII marry Catherine of Aragon?
11th June 1509
When were Henry and Catherine coronated?
24th June 1509
When did Wolsey emerge as first minister?
1514
What was the start of Henry VIII’s reign like?
- He came to the throne 2 months before his 18th birthday - He had been preparing to be King for 7 years - He was well educated, had met Erasmus and was well aware of Humanism - Sir Thomas More was delighted when Henry became King, stating that it was “the end of our slavery, the fount of our liberty, the end of sadness, the beginning of joy” - Henry had no experience of government or public affairs
What was John Guy’s view of Henry at the start of his reign?
He was well read but had a “second rate mind”
What was Eric Ives’ view of the reception of Henry as the new King?
He says it was viewed positively as he was “extrovert, affable and charming”
What happened at the accession of Henry VIII according to John Guy?
- “self interest ruled” - “executions were a calculated ploy […] to profit from the stability created by his father without incurring any of the stigma attached to it” - “Henry showed his mind […] something of his ruthlessness was revealed”
What was Henry VIII’s character in relation to government?
- He disliked the business of government and found writing and reading state papers tedious and painful, unlike his father - Only intervened in government when he had to - Lacked the work ethic of his father, preferring to pass his time enjoyably - Was rarely engaged directly with the business of government - A renewed emphasis on governing through council - Relied upon the work of a chief minister who shaped the structures of government to meet his own needs - first Thomas Wolsey, then Thomas Cromwell - Had an impetuous approach, often contradicting decisions/actions already taken
What were Henry’s three early aims?
- To reestablish the role of the nobility - To establish his status amongst European monarchs through marriage - To establish himself as a warrior king through success in battle
Describe the nature of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon
- Married on 11th June 1509 - Councillors believed that marriage for Henry would deflect him from political matters and allow them to conduct conciliar business as usual - The marriage had been discussed since Arthur died but had not been finally agreed while Henry VII was King - The marriage was initially personally successful and Catherine exercised some influence over policy making in the first few years
What became of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon?
By the mid 1520s, he would divorce her - she was 5 years older than him and would never present him with a healthy male heir
How did Henry achieve his aim of reestablishing the nobility?
- Henry shared the tastes and dominant military culture of the aristocracy
- The nobility partnered him in sports and revels
- They accompanied him to war - northern France, the Marquis of Dorset to South-West France, and the Earl of Surrey to Scotland
- Nobles did not achieve political domination in the end
- Henry chose to promote the interests of Thomas Wolsey, the churchman who organised the war in France on his behalf
When was the Duke of Buckingham executed?
1521
Why was the Duke of Buckingham executed?
He had a problem with the succession - any discussion of what might happen after the king’s death could have been regarded as treasonable and so he was tried. The trial was headed by Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, and he was found guilty and executed. The reason for the proceedings remains obscure
Summarise Henry VIII’s foreign policy
- Pursued military glory - most particularly France - Vast amounts of money were spent to achieve painfully small gains with little or no strategic significance - Bouts of aggression were mixed with occasional alliances with the French against Spain and the Holy Roman Empire - Henry was never quite foolish enough to go to war with the powerful Charles V
