Henry VIII foreign policy: 1527-1547 Flashcards
1
Q
1527ish - The Issue of the Divorce
A
- All resources devoted to securing a divorce
- Pope Clement VII’s consent could not be attained after imperial soldiers had sacked Rome in May 1527.
- Charles V who now controlled the Pope was the Nephew of Catherine of Aragon.
- Even When the Pope was released he was still dependent on Charles V
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However, M.D. Palmer argues that Charles’ intervention was very small
- He argues this as the HRE had more pressing matters with the threat of the Ottoman Turks. As seen via the Siege of Vienna (1529) and the conquest of Tunis (1535)
- Therefore he dropped his problems with German Protestant Princes of the Schmalkdic League (1532)
2
Q
1527 - Trying to Win over the Divorce
A
- Attempted to Get Francis I of France as an ally
- Attempted to Wolesy appointed to regent whilst the Pope was a prisoner but this failed
- Henry sent embassies to Rome to secure a decretal commission which would empower Wolsey to try the divorce in England
- However this failed as Francis I was ineffective
- Henry VIII failing to solve his ‘Great Matter’ made England look unimportant and weak.
- 1527 Henry and Francis signed the Treaty of Amiens, an alliance against the HRE
3
Q
1528 - Trying to win over the Divorce
A
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1528 - Henry VIII and Francis I declared war on the HRE
- Further pressure put on the Emporer by imposing a trade embargo on the port of Antwerp (1528)
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This declaration of war was little more than a gesture as no English army was put into the field
- a separate agreement was soon made to ensure that Londons trade with the Netherlands was not interrupted.
- The Emperor retaliated by imposing a counter embargo which caused widespread unemployment and social problems in England
- England were forced to lift the embargo in Feb 1529
4
Q
1528 - 1529: The War of the Holy League of Cognac
A
- January 1528: England and France declared war on the HRE
- The French taking the full burden of the war against Spanish and Imperial forces. Marshal Odet de Foix driving Imperial Forces out of Rome.
- However, in Autumn 1528, The French Admiral Andrea Doria switched sides (Joining the HRE)
- August 1528 the French forces around Naples got the Plague. Therefore Lautrec’s army capitulated in September 1528.
- May 1529: Henry VIII lost patience with the Pope and called a legatine court at Blackfriars warning the Pope that its revocation to Rome would bring about the destruction of papal power in England.
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June 1529: Battle of Landriano, decisive French defeat ending Francis I’s ambitions in Italy and securing Charles V’s dominance over the Pope.
- Henry could expect no support from the Pope. (Pope Clement VII and Charles V signed the Treaty of Barcelona thus the divorce case was revoked)
- May - July 1529: Wolsey presided over the legatine court convened at Blackfriars, London to rule on the legality of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon (Break with Rome)
- 1526: Treaty of Madrid Francis abandoned Italy and gave lands back to the Pope in exchange for his two sons who were being held.
- Francis also had to pledge not to interfere in German or Italian affairs and cooperate with the HRE against protestant. Treaty of Cambrai: gave away a chunk of his.
5
Q
1529 - 1532: Foreign Policy
A
- 1529: As there was no chance that the Pope would grant the divorce after Charles V’s victory, Wolsey fell from power as Henry VIII blamed Wolsey for the failure to secure his divorce with the Pope.
- June 1532: New Anglo-French Alliance was negotiated by Thomas Cromwell
- Became Privy councillor in 1530.
- Alliance stated that Francis I would provide troops to protect England if the HRE invaded.
6
Q
1533: Foreign Policy
A
- The Anglo-French Alliance was mainly symbolic and soon unravelled when Francis I’s son married Clement VII’s niece in 1533.
- With a marriage alliance between France and the Pope, along with the Holy Roman Emperor’s refusal to damage his family’s honour by allowing the Pope to agree to Henry divorcing his aunt, Henry VIII of England now had no choice but to break with Rome.
- Henry VIII secretly married in Anne Boleyn with Francis I’s consent and then had a public marriage in 1533.
- May 1533: Thomas Cranmer new Archbishop of Canterbury announced that Henry’s marriage with Catherine of Aragon was invalid so annulled.
- Anne Boleyn crowned Queen Consort of England in June 1533.
7
Q
1534: Foreign Policy
A
- 1534: Parliament passed the First Act of Supremacy making Henry VIII the head of the Church of England, marking the break with Rome
- No immediate reaction from Catholic Europe, HRE more concerned with the threat of Ottoman Turks.
- Henry now attempted to reinforce his position by allying with the Schmalkaldic League (Alliance of Lutheran Princes, founded in 1533) however there was distrust between them.
- 1534: Henry and Cromwell attempt to but Lübecks on the throne of Denmark but this rivalled the HRE who had their own candidate for the throne (Duke of Holstein) Ultimately The Duke of Holstein won and became Christian III of Denmark in July 1534.
- September 1534: Pope Clement VII died and Pope Paul III comes to power at first he is sympathetic to France but this changes after the ending of the marriage alliance.
8
Q
1535: Foreign Policy
A
- Francis hopes for a grand anti-Imperial alliance were dispelled after Pope Paul III conferred a Cardinal’s hat to the Bishop of Rochester John Fisher in 1535.
- This was to provoke Henry VIII as Bishop Fisher was the main supporter of Catherine of Aragon in the divorce and he refused to accept Henry as the head of the church.
