Henry VIII and Wolsey Flashcards
In what city was Wolsey born, and what was the occupation of his father?
Ipswich
A butcher
What did Wolsey announce in Star Chamber in 1516 that annoyed the nobility?
That no member of the nobility was above the king’s law
What was enclosure, and why was it done?
Landowners turned formerly arable land (crop farming) into pasture land (mainly sheep farming)
Farming sheep for their wool was more profitable than growing crops
Why did ordinary people hate enclosure? (Two reasons)
Because sheep farming required fewer workers, leading to mass unemployment
Because landowners sometimes illegally enclosed common land (shared by the whole community) and demolished people’s houses
What did Wolsey try to do about enclosure?
He prosecuted landowners who had unlawfully enclosed land
How did Wolsey use his legal power against the nobility?
He prosecuted nobles for breaching laws against maintenance (keeping retainers) and affrays (causing violence)
What were the aims of Wolsey’s legal reforms? (Think of three answers)
To reduce the power of the nobility
To make justice more accessible to the poor
To reduce corruption in the legal system
What did Wolsey do to the Earl of Northumberland?
He had him arrested and sent to the Fleet prison for contempt of the king’s jurisdiction
What did Wolsey do to the Duke of Buckingham?
In 1521 Wolsey summoned him to London, where he was tried for treason, condemned, and executed
How did the nobility react after the execution of Buckingham in 1521?
They started to suggest that Wolsey had more power than King Henry VIII
