Character and aims of Henry VIII

Question 1

When did Henry VIII succeed the throne and how old was he?

Answer 1

April 1509 - two months before his 18th birthday

Proclaimed on the 23rd

Question 2

What had happened in the seven years since the death of his older brother Arthur?

Answer 2

His had been well educated for his role as king- he was well read and had been introduced to humanist ideas

Question 3

What was Henry like on first impression?

Answer 3

Charming and agreeable - positive first impression

Question 4

How does the manner of his succession show astuteness and ruthless?

Answer 4

The death of Henry VII has concealed for two days while Prince Henry and some of the old kings council secured his position

Question 5

What did Richard Fox, Thomas Lovell, and Richard Weston do on the first day of his reign?

Answer 5

Established themselves in power and arranged the arrests of Empson and Dudley (Henry himself not responsible for this but responsible for their subsequent executions which didn’t take place until a year later) (popular move symbolising end of old ways of ruling)

Question 6

In what ways was Henry VIII’s way of ruling different from his fathers?

Answer 6

He lacked a strong work ethic - enjoying courtly activities e.g. pageants, sports, hunting
Despite his lack of interest in daily business of government and finding reading state papers tedious, he could act decisively when he chose (sometimes contradicting already taken decisions) - impetuous approach had implications on decision making, especially important when regarding personal monarchy
He relied heavily on others (members of the council or sometimes a chief minister - Wolsey or Cromwell

Question 7

What were some of Henry’s key character traits?

Answer 7

Ruthlessness and cynicism (evident in execution of Empson and Dudley)
Insecurity and tyranny (demonstrated by willingness to resort to execution for treason - often on flimsy executions)
Impulsiveness - e.g. speed at which he married Catherine of Aragon, later marriages of Anne of Cleaves and Catherine Howard and decision to execute Cromwell (all of which he later regretted)
When combined with the naivety demonstrated in his approach to FP, the consequences would be potentially devastating for the governing of the country

Question 8

What did Henry believe in?

Answer 8

His own ‘divine right’ to rule and conformed to the practices of the Catholic Church

Question 9

What was Henry VII’s main legacy to his son?

Answer 9

A full Crown coffer (£300,000 and a peaceful kingdom in which the nobility had been checked and the Tudor dynasty secured (despite the fact some methods of raising revenue had been unpopular - his peaceful foreign policy and efficient government helped provide stability
A conciliar form of government

Question 10

What did Henry’s early aims relate to?

Answer 10

Establishing himself and preserving the best of what his father had left him, while marking out new course

Question 11

What happened to his aims once his position had been consolidated?

Answer 11

His aims became less clear - although always eager to pursue glory and secure the succession to the throne - showed little interest in policy making unless personally affected him

Question 12

What were the main effects of the reign (not the results of a clear set of policy aims)?

Answer 12

Growing importance of Parliament (as he used statute law to achieve his political ends)
Destruction of much traditional religion
Plundering of Church wealth (but effects on church almost completely a consequence of the break from Rome, a policy decision which would have seemed inconceivable in the first 20 years of the reign)

Question 13

What was Henry’s first aim and what action did he take to achieve it?

Answer 13

Dismantle unpopular aspects of his father’s legacy while maintaining stability
Empson and Dudley executed, Council learned abolished (Jan 1510), many bonds cancelled

Question 14

What was Henry’s second aim and what action did he take to achieve it and was it a success?

Answer 14

Establish his status among European monarchs through marriage and preservation of the dynasty (through expectation of heir)
Married Catherine of Aragon (June 1509) - initially successful on a personal level (Catherine also influenced some policies in first few years)
Henry’s councillors pleased as believed marriage would distract him from politics enabling them to conduct conciliar business as normal
but by mid 1520’s H regretted his decision to marry older woman, especially when clear she wouldn’t provide healthy male heir

Question 15

What was Henry’s third aim and what action did he take to achieve it?

