Early Foreign Policy 1509-1514

Question 1

What were Henry VIIIs 5 Foreign Policy aims?

Answer 1

• Alliances;
  maintaining alliances w spain through marriage to Catherine
• Prestige;
  establish himself as king of European standing
• Warrior king;
  emulate the deeds of Henry V + win back territory in France.
• Security;
  secure scottish boarder + assert lordship over scottland
• Trade;
  maintain stable cloth trade w Netherlands.

Question 2

State the Foreign Policy that took place from 1509-14 under Henry V111.

Answer 2

1509 - Henrys marriage to Catharine of Aragon

1510 - Renewal of the Treaty of Estaples(his councillors sought peace + negotiate the renewal.

1511 - Henry joined Holy Roman League w Spain, Venice + Papacy (persuading pope for alliances against French
+
1513 - English Army sent to France

1513 - Henry led army to Northern France winning ‘ Battle of Spurs’

1513 - Defeat of the Scott’s in ‘Battle of Flodden’

Question 3

Was Henry Joining the Holy Roman League + sending English army to France in 1513 sucsessful Foreign Policy?

Answer 3

Henry sent archbishop of york to Rome to persuade Pope to join alliances against French which create HRL joining Spain + England against French.
However henry didn’t realise the extent he was being used by Ferdinand as he sent substantial army of 10,000 men to southwest France under Marquis of Dorset however achieved nothing + simply used by Ferdinand as a diversions tactic whilst he successfully captured Navarre.

Thus archived nothing for England and was a win for Spain + Ferdinand. Instead should have focused upon securing an alliances w the French + limiting threat and an enemy in the French + 10,000 men army was very experience + strain on crown finances hed inherited.

Question 4

Was Henrys Foreign Policy of in invading France 1513 + the’ Battle of Spurs’ successful?

Answer 4

The invasion + Battle of Spurs was successful not only in winning but also capturing towns OF Tournai + Herouanne. Thus Henry gains the reputation he sought as a warrior king.

How significant these captures were is debatable + largely insignificant;

• Tournai was eventually sold back to the French + for rather less than it cost English to invade in the first place + repair its defences.
• A further campaign contemplated in 1514 but abandoned + once Ferdinand + Maximillian made another peace treaty w France Wolsey was left to pick up the pieces.

Wolsey managed to negotiate with the French + successfully get the French Pension renewed + fvia an alliances through Marriage between Henrys sister Mary + King Louis V111. (However this could have ended very badly if he wasn’t able to secure this)

Question 5

Was Henrys Foreign Policy in 1513 against the Scottish Successful?

Answer 5

The Anglo-Scottish conflict took place in September w the Battle of Flodden.

King James VI crossed the boarder with a substantial force but was defeated by the smaller English army (put together capably by the Earl of Surrey) James VI was killed in the field during the Battle of Flodden which left Scotland i the hands of his sister Mary and her infant son.

Overall little was achieved through Henrys military adventures of 1513 other than;

• A costly battle + Henry was forced to liquidate assets inherited from his father in order to pay for it
• In a return of the problems of 1489 triggering a return of rumblings about taxation in Yorkshire started which Henry narrowly missed turning into a full-scate rebellion/revolt.
• The re-negociated French-pension was lost

Overall Henry failed to build on the advantage of Flodden + noting was gained by his military adventures of 1513. However the victory did enhance the image of the English army + demoralised the Scottish. Similarly Henrys defeat of the Scotts prevented the Scotts digging in England’s side due to the treaty with the French w aided in future events.

Question 6

Overall How successful was Henry VIIIs Foreign Policy in the early years of 1509-1514?

Answer 6

Trade - his foreign policy did nothing to secure any Trade agreements with the Netherlands.

Prestige - He did establish brutal warrior king reputation to some extent w his invasions + did win 2 towns in France however corresponding advantages of this isnt present.

Alliances - Married Cathrine Of Aragon securing Spanish alliance/ maintaining it.

Security - He secured the Boarder by defeating the Scotts + James V1 on the Battle of Flodden which killed James V1 leaving Scotland in the hands of his infant son James V so Henry did gain some control.

So to some extent he did achieve 3 out of his 4 main initial aims in 1509 during England’s early foreign policy.