Henry VIII's Foreign Policy 1509-1529

Question 1

What were Henry’s foreign policy aims in 1509-1529?

Answer 1

Honour and glory
Aggression towards France 
Peacemaker of Europe
Pacify Scotland
Alliance with Spain 
War

Question 2

Why were these his aims

Answer 2

It was seen as the kings duty to win honour for himself and his country

His popularity was increased by his aggressive national leadership and distribution of patronage

Henry could benefit from being an ally

Question 3

In 1510 what treaty was renewed and why

Answer 3

The treaty of etaples was renewed by Henry’s councillors despite henry wanting war. This was because his councillors wanted a continuation of peace between France and England

Question 4

What did henry join in 1511

Answer 4

The holy league which joined England, Spain, the HRE, Venice and the papacy in an anti French alliance

Question 5

When was the first invasion of France and what happened

Answer 5

1512

Henry sent an army of 10,000 men to France under the command of the Marquis of Dorset

This achieved nothing

Used by Ferdinand of Aragon as a diversionary tactic while he conquered Navarre

Ferdinand made peace and abandoned henry

Question 6

When was the second invasion of France and what was it

Answer 6

1513

Maximilian agreed to join the English attack on France

Henry led a force to northeastern France

Won the battle of the Spurs so captured therouanne

Captured tournai

Didn’t matter that much but it was valuable for diplomatic bargaining

Question 7

What happened in 1513 while henry was distracted in France

Answer 7

Battle of flodden

James IV invaded northern England but was defeated by an army sent by regent Catherine of Aragon and led by the Earl of Surrey

James and a lot of the Scottish nobility killed

Left the throne of Scotland to the infant james V but Henry didn’t build on this advantage

Question 8

How was nothing gained from Henry’s military adventures of 1513

(Second invasion of France, battle of flodden)

Answer 8

It was very costly and it forced henry to liquidate assets from his father to pay for it

There was complaints about taxation in Yorkshire which only narrowly failed to turn into a full scale revolt

The renegotiated French pension was lost

Tournai was eventually sold back to the French for less than the English had paid to repair its defences after the siege

Question 9

How was henry abandoned in 1514

Answer 9

Ferdinand and Maximilian made peace with France which left Wolsey to pick up the pieces ( he did this with considerable skill) by recovering the etaples pension and securing a marriage alliance between Mary and Louis XII

Question 10

What was wolseys first diplomatic achievement and when

Answer 10

1514

He made peace with France after Ferdinand of Aragon and Maximilian had proved to be unreliable allies and had made separate peace with France

The treaty was to England’s advantage as England kept tournai and the French pension, originally paid to henry vii after the treaty of staples, was renewed

Also, Henry’s younger sister Mary was to marry the king of France, Louis XII

Question 11

How did the marriage alliance between Mary and Louis XII not work out

Answer 11

Louis XII died which left the French throne to Francis I who henry saw as a rival and ended any chance of lasting peace in Europe

Question 12

What was Henry’s response to the death of Louis XII

Answer 12

He sought an alliance with Ferdinand of Aragon but he died in 1516 and his successor Charles V sought an alliance with France

In the 1517 Charles and Maximilian agreed the treaty of Cambrai with the French which left England dangerously isolated

Question 13

How did Wolsey end England’s isolation after the treaty of cambrai

Answer 13

Wolsey opened negotiations with the French

Pope leo X was concerned about the threat from the ottoman Turks and proposed a universal peace in Europe followed by a crusade

In 1518 The english and French agreed to a treaty binding the great powers to perpetual peace. 20 other powers were included in this agreement which become known as the treaty of london

Question 14

When and what was the treaty of london

Answer 14

1518

A peace treaty that involved France, Spain, the HRE and many other states agreeing to peace with England but not each other meaning England was the centre of the treaty of london

This meant henry and Wolsey were the peacemakers of Europe at no cost

Wolsey allowed himself to gain a reputation as a peace maker and satisfied Henry’s desire for honour and glory.

