Henry VIII and Wolsey Flashcards
Henry’s reign?
1509-1547
Brief description of H8
Renaissance man, chivalric, accessible
How was H8 different from H7?
similar?
H8 ascends peacefully & only knew wealth & expectation
Both had little preparation for the crown
What were H8’s aims? (4)
War & glory; be a knight, emulate H5, rivalry w/ Francis & Charles
Popularity with nobles & courtiers
A male heir
Focus on pleasure of being king (left day-day ruling to chief ministers)
what were H8’s two immediate actions when he came to power & why?
Executes Dudley & Empson (H7’s financial enforcers); which heralds a new reign
Married Catherine of Aragon; in court since 1502; right thing to do & alliance with Spain
Wolsey’s dates in power?
1513-1530
Describe Wolsey’s rise to power (points)
Organises 2nd French invasion; successful & so drawn into peace negotiations
Became influential in church – built up titles & wealth
Becomes Papal legate; on line with monarch’s powers
What was Wolsey’s early life like?
Son of a butcher
Boy bachelor at Cambridge
Give 5 of Wolsey’s titles
Bishop of Tournai Archbishop of York Cardinal Lord Chancellor Papal Legate
How did luck help Wolsey secure power?
A new court atmosphere meant focus was placed on ability not birth
H8 wanted to be different from H7
How did talent help Wolsey secure power?
Wolsey was very skilled; talents noticed during the organisation of the 2nd French expedition, also boy bachelor
How did hard work help Wolsey secure power?
worked to a high standard & fast; organised Flander envoy in 3 days before H8 even realised
How did Wolsey control the nobles?
merciless towards those who tried to discredit him; removed those who got to close to H8
Who was the Duke of Buckingham
Supposedly suggested the King may not be King for much longer & was executed for treason
Wolsey & Buckingham didn’t get on; seen as a warning to nobility
What was the expulsion of the minions?
firing of 4 men from the new post; gentlemen of the privy chamber - kings close attendants.
Seen as Wolsey removing King’s intimates
H/w - Wolsey ill at time, took 9 months to act, men already intimate companions
Who was Paulet?
Paulet humiliated young Wolsey who later summoned him to London on trumped up charge & demanded his daily attendance in court - never charged but costs virtually ruined him
Seen as a warning about crossing Wolsey
How did Wolsey’s management of wealth help him stay in power?
Money used as political tool to create magnificence
How rich was Wolsey?
At height of power he was estimated to be 10* richer than nearest rival
Why did H8 put so trust in Wolsey (3)
Wanted to deputise
As a ‘low born’ Wolsey couldn’t threaten the King’s position like other nobles
H8 enjoyed how Wolsey annoyed the nobles
What was Wolsey’s domestic policy aims ?
Stay in power as long as possible
Please the king
what did Wolsey need to do to achieve his aims?
please the king & raise money for war
What financial changes/acts did Wolsey impose (4)
Subsidy
Eltham ordinances
Amicable Grant
Act of Resumption
What was the subsidy?
Good or bad?
flexible tax on parliament grants
Good; replaced the old system as it brought in more money - based on realistic weath estimation
What was the Amicable Grant?
Good or bad?
Tax on ordinary people / church for war - given 10 days to find the money
bad; resulted in unrest of 10,000 people & was cancelled - humiliation
what were the Eltham Ordinances?
good or bad?
aimed at reorganising chaotic privy finances - really an attempt to control the nobility’s access to H8
bad; Wolsey never secured control of court/royal household
What was the act of resumption?
good or bad?
reclaiming of crown lands
good; increased revenue
wolseys domestic policy; Finances
good?
bad?
successful in raising money for H8; £76,000
failed in Amicable grant & that he his gains failed couldn’t finance war costs; £1.7
What legal changes did Wolsey want to make
aimed to tackle slow & unfair delivery of justice; Star chamber & Chancery
How successful was the Star court?
Wolsey strengthened it & increased the number of cases heard from 12 to 120
Hoowever, he often used it to attack nobles (making enemies)
How successful was the Chancery chamber?
tried the poors cases - friend to poor
put no measures in to continue this
wolseys domestic policy; legal
good?
bad?
+ mantained law & kept country stable
- incurred lots of hate from nobles - made powerful enemies
What socio-economic changes did Wolsey make?
good or bad?
Ordered a survey on enclosures which led to legal cases against land lords
+ strengthened reputation as friend to poor
- enclosures still a problem, angered nobles
Why did H8 want a divorce (3)
Loved Anne Boleyn
Wanted a male heir
Thought the marriage was sinful
Why was H8 wanting a male heir an important reason for the divorce?
CoA was too old to give him a son, he wasn’t sure if Mary was a legitimate heir (bc of concerns about marriage)
Why was Anne Boleyn an important reason for the divorce?
He was supposedly obsessed by her (known for having fads) & she wouldn’t sleep with him unless he made her queen
What were H8’s concerns about his marriage & why where they an important reason for the divorce?
He wasn’t sure that CoA had been a virgin when he married her (she couldn’t prove she was) - if she wasn’t she was religiously his sister & the marriage illegitimate. H8 thought this was potentially the case as the hebrew bible said if a brother married his sister he would have no sons…
H8 was very religious
What 3 approaches did Wolsey take to try get a divorce?
scriptural; argument based on scriptures
diplomatic; tried to free pope from Charles
legal; oversee divorce in England
Why did Wolsey ultimately fail in the divorce?
foreign issues (pope was taken virtual prisoner by CoA’s nephew so wouldn;t grant it)
Evidence that the church need reform in the 1520s?
corrupt officials; absentee, pluralists & non celibate (Wolsey typified & Hunne Case)
Uneducated clergy
Lessening enthusiasm for religious orders; less new priories, friaries & nunneries
(South East saw some church opposition)
What was the Hunne case
A suspected Lollard London Merchant found dead - a clergyman & his gaolers accused but never charged - church corrupt
Evidence that the church didn’t need reform in the 1520s?
Still popular (especially in rural areas)
devotional works sell lots
parishioners still left lots of money in their wills
How did Wolsey impact the Church (3)
Made papal legate - could deputise on church matters
Improved educational standards - visited 60+ religious houses issuing nwe constitutions for Augustinian monks
Dissolved 20 small monasteries; used funds for Cardinal college
What cause Wolsey’s fall from power?
Accused of Praemenire
Why did Wolsey fall from power?
Henry VIII
Boleyn faction
Reputation & personal ambitions
Why could Henry VIII be a reason for Wolsey’s fall from power?
Angry at Wolsey for failing to get divorce; accused him of working in the church’s interests
Had always had passing obsessions - Wolsey possibly one of these
Cambrai (foreign policy) was embarrasing - downfall happened 10 days later
Why could Wolsey’s reputation & arrogance be a reason for Wolsey’s fall from power?
H8 didn’t remove all Wolsey’s titles - chance to be reinstated
Why could the Boleyn faction be a reason for Wolsey’s fall from power?
Group of nobles pressured H8 to get rid of Wolsey (who had made powerful noble enemies via domestic policy)
(But why was this group of nobles successful
