Henry VIII Flashcards
How Henry was different to his father
He disliked business and government and he found reading papers boring
He only intervened in business when it suited him
His impulsive nature affected his decision making
He wanted to re-establish the role of the nobility and become a warrior king like Henry V in 1415 - battle of Agincourt
He preferred to rule by individuals
Henry VIII early actions
Henry inherited £300,000 a councillor form of government and a peaceful foreign policy
Henrys aggressive foreign policy meant he lost his inheritance
The emergence of Wolsey ended the councillor form of government
Council learned in law was abolished by an act of parliament in January 1510
Empson and Dudley were executed
175 bonds were cancelled, which ensured Henry gained popularity with the nobility
Henry’s first marriage
Henry wanted to establish his status among the European powers through marriage
Henry and Catherine of Aragon married on 11th June 1509
The marriage was initially successful but in the mid 1520s Henry regretted the marriage when she couldn’t have any more children
Henry wanted a divorce
Foreign policy in Henry VIII early years
As part as an international alliance against France, Henry led an army there in 1512. It cost a lot and achieved little
Wolsey organised a second expedition in 1513 and they beat the French at the battle of spurs. England captured Tournai and Therouanne.
In 1514 this was sealed with the treaty of Saint Germaine-en-Laye, Henry was given annual compensation for not taking the French throne.
The battle of Flodden 1513 was won against the Scott’s. During the battle the English lost 1,500 men and the Scottish lost 10,000 men including 9 earls, 13 barons, 3 bishops and King James IV
Relationship between Henry VIII and parliament
Henry liked to have an overview of government and he was happy to let others do work for him
Henry needed to use parliament more than other monarchs due to his divorces
Before 1529 parliament was called four times (1510, 1512, 1515 and 1523). Wolsey disregarded parliaments and only called two 1515 and 1523 during his reign between 1514 and 1529.
Parliament was used more in the 1530s
The rise of Wolsey
He was a son of a butcher from Ipswich. He achieved a degree at 15 from Oxford.
He became the burser (treasurer) for the college until a disagreement. Richard Fox gave him patronage at the end of the reign of Henry VII.
New atmosphere under Henry VIII meant Wolsey was noticed by the king and he gained the position of Royal Almoner.
He used his personality and ability to guess what the king wanted to hear.
In addition to the management of the church and conduct of foreign relations, his concerns were the legal system, formulation of policy and political decision making
The Venetian Ambassador - Giustiniani said in 1519 Wolsey was the first person to rule the king and the entire Kingdom
Government under Wolsey
He was not a trained lawyer but as Lord chancellor he was responsible for overseeing the legal system. He has the right to proceed over the court of chancery (court designed the focus on fairness and not strict reading of common law). He used this to proceed over issues like enclosures, contracts and wills but this took a long time.
Star chamber created in 1487 but Wolsey used this to create the centre of government and justice. He used this to administer cheap and fair justice against people who dominated their localities. The number of cases rose from 12 to 120 cases a year. He also used this to set up private lawsuits.
This was so successful that he set up overflow tribunals to deal with the pressure of business. He set up a permanent committee that dealt with cases from the poor.
The privy chamber was an area of government Wolsey didn’t control. The minions distrusted Wolsey as he wanted to reduce their influence. In 1519 Wolsey removed the minions and replaced them with this own supporters l. However in the long term they gained their positions back.
In 1526 Wolsey introduces the Eltham Ordinances in order to reform the privy council. Wolsey reduced the number of men in the privy chamber due to him telling the king to reduce the finances of the chamber. He also managed to remove the groom of the stool Sir William Crompton with his own supporter Henry Norris
Wolsey and finance
Wolsey introduced a subsidy (grant issued by parliament to the king for state needs) in 1523. This imposed a tax of one shilling against the pound for land worth £50 and one shilling in the pound for personal savings and goods.
He set up the national committee with him as head which accessed the wealth of taxpayers so the nations revenue bases became more realistic. This meant Wolsey was able to raise a tax for Henry’s war with France.
Wolsey tried to raise money by the 1525 Amicable Grant. This was called a compulsory gift but it was a tax without parliaments consent and this led to outspread resistance and almost caused a rebellion
Wolsey and the church
Wolsey was appointed cardinal and papal legate (someone appointed by the pope to act on his behalf in that country).
Wolsey did nothing to reduce the amount of anti clericalism in the church. With the invention of the printing press most people were aware of the criticisms. Many were critical of the lives of priests and Wolsey has two illegitimate children and he lived openly with his mistress in 1519.