As part of the treaty, England agreed to return Tournai to France and France agreed to pay the English a pension and keep Albany out of Scotland meaning there was peace of the Anglo- Scottish border

Question 15

When and what was the Field of the Cloth of Gold

Answer 15

1520

A meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I near Calais

An entourage of 5000 accompanied Henry and there was nearly 2 weeks of wrestling, dancing and jousting

Question 16

Was anything achieved through the Field of the Cloth of Gold

Answer 16

Henry and Francis exchanged vows of peace and was a show of friendship but in diplomatic terms, nothing was really achieved

Question 17

What happened in the year following the Field of the Cloth of Gold

Answer 17

Francis reopened hostilities with Charles V and in 1521 Wolsey negotiated the Treaty of Bruges with Charles

This committed England to a war with France if fighting continued. Henry and Charles would mount a joint campaign and Mary Tudor was to marry Charles instead of the son of Francis

Question 18

Why did henry have compelling motives to side with Charles when conflict arose between Francis and Charles in 1521

Answer 18

• he could improve his relations with the Pope who was anxious to reduce French control over northern Italy
• he believed he might gain more territory within France
• part of the deal entailed a marriage alliance between the emperor and Henry’s daughter Mary

Question 19

What and when was the treaty of Bruges

Answer 19

A treaty negotiated by Wolsey with Charles in 1521 to commit England to war with France

It also entailed a marriage alliance between Mary Tudor and Charles V

Question 20

When did England declare war on France and what happened

Answer 20

1522 and lasted for three years

In 1923 the duke of Suffolk crossed to Calais’s with an army who Charles persuaded to March on paris

Initially no opposition was met and the army advanced to within 70 mikes of the city but the campaign disintegrated

Question 21

Was anything gained from declaring war on France and marching on paris

Answer 21

The expense of the campaign and failure of Charles V to offer effective support brought growing disenchantment with the war.

Parliament was reluctant to grant the extraordinary revenue to cover the costs

In 1924 negotiations were re opened with the French and as before, Wolsey used the alliance with Charles as a means of bringing pressure to bear on the French

Question 22

Why was Wolseys approach to the French put on hold

Answer 22

It was put on hold following the news of the Battle of Pavia in northern Italy in 1525

Question 23

When and what was the Battle of Pavia

Answer 23

1525

In northern Italy

Charles V’s army destroyed the French force and Francis I was captured

There seemed a chance that henry could recover the lost territories in France and even claim the French throne

Another invasion was planned and a forced loan called the Amicable Grant was demanded from the English people.

Question 24

What was the problem with the next invasion planned on France in 1525

Answer 24

It proved impossible to raise sufficient money and gather the forces necessary for a campaign to have greater success than in 1523

Charles V had no enthusiasm for Henry’s plans

In august 1525 Wolsey negotiated the Treaty of The More with the French and England abandoned territorial claims in France. The French resumes an annual pension to henry of 100,000 gold crowns

Question 25

When and what was the Treaty of The More

Answer 25

In august 1525 Wolsey negotiated the Treaty of The More with the French

England abandoned territorial claims in France and the French resumed an annual pension to henry of 100,000 gold crowns

Question 26

What was the Amicable Grant

Answer 26

It was to be a non refundable contribution by the English people to finance the war in France

This new demand followed the forced loans and high parliamentary taxation of the previous three years

Popular reaction was swift and hostile

There were disturbances concentrated around the important cloth making centre of lavenham in Suffolk and extending to london and Kent

No money was collected and peace was made with France

Question 27

What was the treaty of cambrai and when

Answer 27

1529

Ended the wars between Charles v and Francis I

Question 28

What was the relationship like with Ireland

Answer 28

For the first part of henry VIII’s reign the king had few concerns regarding Ireland

The English authorities remained in control of the Pale, the area of land surrounding Dublin

At the same time Gerald Fitzgerald, ninth Earl of Kildare was the dominant Irish nobleman

He managed for a time successfully to play a complex double game in which he was both an English courtier and servant of the crown and the most powerful of the Gaelic chiefs

It did however prove difficult to sustain this ambiguous role, especially after the revival of the Geraldine- Butler feud and the relationship between Kildare and the king broke down