- 1535 June: Cardinal John Fisher was executed
- 1535: Sir Thomas More executed for opposing the Protestant reformation and rejected Henry becoming the Supreme Head of the Church.
- 1535: Henry worried that the Pope would form a General Council and wanted to stop them, so he made an alliance with the Schmalkaldic league becoming ‘Defender and Protector of the Schmalkaldic League’
- 1535: Duke of Milan died leading to a dispute between Francis I and Charles V over succession. Philip II of Spain finally became Duke of Milan in 1540.
9
Q
1536: Foreign Policy
A
- January 1536: Catherine of Aragon died
- Royal court very happy
- Henry stated: “God be praised that we are free of all suspicion of war”
- Michael Tillbrook:
- The renewal of fighting between the Empoerror and the Francis I reduced the potential danger of England’s isolated position.
10
Q
Foreign Policy up to 1538 - Tillbrook interpretation
A
- “Charles and Francis once again buried their differences in the Treaty of Nice and they each agreed to sever connections with England”
- “Pope Paul III published a bill deposing Henry and thereby absolving English Catholic from the need to obey their ruler”
- “The Pope sent envoys to both France and Scotland to rouse support for a Catholic crusade against Henry.”
11
Q
Foreign Policy: 1538
A
- June 1538: James V of Scotland married Mary of Guise, strengthening the ‘Auld alliance’
- November 1539: HRE raised difficulties to Henry VIII’s marriage to his niece and daughter of Christian II of Denmark, Christina, Duchess of Milan (1521-1590)
- December 1538, the Papal bull deposing Henry VIII of England was published by Pope Paul III
- Pope sent Cardinal Reginald Pole from Rome as legate to rally Catholic powers against Henry
- However, Francis did not want to be a puppet of the papacy and James V of Scotland was not willing to make the first move against England.
- Also both Emporer Charles and Francis I feared that if Henry was removed it would work to the other’s advantage.
12
Q
Foreign Policy: 1539
A
- Henry VIII took the threat of invasion very seriously.
- Royal navy was developed by 1539:
- 129 ships in Thames and 30 at Portsmouth
- On land, the coastal defences were hurriedly repaired from 1538-1539
- the material was taken from neighbouring monasteries.
- These anti-invasion preparations were the result of rumours that armies and fleets were preparing to invade England.
- February 1539: an atmosphere of crises heightened by the recall in unison of the French and Imperial ambassadors from England
- tension eased when Charles de Marillac was sent to replace Louis de Perreau as French ambassador.
- 1539: Henry’s diplomats opened new talks with Schmalkaldic League and in April the first Lutheran delegation arrived in England
- Talks were mainly theological, and made no progress and were ended when Parliament passed the Act of Six Articles in 1539.
- Henry Gave Cromwell the authority to open negotiations with the Duke of Cleves, which alarmed the HRE as the duchy was strategically important and its ruler had a dispute with the HRE.
13
Q
Foreign Policy: 1540
A
- 1540: Henry VIII strengthened his position by marrying Anne of Cleves
- 1539: Francis I allowed Imperial troops to pass through France to put down a revolt in Ghent. However after this from 1540 onwards there were no further signs of HRE French cooperation.
- Henry viewed the marriage to Anne of Cleves and his second attempt to join the Schamalkaldic League would ensure against an invasion of England following Pope Paul’s III call for a crusade against him.
- Henry VIII executed the Pole family to ensure there could also be no Yorkist uprising.
- Herny’s Marriage to Anne of Cleves was a response to the crisis and was in the hope of creating a grand protestant alliance in order to break England’s isolation.
- But the marriage was not a success.
- Had the marriage not taken place at the same time that Francis I and Emperor Charles met the marriage would not have gone ahead.
- however situation not too dangerous as Francis I and Emperor Charles did not trust each other.
- Henry extended friendship to anyone who was in conflict with HRE, ie King of Denmark
- However, these precautions left redundant as Relations between Charles V and Francis I broke down leading to another Habsburg-Valois War
- February 1540: 3rd Duke of Norfolk sent to Paris to get France to break France from their entente with the HRE and tempt him back to their earlier role as protector of the Emperor’s enemies. Mission was a success thus making the Cleves marriage redundant.
- Marriage to Anne of Cleves was now embarrassing for Henry and politically for Cromwell, July 1540 Henrys marriage w AOC was annulled. The marriage damaged Cromwell’s political position with Herny and rivals were attacking him (ie 3rd Duke of Norfolk)
- July 1540: Henry and Catherine Howard were married by Bishop Bonner
- Day of Cromwells execution
- threat of invasion had passed.
14
Q
The Later Years main objectives (Nigel Heard):
A
- “To regain the throne of France and outshine his great rival Francis I”
- “To protect English cloth exports to the Netherlands by remaining on good terms with the HRE”
- “To gain control of Scotland, possibly by uniting the two countries”
15
Q
Henry’s Foreign Policy: Scotland 1540 - 1542
A
- Henry foreign policy became more aggressive
- Scotland was still loyal to France and Rome
- 1537: James V Scotland renewed the ‘Auld Alliance”
- Scotland had also harboured the rebels after the Pilgrimage of Grace.
- September 1541: James insulted his uncle by failing to attend a meeting in York (during Henry’s Northern progress), leaving him there for nine days, Henry was furious.
- August 1542: Henry sent ambassadors and an army of 3,000 men to the North
- October 1542, the English army invaded Scotland.