Strand of objection to the church came with Lollards and Luther’s arguments towards Catholicism in his 95 theses in 1517. His arguments came to England through the merchant traders in the 1520s. William Tyndale furthered the cause as he published aspects of the bible in English
Wolsey made some reforms to the church. As papal legate he ordered bishops to inspect older aspects of religious life. Two dozen monasteries were shut as Wolsey ordered monasteries with under 6 inmates to be closed and amalgamating those under 12. He removed 8 heads of monasteries but failed to establish a school in Ipswich or cardinal college in Oxford.
He was committed to stopping Protestant heresy in England. Public book burnings encouraged. Wolsey encouraged Henry to write a book ‘in defence of the seven sacraments’. He got the title defender of the faith by the pope.
Wolsey was not always praised. He was a pluralist - he was bishop of Winchester, bishop of Durham and the abbot of St Albans (one of the wealthiest monasteries).
Foreign policy - Henry VIII
Henry was at conflict with his council he inherited from his father. They renewed the treaty of etaples in 1510. Henry sent Christopher Bainbridge (archbishop of york) to Rome. This created the holy league with England, Spain, Holy Roman Empire, Venice and the papacy against France. Henry’s 10,000 men expedition was a disaster in 1512, this was a diversion tactic by Holy Roman emperor Maximilian as he captured Naverre. But the 1513 expedition was a success as he captured Tournai and therouanne. But they were described as ungracious dogholes and Henry spent all his money. The success at the Battle of Flodden 1513 brought security against the Scotts.
Deaths of Louis XII (France in 1515), Ferdinand (Aragon 1516) and Maximilian (holy roman emperor 1519) meant Europe was populated with young monarchs to rival Henry. Francis captured Milan and his victory at the Battle of Marginano gave him a greater reputation. Charles was king of Spain and the duke of Netherlands, Henry could not compete with Charles.
Wolsey tried to create a new role for Henry as a peacemaker. Pope Leo X called for a crusade against the Ottomain Empire. Wolsey saw this as an opportunity for England to be the centre of Europe. Wolsey created the treaty of London 1518 and two dozen countries signed and promised to avoid war with each other
In 1519 Charles V was elected holy roman emperor, he hadn’t signed the treaty of London and went to war with France. In 1520
Henry arranged the field of cloth of gold with Francis but he sided with Charles in the 1521 treaty of Bruges. Henry sided with Charles as he wanted to capture France and he was Catherine’s nephew.
England declared war with France in 1522 and achieved nothing but Charles captured Francis at the battle of pavia in 1525 but Charles refused to give him any land
Wolsey entered negotiations with the pope, Venice, Florence and France in a anti Habsburg alliance, the league of Cognae 1526. Their hope was to use peace but pressure to make Charles more reasonable.
Charles’ army took control of the Italian peninsula making the pope prisoner.
England and France formed an alliance in 1527 and were at war with Charles in 1528. The English contribution to the war was minimal and the French were defeated at the battle of landriano 1529.
England were included in the peace of Cambrai 1529 and a fortnight later Wolsey fell from power
Attempts to get the divorce
By the late 1520s Henry wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon as she failed to produce a male heir to the throne and Henry wanted to marry Anne Boleyn in 1527
Scriptural arguments - Wolsey said the marriage was invalid as Catherine was married to Henry’s brother Arthur. Wolsey used levictus chapter 20 verse 16.
Henry felt he was punished by god and Catherine said she never consummated the marriage with Arthur
Diplomatic manoeuvres - Wolsey arranged a treaty with France to remove the pope from Charles V’s control. However this failed and the pope remained under the influence of Charles.
Legal efforts - Wolsey was papal legate meaning he could grant the divorce if the hearing was in England. The pope sent cardinal campreggio to slow down proceedings. When the court met in 1529 Catherine refused to recognise the court and she asked the pope too move it to Rome, meaning Wolsey failed to grant the divorce
Wolsey’s failure to get a divorce
Wolsey was no use to the king once he failed to grant the divorce. In 1529 Henry accused Wolsey of premunire (working for the pope instead of the king). Wolsey did not receive support as he was unpopular from the 1523 subsidy and the 1525 amicable grant.
Wolsey was stripped of his titles but became the bishop of york. Wolsey was convinced Anne Boleyn supporters got in the kings head. During the following months the king sent Wolsey gifts.
However in 1530 he was sent to London to face further charges. Wolsey died at Leicester on the way to court on the 29th November 1530.
Thomas More
Wolsey was replaced as Lord chancellor by Thomas more. He was less keen to be pragmatic to achieve what the king wanted. He was a man of principles with humanist beliefs: his book Utopia 1516 mocked the criticisms of the church.
He criticised the land owning elite for exploring tenants. He was sympathetic to Catherine of Aragon. He wanted church reform through gradual progression. He punished any signs of heresy. He was annoyed at Anne Boleyn‘s presence at court. She was a Protestant and sent Henry a copy of William Tyndale’s book ‘the obedience of the Christian man’ 1528 saying the king had authority from god and the book was banned in England.