Answer 15

Support the nobility (whose influence had been frozen out by Henry VII + peaceful FP denied them pursuit of military glory) while preserving strong government (re-establish role of nobility)
Noble’s sons became Henry’s personal companions in sport, leisure and war e.g. to Northern France (but didn’t achieve political influence they wanted - Wolsey dominated at chief minister and Henry promoted Wolsey’s interests)

Question 16

What was Henry’s fourth aim and what action did he take to achieve it?

Answer 16

Establish himself as a warrior king through success in battle
Pursued military glory through war with France (fitted in closely with his rehab of the nobility) , this would happen regularly through the reign usually with same outcome - a lot of money spent for small gains with little to no strategic significance
This aggression was mixed with occasional alliances with France against Spain and the HRE ( but Henry never foolish enough to go to war with powerful Charles V)

Question 17

Was Henry VIII’s accession welcomed?

Answer 17

Seen as a breath of fresh air after the rather sinister atmosphere associated with the influence of Empson and Dudley in the last years of his fathers reign, with Sit Thomas More describing as ‘the end of sadness and the beginning of joy)
however Henry had no experience of Government or public affairs

Question 18

How did the structure of government evolve differently compared with the reign of Henry VII because of Henry VIII’s lack of engagement with the business of government?

Answer 18

In short term = renewed emphasis on governing through council (which made two comebacks at later stages on the reign in 1529-32 and 1540-47)
For two periods in his reign H relied upon the work of a chief minister who shaped the structures of government to meet his own needs (Wolsey - exploited star chamber and Cromwell who developed his role as principle secretary)

Question 19

How long did Henry VII’s legacy last?

Answer 19

Disappeared during the first few years of Henry’s reign - money would be spent on revival of traditionally aggressive FP towards France and conciliar form of government would disappear in the short term as a result of the emergence of Fox’s former protégé, Thomas Wolsey

Question 20

What else did Henry do which distanced himself from his fathers reign and what else did it do?

Answer 20

Council Learned in the Law was abolished by Act of Parliament in January 1510
The cancellation of many bonds and recognisances which the Council Learned had imposed + the executions
Not only distances himself from fathers reign - also ensured his own popularity amongst the nobility and propertied classes who considered themselves victims of his fathers approach to taxation

Question 21

What is indicative of Henry’s ruthlessness towards the nobility in his early reign?

Answer 21

The execution of the Duke of Buckingham in 1521 - he was the only English Duke at the start of the reign and H was suspicious of him and wrote an undated letter to Wolsey setting out his concerns about Buckingham and four other nobles (Buckingham often talked about issues such as the succession and Wolsey had warned him to be more cautious)
Technically discussion about after King’s death would have been treasonable so he was tried by a court of his peers (headed by Thomas Howard, Duke of N)
This found him guilty and he was executed - the reason for proceedings against him remain unclear, some suggest Wolsey had a hand in his downfall but there is no evidence for this

Question 22

What did the first five years of Henry VIII’s reign witness?

Answer 22

Celebrated events e.g. his marriage, his coronation, victory over the scots and for better or worse a destruction of his fathers legacy through warfare and extravagance

Question 23

Did Henry have a consistent approach to his aims in government?

Answer 23

No - while some themes recur e.g. pursuit of glory and need to secure the succession but for the most he had little interest in government except occasionally and impulsively
Almost always gave pleasure to the pursuit of pleasure

Question 24

In what ways was Wolsey rewarded richly for his efforts?

Answer 24

He quickly acquired a range of Church offices ensuring lucrative living
Achieved recognition from the papacy being appointed Cardinal b Pope Leo x in 1515 (more important for symbolism than political influence)
Appointment as papal legate in 1518 - confirmed for life in 1524 - Wolsey now outranked Archbishop of Canterbury (William Warham) and gave him control over the religious orders in England
Also accumulated secular posts within the kings government e.g. Lord Chancellor in 1515
But no politician of that stature is free of enemies - his enemies brought him down in 1529 by exploiting a weakness in his relationship with the king