Henry VIII - Wolsey's Rise + Fall Flashcards
Early Life
Born in 1473 to an Ipswitch butcher. Scholarship to Oxford to train as priest, gained degree @ 15 - ‘The Boy Batchelor.’ H8’s court encouraged ambitious men, Wolsey won Dick Foxe’s support + became Lord Almoner.
2nd French Expedition
H8 - frustrated with pacific advisers. Wolsey knew what H8 wanted, so was put in charge of expedition, to organise 25k men, which H8 would lead himself. Successful expedition - Tournai + Therouanne.
Wolsey’s Titles
1513: Dean of York, Bishop of Tournai. 1514: Bishop of Lincoln, Archbishop of York. 1515: Cardinal, Lord Chancellor. 1518: Papal Legate (Legatus a Latere). 1523: Papal Legate 4 lyfe. Known as ‘Alter Rex’.
Wolsey’s Life at Court
Would manipulate H8 with gifts, but, using his informants and legal power, would intimidate others, e.g. Duke of Buckingham (only Duke left after H7) who was executed in 1521 for ‘treasonous’ talk. But, TW had played on H8’s fears + this was a warning to intimidate others. Sir Amyas Paulet humiliated TW as a young priest by putting him in the stocks, forced Paulet to attend court every day for 5 years, bankrupting him.
Wolsey’s Wealth
Household of 500 servants + built Hampton Court + York Place. 10X richer than nearest rival, with £50k disp income. H8 liked that TW was annoying the nobility.
Why was Wolsey able to rise to power?
His background + opportunity. Organisation + intelligence, was sent as special envoy to Max + returned in 3 days. Success of French expedition.
Wolsey’s Aims
Stay in office + serve the king. Therefore, he needed to control nobles + raise money for war.
Wolsey’s Financial Reform
1) Between 1509-1520, raised £1m for war, however, H8 spent £1.7m.
2) Used parliamentary subsidies (taxes) four times for war, raising £300k.
3) 1526: Eltham Ordinances - Improve efficiency of chaotic Privy Chamber finance + control access of nobility to king. Reduced Privy Chamber from 12 to 6.
4) Carried out survey - General Prescription, which allowed for loans of £260k.
5) Act of Resumption 1515: Return crownlands given away in earlier reigns.
6) 1525 - The Amicable Grant rebellion after Pavia, with people only given 10 weeks to pay up, was humiliating for TW.
Wolsey’s Legal Reform
Court of Chancery + Star Chamber, used to control nobility, e.g. 1515: Earl of Northumberland sent to Fleet Prison . Star Chamber cases - 12 to 120 pa, but, lots of anti-TW hatred.
Wolsey’s Socio-Economic Reform
‘Friend of the poor’. Enclosures destroyed village life + jobs. Survey of enclosures + charged landowners for illegal enclosures. Much opposition: investigations suspended for 3 yrs.
Wolsey’s Church Reforms
Encourages reform, but nothing happens. Inspections of quality of monastery life: closes down 30 houses in 5 yrs. Plans to establish Cardinal College + priest school in hometown of Ipswitch, but falls from power. Anti-Prot, burning of Lutheran texts + Prot executions. Accused of nepotism (gives lucrative positions to his illegitimate son), absenteeism (Archbishop of York, but didn’t visit until after fall from power), pluralism, simony, violation of celibacy. Church had immunity from prosection, e.g. 1514: London merchant Richard Hunne’s death in church cell, who was a Lollard (reformer). Clergyman accused, but not brought to trial.
Why did Wolsey fall?
Failure of foreign policy from 1525 onwards + failure to obtain divorce.
Why did H8 want a divorce?
1) Marriage was against God’s will, so, invalid. Lack of boy child - Latin translation of Leviticus: ‘If a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing, and they shall be without children.’ However, Hebrew mentions specifically ‘male children’.
2) Needed male heir to secure dynasty. This troubled H8, as he made Henry Fitzroy, illegitimate son, D of Richmond + sent him to run Council of North. CA was 40+ and her last pregnancy was in 1518 + H8 stopped sleeping with her in 1524. Mary’s legitimacy was raised as an issue during marriage negotiations with Dauphin.
3) H8 would only tap AB if she was made Queen. Influenced by her + Boleyn faction.
How did Wolsey try to obtain divorce?
1) Scriptural Arguments: Validity of marriage relied on CA’s word that Arthur’s marriage wasn’t consummated.
2) Diplomatic Moves: Tried to remove CA’s nephew, C5, from Italy + free Pope. Alliance with France fails to remove C5.
3) Legal Proceedings: holds Legatine Court at Blackfriars + hopes to use powers as Papal Legate to obtain divorce. Pope sends Cardinal Campaggio to delay hearing in order to not annoy C5. When the court met in June 1529, CA refuses to recognise it, and asks Pope to move it to Rome, which delays it even more.
Wolsey’s Fall: Other Factors
Boleyn Faction: AB was a figurehead close to H8 for anti-TW nobility. However, he had to deal with faction all his life, so other factors were more important.
His Reputation: Reforms + King’s favour angered nobility.