Pressure on the clergy to support the divorce
1529 parliament was encouraged to voice anti clerical feelings and Thomas Cromwell began collecting evidence of abuses.
In 1530 the revival of medieval law Premunire meant 15 of the clergy were charged with supporting Wolsey over the king.
1531 Henry pardoned the clergy and demanded they call him head of the church but they compromised at head as far as the law of Christ allows.
1532 supplication against the ordinances was a petition calling on the king to deal with corruption of the clergy and Henry demanded the church should agree with this, giving him power to veto church laws and chose bishops. 1532 Cromwell let into the kings inner circle and Thomas More resigned.
1533 Henry secretly married Anne Boleyn who was pregnant.
Pressure on the pope to agree with the divorce
1530 scholars from Oxbridge sent to European universities to find support for the divorce
1532 act of Parliament was passed meaning annates (tax to the pope) were stopped.
Death of Archbishop of Canterbury (William Warham) meant Henry picked Thomas Cranmer to replaced him - he was a reformer.
In 1533 act of restraint in appeals was passed denying the people the right to appeal to the pope against decisions in English church courts.
Thomas Cromwell
By 1532 Cromwell took over court proceedings. He brought an end to the councillor form of government in place since the fall of Wolsey in 1529. He advanced under Wolsey and rose to power through the promise of granting the divorce: he suggested this by Henry making him the head of the church in England.
1532 Cromwell was minister of the kings jewels then chief minister.
1533 he was chancellor of the exchequer and in 1535 he was vicar general (position created by Henry). 1536 he was lord privy seal and principle secretary on the royal council and he became a baron
1529 parliament
Parliament was summoned on 29th November and still existed in 1536. They passed a series of acts they changed the nature of the organisation of the church in England.
Act in restraint of appeals 1533 meant Henry’s divorce case took place in England with the court led by Cranmer and it granted the divorce and made Henry marriage to Anne Boleyn lawful. In July Anne Boleyn was named queen of England and she gave birth to Elizabeth in September.
1534 act of supremacy meant the king was always head of the church in England. Parliament did not have the power to grant this but set up the framework to make it legally enforceable.
Treason act 1534 made denial of the royal supremacy a crime punishable by death. The monarch was in charge of the running of the church. Henry used this power to give Cromwell the title of vicar general in 1535 and he oversaw the running of the church.
This wasn’t a big change due to the Erastian relationship and up until 1536 no doctrinal changes had occurred.
1534 act of succession declared secession to his marriage of Anne Boleyn. To deny the marriage was treason and an oath taken to show individuals acceptance.
The act annexing first fruits and tenths to the crown - meant annates paid to the king. Increased the financial burden on the clergy and strengthened the royal supremacy.
Spread of Protestant ideas
1529 Henry encouraged criticisms of the pope. Led to reformers being safe from prosecution. Anne Boleyn grew in influence and drew Henry to the works of William Tynedale. She protected heretics like Robert Forman. Her influence led to the appointment of Latimer and Shaxton (accused of heresy in 1531) to become bishops and Cranmer as archbishop in 1532.
By 1536 whose in favour of Lutheran reform were established in government. Preachers like Bale, Crome and Barnes spread Protestant ideas in London and Cranmer focused on Suffolk, Essex and Kent.
Reformers drew attention to Proestas Jurisdictions (right to have power over the church) and Protestas Ordinis (right to have spiritual power)
Some conservatives wanted Henry to reject Protestant ideas. Stephen Gardiner wrote De Vera Obedientia (true obedience) which opposed protestant ideas.
Other writers encouraged by Cromwell wrote from a more humanist and Protestant perspective. Thomas Starkey wrote: exhortation to unity and obedience in 1536 claiming Henry should be the leader
Doctrinal reform
1536 vicar general Cromwell (with Cranmer) published the ten articles of faith. It had some Protestant ideas with catholic elements. Article were vague due to Henry’s conservative beliefs.
This was enforced by two sets of instructions to the clergy in 1536 and 1538 ordered them to follow and explain the articles to their parishes.
1537 bishops book published in 1537 offering interpretation and advice.
Book the book and instructions attacked the Catholic Church.
1537 bible published in England and in 1538 Henry’s proclamation ordered every parish to have an English bible.
Swing back to Catholicism
Henry feared catholic allies may invade if he swung too much to Protestantism.
Henry became close to the Howard family and the duke of Norfolk passed the six articles of faith, which were catholic focused.
This was a set back for the Protestants but was seen as temporary but it lead to the resignation of Shaxton and Latimer.
Protestant reformers gained more influence in 1541 when the Howard family lost favour and Catherine Howard was executed in 1542.
