Henry VIII and Wolsey

Question 1

Henry’s personality - different from father (3 things)

Answer 1

Arrested and executed Dudley and Empson. Married Catherine. Created new nobles.

Question 2

Henry and Early War with France

Answer 2

1)Fox and Warham against war due to costs - tricked Henry into one year truce with France - 1510. 2)1512- Henry invaded France - achieved nothing. 3)1513 - another expedition - took unimportant Therouanne but Tournai. Battle of Spurs - propaganda victory. 4) Effects - overshadowed by victory of Battle of Flodden and exhausted finances. But achieved glory, got French pension and Henry’s sister married Louis XII.

Question 3

Henry and domestic policy

Answer 3

Not interested in running affairs - allowed rise of Wolsey

Question 4

Henry’s aims (5 things)

Answer 4

Military glory, asserting claim on French throne, securing succession, securing dynasty and protecting England

Question 5

English policy 1515-1520

Answer 5

New monarchs to throne - Charles I of Spain and Francis I of France - greater resources than Henry. England isolated after death of Louis XII (was married to Mary) and peace made between Spain, France and Emperor.

Question 6

Treaty of London

Answer 6

1518 - Wolsey made international peace treaty - showing Henry as pivotal power - bringing England centre of diplomacy. Gains short lived - Charlies I becoming HRE.

Question 7

Field of Cloth of Gold

Answer 7

1520 - Peaceful policy. Henry met Francis near Calais - achieved nothing and cost a year’s income. England ending up going to war with France in 1521.

Question 8

War with France - 1523

Answer 8

Sent army 1523 to aid Charles - abandoned - Charles concerned about Italy. Cost England a years income - £400,000 - forced to make peace.

Question 9

Battle of Pavia

Answer 9

1525 - Charles captured Francis. Henry saw chance to take French throne but could not raise funds.

Question 10

Diplomatic revolution (3 things)

Answer 10

1)Failure of Charles support - England allied with France - Treaty of More. 2)League of Cognac established and alliance with France reinforced with Treaty of Westminster and Treaty of Amiens.3) 1528 - England declared war on Spain - failed - France made peace with Spain.

Question 11

King’s Great Matter

Answer 11

Policy dominated by Henry’s desire to annul marriage with Catherine - Charles I aunt - more difficult - required military victory over him.

Question 12

Wolsey’s legal reforms (3 things)

Answer 12

1)Civil law more important than common law - common law was unjust at times. 2)Used system against those he had grudges - nobility and gentry. 3)Chamber - cases against powerful and Court of Chancery set up - cases for poor.

Question 13

Wolsey’s financial reforms (3 things)

Answer 13

1)Introduced subsidy became standard parliamentary tax. Increased income but not enough for Henry’s fp. 1523 - needed £800,000, got £300,000. Tried raising funds through non-parliamentary amicable grant - unrest. Henry cancelled grant and made Wolsey apologise. 2)Increased revenue from crown lands - little success. 3)Raised £820,000 through taxes but did not meet £1.7 million spent on war.

Question 14

Wolsey’s social reforms

Answer 14

Attacked practise of enclosure - legal action taken against 264 landowners between 1518 and 1529 - 222 brought to court - limited impact - accepted enclosures in return for parliamentary subsidy.

Question 15

Wolsey’s administrative reforms (2 things)

Answer 15

1)Called parliament only twice - 1515 and 1523 - when funds needed for war. 2)Concerned about Privy Chamber -1526 - introduced Eltham Ordinances - improve financies and efficiency of chamber. Purpose too was increase influence control over king.

Question 16

Wolsey in Church

Answer 16

Highest position - Legatus a latere. Personified everything wrong with Church - abbot of richest abbey - St. Albans - but not monk and had children.

Question 17

Church had support (4 things)

Answer 17

Visitation found few priests ignorant. Building projects continued - LIncoln raised £305 for new steeple. Chantries still existed, Support for religious guild - 57% of people in Devon and Cornwall made wills leaving money between 1520-29.

Question 18

Concerns about Church (3 things)

Answer 18

Complaints in South East and London - John Colet - preached sermon attacking abuses and clergy. Absent Bishops - Wolsey didn’t visit York til 1529. Pluralism common - Thomas Magnus - canon of Windsor and Lincoln and vicar of Kendal.

Question 19

Henry wanted divorce (3 things)

Answer 19

Believed marriage against God’s will (Leviticus). Wanted legitimate heir. Loved Anne Boleyn.

Question 20

Divorce not achieved because…

Answer 20

Pope couldn’t be persuaded as held hostage by Charles - Catherine’s nephew after Rome being taken in 1527. Wolsey opted hear case in England - but joined by Cardinal Campeggio who refused to hurry and when arrived suspended court in July 1529.

Question 21

Wolsey’s fall from power (3 reasons)

Answer 21

Divorce - promised to obtain but failed. Boleyn faction - pressure on Henry arguing against Wolsey being slow and hostile. Able to influence Henry - Anne being involved in politics. Wolsey’s failure in fp. Wolsey arrested and died before execution.