Henry VIII early life and misconceptions

Question 1

How much money is Henry VII believed to have left for his son?

Answer 1

£300,000

Question 2

What were the strengths that Henry VIII could inherit from his father?

Answer 2

• Peace with foreign countries
• Dynasty established, with most dynastic threats quashed
• Nobles were in check and less of a threat

Question 3

What problems might have Henry VII left for his son?

Answer 3

Unpopularity, by the end of his reign the Council Learned and exploitative practices had made him hugely unpopular.
Also the fact that Arthur should have been King and H7 didn’t prepare H8 for day-to-day kingship didnt help

Question 4

Name 3 different interpretations of Henry VIII?

Answer 4

• The Infant: someone who was easily manipulated and devastatingly aggresive
• The starter of new monarchy and someone who laid the foundations for modern day government
• The “last medieval king” who ruled England for himself

Question 5

What were large turning points in Henry’s childhood?

Answer 5

• 1502 Arthur’s sudden death which meant that he became the next heir
• 1503 when his mother died who he was very close with. Just left with his father and sisters

Question 6

How was Henry’s upbringing different to popular belief?

Answer 6

• He was very well educated and excelled at music, sport, education. He was what you wanted in a Renaissance prince.

Question 7

What part of Henry’s upbringing makes his popular belief of heartless and ruthless seem unlikely?

Answer 7

Chivalric code dominated Henry’s childhood as he was taught how to behave in court and valiant deeds such as jousting

Question 8

What early policies did Henry implement which indicated he would pursue a different reign compared to his father?

Answer 8

• Ordering the arrests of Empson and Dudley days into being King
• Early announcement to marry Catherine of Aragon

Question 9

Why hadnt Henry VII married Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon sooner?

Answer 9

He wanted to wait for when it would be diplomatically beneficial

Question 10

How might Henry VIII’s differences to becoming King led to different policies?

Answer 10

• Henry VIII became King aged 18, 10 years younger than his father
• Henry VIII was very interested in sports and arts unlike his father
• He knew he would be King since 1502 and was far more popular when he came to the throne than his father was

Question 11

What evidence is there for Henry VIII wanting to honour his mother?

Answer 11

He quickly initiated policies that favoured his mother’s relatives and seemed to have sympathies with Yorkists

Question 12

What were the main differences between H7 and H8 when it came to nobility?

Answer 12

H7 would keep them at arms length as a functional relationship, but to H8 they were his friends and he was less willing to take lots of money from them

Question 13

What was Henry VIII’s style of government like?

Answer 13

It was very personal and close-to-home. He made sure he could always see what was happening and largely ignored Parliament