Henry VIII : government successes vs failure

Question 1

main success?

Answer 1

Break with Rome (1534)
- Charles sacks Rome (1527) +pope would not grant divorce
- Parliament and govt now able to pass doctrines previously only the church could
- Parliament became omnicompetent ➡️no area in the govt of the realm was outside of its authority
- H could do what he wanted eg dissolution of the monasteries ➡️church land went to the crown
Henry at the forefront of govt, to extent no other monarch could reach + parliament had authority over succession and church, both of which had been seen outside of its control previously
🔔 turning point from Cromwells gain of support for his policies which transformed govt in areas such as parliamentary transformation for Wales and Calais (eg laws in Wales act 1535 and 1542)

Question 2

other success?

Answer 2

Woolsey’s diplomatic success
- treaty of London 1518, ended Englands isolation (peace negotiation between England + France)
- treaty of perpetual peace (non aggression pact agreed to by England, France, Spain, HRE)
➡️ diplomatic coup for Woolsey BUT future conflict wasn’t prevented
- recovered the etaples pension and secure marriage alliance between Mary and Louis XII of France
- under Woolsey’s court of star chamber became the centre of both politics and government

Question 3

most significant failure of govt?

Answer 3

opposition to govt measures and lack of law and order
- amicable grant 1525 to fund H’s expedition to France, caused rebellions, worst in North Essex where ❗️1000 gathered ➡️ failed to raise substantial tax and showed H could not control tax paying classes
- had to instead sell monastic land
- pilgrimage of grace, worst uprising of His reign due to the dissolution of monasteries, 1536 rebels captured pontefract castle ➡️ shook H and was dealt with poorly

Question 4

another failure of govt? (2)

Answer 4

unity of govt
- H’s tactics as king encouraged factionalism t court as his advisors careers and livelihoods depended on wether king was happy (eg Woolsey)
- ❗️ rival factions wanted diff things eg reformists led by Cramer wanted political and religious reform whilst conservatives led by Thomas Howard and Duke of Norfolk wanted to regain catholicism
- faction fighting was an ongoing issue in court
Threatened to undermine Henry’s power (Cromwell able to control but after his fall H lost control of these fractions) + indicates Henry’s increasing weakness

Question 5

another failure of govt? (3)

Answer 5

lack of finance
- H struggled to raise finance for military adventures
- amicable grant in 1525 Wolsey raised £322,000 in subsidies and £240,000 in clerical tax + £260,000 in forced loans which could not finance war
- had to sell monastic land often below market price
- By Henry’s death in 1547 England was left bankrupt after he sold much of the crowns estate and debased the coinage