Henry VIII Flashcards
What did Richard Fox, Thomas Lovell, and Richard Weston do on the first day of his reign?
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)
What was Henry’s first aim and what action did he take to achieve it?
Dismantle unpopular aspects of his father’s legacy while maintaining stability
Empson and Dudley executed, Council learned abolished (Jan 1510), many bonds cancelled
What was Henry’s third aim (involving the nobility) and what action did he take to achieve it?
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)
What else did Henry do which distanced himself from his fathers reign and what else did it do?
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
<p>From 1514-1529 who did Henry rely on?</p>
<p>Relied on Wolsey to manage government effectively</p>
<p>What happened between 1529-1532?</p>
<p>Wolsey's downfall brought a return to conciliar government</p>
<p>What was significant between 1532-1540?</p>
<p>Cromwell rose to power as chief minister by 1532 and dominated royal government for the rest of 1530's</p>
<p>What happened after 1540 until 1547?</p>
<p>Following Cromwell's fall conciliar government was restored but in a new form (a new Privy Council emerged with fixed membership and recorded proceedings - within this power lay with the conservatives)</p>
<p>How did parliament grow in importance in Henry VIII's reign?</p>
<ul><li>The 'Reformation Parliament' dealt with Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and reformed the Church.</li><li>They granted extraordinary revenue to finance.</li><li>Divorce and break from Rome accomplished using Statue Law (parliament) whose supremacy over canon law was established</li></ul>
<p>From 1516 what did Wolsey extend the use of?</p>
<p>The court of Star Chamber</p>
<p>What was the court of Star Chamber?</p>
<p>An offshoot from the king's council established in Henry VII's rule 1487 . It was the centre of both government and legal system - used to increase cheap and fair justice and heard cases of alleged misconduct by people who were dominant in their localities and private lawsuit</p>
<p>What did Wolsey do in 1525 when extraordinary revenue raised proved insufficient to finance Henry's war in France?</p>
<p>He tried to raise unparliamentary taxation called the Amicable Grant of 1525 - this was in theory a voluntary gift to the king from his subjects - It was actually a heavy tax imposed without parliaments approval.</p>
<p>What was the outcome of Wolsey's attempt to raise Amicable Grant?</p>
<p>It caused widespread resistance and had to be abandoned</p>
<p>What did Wolsey introduce in 1526 to raise money for the king?</p>
<p>Eltham Ordinances - apparently aimed to reduce royal household expenditure by reforming the Privy Chambers finances - through this Wolsey also succeeded in reducing the Privy Chamber's influence as he reduced the number of gentlemen in the P-Chamber (the one area of government he didn't have control)
<br></br>He also secured the removal of Henry's Groom of the Stool, Sir William Compton, replacing him with the more compliant Henry Norris</p>
<p>What happened in 1529 with the annulment?</p>
<p>After 2 years of fruitless diplomacy the Pope finally sent an envoy (Cardinal Campeggio) to hear the case along with Wolsey in a legatine court in London
<br></br>The hearing was opened in June but Campeggio adjourned it in July without agreeing to the annulment
<br></br>Sealing Wolsey's fate as he'd failed to get the annulment (Wolsey had been aware his fate rested on this and as was the Pope but all the Pope could do was play for time which frustrated Henry further)</p>
<p>In October 1529 what was Wolsey charged with and was it expected?</p>
<p>Having failed to achieve an annulment Wolsey was charge with praemunire (using papal authority against the crown) so he retired and surrendered his possessions to the king (including Hampton Court)
<br></br>His downfall was sudden but not totally unexpected as he was already unpopular for forcing the 1523 subsidy through parliament and imposing the amicable grant - former associated began distancing themselves from him.</p>
<p>What did Henry do about bonds at the start of his reign?</p>
<p>Some cancelled as a gesture of Goodwill but most maintained which didn't expire until the 1520's</p>
