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History Josh > Hnery VIII and Cromwell > Flashcards

Hnery VIII and Cromwell Flashcards

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1
Q

Early life of Thomas Cromwell

A
  • Born in 1485 to humble beginnings
  • Cromwell was born in Putney which was far from wealthy
  • His father was a scoundrel as he got into fights and took part in enclosure
  • Cromwell and his father had a poor relationship, he did not have a higher education and he was at the recieving end of his father’s temper
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2
Q

Cromwell’s travels

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  • In 1503, Cromwell left England due to either his trouble with his father or the law, this was brave
  • He signed up for the French army and fought against the Spanish
  • He deserted after the Battle of Garigilano and moved to Florence
  • He used his charm to move in to move into the house of a merchant banker where he became cultured in the heart of the renaissance
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3
Q

Cromwell in Belgium and back to England

A
  • Cromwell moved to Antwerp after Florence to become a cloth merchant which gave him vital trading skills
  • Cromwell returend to England around 1514 and married Elizabeth Wycks, who came from a wealthy family, and then established him a merchant. He learned enough about culture and business to be successfuk
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4
Q

Cromwell and Wolsey

A
  • When he returned England, Cromwell entered Wolsey’s household
  • By 1519, Cromwell was on Wolsey’s council and by 1529 he was his most trusted advisor
  • Cromwell and Wolsey had a lot in common as they were both self-made, ambitious and intelligent
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5
Q

Cromwell in Henry’s court

A
  • Took on increasingly high profile legal cases with many being heard in the Star Chamber
  • Wolsey frequently sent Cromwell to deliver news to the king
  • In 1523, Cromwell became an MP
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6
Q

Cromwell’s personality

A
  • Cromwell’s physical appearances do him no favours
  • However on closer inspection he shows characteristics of cleverness
  • Cromwell appeared dull because he did not care for his physical appearance
  • He was also warm and charming
  • He was able to win people over with is charm
  • He was also a loyal friend and husband
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7
Q

Cromwell serving Henry VIII

A
  • Wolsey’s fall from power opened many doors for Cromwell. In a rare display of emotion, he cried when he heard lf Wolsey’s death
  • The future looked bleak for Cromwell
  • Cromwell’s career in court looked finished, without Wolsey, he had no formal position
  • Cromwell was in a dangerous position as Wolsey’s most senior advisor. The attacks against Wolsey could involve him as well
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8
Q

Cromwell as an MP

A
  • Cromwell did not believe in self-pity
  • Many of Wolsey’s household distanced themselves from the Cardinal
  • Cromwell did the opposite and became the MP of Taunton in 1529
  • He used this poistion to defend Wolsey in court
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9
Q

Cromwell in th royal council

A
  • Whilst serving Wolsey, Cromwell impressed Henry with his loyalty as well as his managing skills with legal affairs
  • This included sorting out Wolsey’s properties and his staff
  • Henry needed talented men so he appointed him to his royal council
  • Cromwell realised that helping Henry wih the annulment would help promote him
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10
Q

Cromwell securing the annulment

A
  • Wolsey achieved little trying to secure the annulment
  • He asked members of the Boleyn faction to look over the case but they lacked the nacessary legal skills to secure the case
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11
Q

Role of Thomas More

A
  • More was Henry’s new lord chancellor
  • Sympathetic towards Catherine
  • More was a devout catholic
  • Dogference in Henry led to him retiring in 1532 telling people he was to ill to continue
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12
Q

Cromwell’s plan to secure the annulment

A
  • Cromwell realised the pope would never reach a verdict
  • Cromwell said the power to give the annulment should be given to Henry not the pope
  • To provide a legal basis for this, he would get parliament to pass a law backing this up
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13
Q

Why Cromwell’s annulment proposal was ground-breaking

A
  • Cromwell was directly challenging the pope’s power. As the head of the Catholic church, he would always handle religious matters
  • Cromwell was expanding the role of parliament, up until now, it was only involved in taxes, now it would influence the highest laws
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14
Q

Anne’s pregnancy

A

By January 1533, Anne was pregannt and divorce was needed more than ever to make the child a legitimate heir

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15
Q

The marriage between Henry and Anne

A
  • On 25 January, Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer perofrmed a secret marriage
  • This was illegal in the eyes of theCatholic Church as he was still married to Catherine
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16
Q

The Act in Restraint of Appeals

A
  • Passed in March 1533
  • Granted Henry’s divorce
  • The act stated that England was an empire and should be subject to any form of foreign rule
  • Henry was the supreme head of England and the newly formed Church of England whih gave him all the power over England
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17
Q

The Divorce hearing

A
  • In May 1533, Thomas Cranmer headed a hearing for the divorce
  • Catherine did not recognise the court as legitimate and refused to attend
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18
Q

The Court’s final verdict on the annulment

A
  • The original papal dispensation had been invalid
  • Henry and Catherine had never legally been married
  • Henry’s marriage to Anne was legal as he was technically single at the time
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19
Q

Anne’s child

A

Anne gave birth to Elizabeth Tudor

RIP Henners he wanted a boy to carry the bloodline

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20
Q

Impact of the annulment for Cromwell

A
  • This was his big-break as Cromwell proved himself capable of a task that Wolsey was not
  • He was now Henry’s main advisor
  • Cromwell was granted many titles and awards such as Master of the King’s Jewels, Chief minister, Vicar-general, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Privy Seal and a baron
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21
Q

Wolsey compared to Cromwell (as an advisor)

A
  • Cromwell was not given as much freedom was Wolsey as Henry was more interested in kingship than leisure
  • Cromwell was not as extravagant as Wolsey and he did not develop a household to rival the king’s
  • Wosley had more titles than Cromwell. Henry was careful not give him too many. An example is that Cromwell was never a lord chancellor
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22
Q

The fall of Anne Boleyn

A
  • By January 1536, Anne was pregnant again
  • Catherine lived a serious light in Henry’s court but Anne was the opposite as she promoted music and dancing
  • Scandal and gossip was common because of Anne
  • Henry and Anne’s happiness was not to last because Henry fell from a horse whilst jousting leaving him an injured leg which meant he could never joust again which damaged his morale
  • Anne suffered a miscarriage which was met by no sympathy from Henry
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23
Q

Anne’s trial

A
  • Anne was accused of adultery and incest by Henry almost four months after the miscarriage
  • Henry blamed her for everything that went wrong including his injury
  • She was executed in the Tower of London
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24
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - Henry’s desire for a son

A
  • Anne was no different to Catherine, she failed to produce him a son
  • