Henry VIII: Wolsey, Government and the 'Great Matter' 1509-30 Flashcards
When was the first English expedition to France?
June 1512
Why was the first English expedition to France a failure?
Undersupplied + bad weather because Ferdinand II failed to provide men he’d pledged
When was the second English expedition to France?
1521-23. Fails because Charles abandons him
Where did Henry successfully lay siege to in the first English expedition?
Therouanne and Tournai
What year was the Treaty of London signed?
1518
What year was Charles elected as holy roman emperor?
1519
What year was the sacking of Rome?
1527
When was the field of cloth of gold held?
June 1520
What were Henry’s aims for foreign policy?
1) glory/ honour
2) warrior king
3) securing his dynasty
4) trade/ money (needed for war)
5) imperial ambition
Why and when was the amicable grant passed?
1525- fund expedition to France
How much was government expenditure
£1.7 million between 1509-1520
What year was the eltham ordinances passed?
1526
Who was the other judge for Henry’s annulment?
Campeggio
When was Wolsey accused of praemunire and what is it?
October 1529- recognising and responding to a foreign authority (the pope in this case) instead of the king
Factors of Wolsey’s downfall
1) the amicable grant
2) Wolsey’s attitude toward enclosures and resentment of the nobility
3) Wolsey’s own ambition
4) Wolsey’s legal dominance
5) the Boleyn faction
6) collapse of foreign policy
7) Henry’s lack of a male heir
8) failure to persuade Pope of annulment in 1527
9) accusation of praemunire
How/ why was Wolsey’s legal dominance responsible for his downfall?
Star chamber challenged nobility power and chancery increased legal precedents which was in huge demand
What event showed Anne Boleyn’s power over Wolsey?
Abbess of Wilton
When did Wolsey become the king’s chief minister?
1514
When was Wolsey appointed Lord Chancellor and made cardinal?
- Lord chancellor= the highest office of state
When was Wolsey appointed papal legate?
- The highest category of papal representative
When was Wolsey removed from power?
1529
How much older was Catherine of Aragon than Henry?
6 years
Wolsey judicial reforms
Genuinely seemed to want a better justice system- ensured the courts were accessible to the poor and that the rich and powerful didn’t gain any legal advantages in the court. However, often used this to punish his own enemies
What was the Eltham Ordinances?
attempted to reduce the cost of running the royal household. Reduced the privy council from 12 to 6
Wolsey’s use of parliament
only called twice- 1515 and 1523
Wolsey and the nobility
announced in 1516 meeting of the Star Chamber that those responsible for justice in localities, whether nobles or gentlemen, shouldn’t seem themselves as above the law
Example of Wolsey’s clash with the nobility
the Duke of Buckingham- charged and convicted of treason and executed the following month for speaking out against Wolsey
Wolsey’s success with the French
marriage of Henry’s sister, Mary to Louis XII in 1514. Ensuing treaty gave Henry an annual income of 100,000 crowns and confirmed English possession of Tournai. Although the treaty was short lived because Louis died 1515, the success of the negotiations had enabled Wolsey to cement his place as the king’s chief diplomat
Failure of the Treaty of London
within two years, Francis I and Charles V were competing for the Holy Roman Empire
What was the Treaty of London?
Treaty signed by England, France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, the Netherlands, Burgundy and the papacy. Agreed to commit to a policy of peaceful co-operation and to make war on any ruler that broke the treaty. Massive peace summit involving 20 nations
What was the aim of the Field of Cloth and Gold?
Alliance between Francis and Henry
When was the Battle of Pavia?
1525
Who won the Battle of Pavia?
Charles against the French
Charles’ role in the annulment
He was Catherine’s nephew- Charles had power over Pope Clement after sacking Rome
Catherine’s inability to produce an heir
several miscarriages and 2 stillborn babies
Henry’s confidence in the annulment
Henry and Anne agreed in 1527 to marry after the annulment
when and what was the treaty of Cambrai?
1529- treaty between Francis and Charles. Although not initially involved in discussions, Wolsey managed to negotiate his way into the terms of the treaty of peace, in which England’s place as a major power was acknowledged
When was the Battle of Spurs?
during June 1512 expedition to France
Early military victory by Wolsey
Battle of Spurs
When and what was the Battle of Flodden?
1513- James IV raided England. Henry distracted in France, Catherine and Duke of Norfolk led victory against the Scots
Wolsey’s titles
King’s chief minister 1514, lord chancellor and cardinal 1515, papal legate 1518
Henry’s inspiration for warrior king
Henry V at Agincourt
Wolsey’s ability
graduated Oxford age 15, manipulated the king in the Eltham Ordinances
Discontent caused by Amicable Grant
Widespread resistance e.g. provoked an open rebellion in Suffolk and a taxpayer strike. In the most serious rebellion in England since 1497, 10,000 men converged on the major trading town of Lavenham.
Wolsey’s rise to power
The primary councellors Henry had inherited, Warham and Foxe, were cautious and urged against war. Wolsey too was against war until 1511 but when Henry announced his aim to go to war with France Wolsey adapted his views and gave speeches to the privy council to persuade them to go to war. When Warham resigned as Lord Chancellor in 1515 under pressure, Henry appointed Wolsey in his place
Wolsey’s failure in judicial reforms
Courts became overloaded with tenuous cases, Wolsey ordered all minor cases out of the star chamber 1528
Wolsey and enclosures
1517 inquiry into Enclosures, chancery prosecuted 264 landowners, however, Wolsey was forced to abandon his reforms in 1523 so that parliament would accept taxes to fund the war
Wolsey taxation reforms
New tax the ‘Subsidy’ which taxed based on an accurate valuation of wealth. More efficient system raised £300,000, whilst benevolences and forced loans on the nobility raised £200,000 in 1552
Three French campaigns
1512-14, 1523-5, 1543-6
Wolsey general reforms
Started a number of schemes but failed to follow them through, suggests he intended to do more than he achieved
Failure of the Amicable Grant
aimed to raise £800,000 but in reality raised £300,000
Failure of the Field of the Cloth and Gold
If it was intended to improve Anglo-French relations it failed, as the Venetian ambassador reported that Henry and Francis hated each other. If it was aimed to advance the cause of European peace it failed because Charles V suspected that Henry was siding with Francis
Religious justification of the ‘Great Matter’
Leviticus