<p>What was the act of resumption 1515?</p>
<p>Wolsey wanted to increase revenue from crown lands as many had been granted away at the beginning of Henry VIII's reign - this act returned some of the lands to the crown</p>
<p>What did Henry VIII do to many of Henry VII's political prisoners?</p>
<p>He released many of them - most famous being William Courtenay (imprisoned for supporting Edmund de la Pole - this pardon represented move from old monarch to generous new one</p>
<p>What did Wolsey do in 1525 when Henry wanted to invade France again?</p>
<p>Introduced Amicable Grant (demanded 1/6 of the income of laymen and 1/3 of wealthy Clergy) - created uprisings and Henry VIII forced to retreat</p>
<p>What problem did amicable grant cause? (Wolsey's fault)</p>
<p>Led to a tax revolt so England had to switch from alliance with Charles V against France to an alliance with France against Charles V- jeopardised English trade and put Henry on wrong side of politics</p>
<p>What was much oh Henry's case built on?</p>
<p>'The word of God' the bible, Leviticus states "if a man takes his brothers wife it is an impurity, he has uncovered his brothers nakedness , they shall be childless" - Catherine had been married to Arthur</p>
<p>Who opposed the annulment?</p>
<p>Charles prevented the pope granting it in support of Catherine<br></br>Catherine supporters argued a lack of evidence</p>
<p>What did Cromwell change in government and what is an example of this?</p>
<p>Replaced the personal approach with a bureaucratic approach.</p>
<p>He created compartments like :<br></br>Court of Augmentations and Court of First Fruits and Tenths.</p>
<p>What act did Cromwell pass in 1533?</p>
<p>Act of restraint of appeals - no appeals could be made to rome against decisions of the church in England as it declared that the King had an imperial jurisdiction (official powers to make legal decisions belonged to the king and couldn't be challenged by another power) not subject to any foreign power (e.g. papacy) (Catherine couldn't appeal about annulement)</p>
<p>What was the act of succession?</p>
<p>1534- Annulled henry's marriage to Catherine and vested the succession in Anne's children</p>
<p>What and when was the Act of Supremacy?</p>
<p>1534 nov- gave legislative force to the royal supremacy - King declared supreme head of the church in England - pope's authority no longer recognised in England - break from Rome</p>
<p>What and when was the treason act and an example of its use?</p>
<p>1534- nov- became treasonable to call Henry a heretic - used against opponents of royal supremacy (didn't prosecute many ordinary people who made incautious remarks - used to target high profile victims e.g. Sir Thomas More - convicted and executed in July 1535 for denying royal supremacy</p>
<p>What was the act in restraint of annates?</p>
<p>1534- allowed the annates to be transferred from Pope to king (strengthened kings position - special court set up to administer this)</p>
<p>What were the first and second suppression acts?</p>
<p>1536 and 1541 - dissolved the monasteries - confiscation of church land to crown vastly increased the wealth and power of the crown</p>
<p>What were some of the uses of Parliament in Henry VIII's reign?</p>
<p>Jan 1510 - abolished Council Learned
<br></br>Feb 1512-14 - extraordinary revenue for invasion of S and F and Anticlerical act
<br></br>1529-36 - 'Reformation parliament'
<br></br>1536 - New act of succession
<br></br>1539-40 - religious legislation and extraordinary revenue with threat of invasion</p>
<p>What was the problem with the court of chancery?</p>
<p>It became too popular and justice was slow since it became clogged up with too many cases</p>
<p>What is are annates?</p>
<p>Revenue paid to the Pope by a bishop or other cleric on his appointment - effectively church taxes collected in England and sent to Rome - also known as 'first fruits'</p>
<p>Why was the legal basis of the break from Rome strengthened through the act of succession in 1534?</p>
<p>It declared that Henry's marriage to Catherine was void
<br></br>The succession should be vested in the children of his marriage to Anne
<br></br>To deny the validity of Henry's marriage to Anne was treasonable
<br></br>An oath should be taken to confirm an individuals acceptance of the new marriage</p>
