Chapter 9 Flashcards
What were Henry VIII’s foreign policy aims?
- Wanted to be the warrior king - commissioned a translation of warlike Henry V - Wanted to take territory from Northern France - Wanted England to be an international power
Which King did Henry VIII aim to be like?
His namesake, Henry V, the victor against the French at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415
How did Henry VIII deal with foreign policy at the immediate start of his reign?
- Many of the councillors wanted to continue the peace policy of Henry VII - In 1510 the Treaty of Etaples was renewed - He also sent the Archbishop of York, Christopher Bainbridge, to Rome to pursue Pope Julius II to enter an alliance against the French. As a result, the Holy Roman Empire, Venice and the Papacy was established as an anti-French alliance
What happened with the first invasion of France in 1512?
Henry sent a substantial army of 10,000 men to Southwest France under the command of the Marquis of Dorset. However, this achieved nothing and was used by Ferdinand his father in law) and Emperor Maximilian I as a diversionary tactic while successfully conquering Navarre
What happened with the second invasion of France in 1513?
Henry himself led a force to Northeastern France. This was successful not only in winning the “Battle of Spurs” (only just but propaganda made it out to be a huge victory) but also capturing the towns of Therouanne and Tournai Geoffrey Elton called it a “futile sideshow”
What happened at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513?
King James IV had crossed the border with a substantial force, but was defeated by a smaller English army hurriedly put together and capably led by the veteran soldier, the Earl of Surrey. James himself was killed along with much of the Scottish nobility. This left the throne in the hands of the infant James V. Henry did little to build on the advantage Flodden gave him
Why was foreign policy limited in 1509-14?
- Nothing was really gained - everything Britain gained eventually went back to France - The war was very costly - A rerun of the problems of 1489 - rumblings about taxation in Yorkshire which almost became a full scale revolt - The renegotiated French pension was lost
How did the ruling of France change in 1515?
Louis XII died - accession of Francis I (who died in 1547)
How did the change in French ruling 1515 affect relations with England?
Francis I and Henry were intense personal rivals but at times they were willing to ally because of their shared suspicion of Charles V
How did the ruling of Scotland change in 1513?
James IV died - accession of James V, who was a minor (1 year old)
How did the ruling of Spain change in 1516?
Ferdinand died - accession of Charles I
How did the ruling of Burgundy change in 1477?
The duchy passed to the Habsburgs (aka the Spanish) - it consisted mainly of the commercially important areas now known as Belgium and the Netherlands
How did the ruling of the Holy Roman Empire change in 1519?
Maximilian died - election of Charles V (aka Charles I of Spain) - his rule ended in 1556
How did the joint ruling of the Holy Roman Empire, Spain and Burgundy by Charles I/V affect relations with England?
This made Charles the most dominant ruler in Western Europe. He was also the nephew of Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon
What is important to note about the ruling of Europe in the 1500s?
The main countries were all ruled by young leaders
Where were England in terms of international domination in the years 1514-26?
England remained a relatively minor power and could not really compete on level terms with the major powers of France and Spain
What was foreign policy in England like in the years 1514-26?
- Henry significantly overestimated English power, and Wolsey then had to frame the details of foreign policy based on that false assumption - The “Auld Alliance” between France and Scotland remained strong. Consequently, when Anglo-French relations were amicable, there tended to be few issues with Anglo-Scottish relations. Similarly, clashes between France and England almost always led to increased tension between England and Scotland
What had Henry run out of by the end of 1514 and what did this mean?
He had run out of money to continue a warlike foreign policy
What were the two major consequences of Henry running out of money 1514?
- He was unable to exploit the weakness of Scotland following the death of James IV at Flodden - He sought peace with France, the settlement being reinforced by the marriage of his younger sister, Mary, to the French King, Louis XII, however, this marriage was short lived
How did alliances change in Western Europe in the year 1514-26?
- Louis XII had an alliance with England as a result of his marriage to Henry’s sister in 1514 - When Louis XII died, Francis I succeeds him in 1515 and Henry sees him as a political rival - Meanwhile, in 1516 Spain, Ferdinand dies and is replaced by Charles V, who seeks an alliance with Francis I of France, leading to the Treaty of Cambrai
When was the Treaty of Cambrai signed?
1517
Who was the Treaty of Cambrai between?
France and Holy Roman Empire
What did the 1517 Treaty of Cambrai mean for England?
They were left dangerously isolated
What were the consequences of English isolation as a result of the 1517 Treaty of Cambrai?
- Offered Francis I the opportunity to undermine Anglo-Scottish relations as the Duke of Albany, heir presumptive to the Scottish throne, was also a member of the French nobility - Albany was able to consolidate his position by being appointed as regent to the Scottish throne, which alarmed Henry and Wolsey as they saw him as a French agent - However, Albany’s threat was minimised because of poisonous divisions in the Scottish nobility
Who ended the issue of English isolation?
Wolsey with the Treaty of London
When was the Treaty of London signed?
1518
What was the 1518 Treaty of London?
- Pope Leo X wanted a united Christian front against the threat of the Ottoman Turks - Became a “treaty of perpetual peace” with England, France, Spain, Holy Roman Empire and other smaller states - A non aggression pact
What were the consequences of the 1518 Treaty of London?
- Immediately became a diplomatic coup for Wolsey - the Pope’s need for a Christian front meant that he appointed Wolsey as Papal legate over England - Wolsey at the height of his power and prestige - Newfound friendship between England and France continued - England returned Tournai to France and the French agreed to pay a pension for its loss - French agreed to keep Albany out of Scotland, ensuring peaceful relations on Anglo-Scottish border
When was the Field of the Cloth of Gold?
June 1520
What was the Field of the Cloth of Gold 1520?
At 6pm on 7th June 1520, Henry VIII and Francis I of France met near Calais for a festival designed to improve relations between the two - Orchestrated by Wolsey - The two kings met in a shallow valley south of Calais, marking the start of 18 days of feasts, tournaments, masquerades and religious services - Francis and Henry met to affirm the alliance between them made in the Treaty of Universal Peace 1518 and show their commitment to peace - The meeting would take place on neutral ground between English-owned Guines and French town Ardres - Wolsey presided over religious mass on 23rd June - Ended on 24th June with elaborate banquets and exchanging of expensive gifts between Henry and Francis
Describe the meeting between Francis and Henry at the Field of the Cloth of Gold 1520
- To confirm commitment to meeting, both kings promised not to shave off their beards until they met, however, Henry forgot and removed his - Francis’ mother received the news of the “betrayal” and asked for reason from Sir Thomas Boleyn, the English ambassador - explained that Henry was forced to shave as Catherine preferred him clean shaven - Francis’ mother was satisfied as she believed that the kings’ love for each other was in their hearts - Before heading for France, Catherine and Henry met and entertained Charles V in Canterbury, offending and concerning Francis - Upon meeting, Henry and Francis embraced each other and walked arm in arm to a golden tent to start their meeting
How successful was the Field of the Cloth of Gold 1520?
The Field of the Cloth of Gold was successful to an extent as it eased Anglo-French tensions for a short period of time and allowed for much cause for celebration and a sense of togetherness to emerge, however, Henry’s actions post the festival undid all the work done by the meeting - Henry’s choice to side with Charles for a period of time and conduct further invasions of France despite the newly repaired relations between France and England fractured the friendship once again
What did Wolsey do when conflict arose between Francis I and Charles V in August 1521?
He negotiated the Treaty of Bruges with Charles V as Henry had compelling motives to side with Charles
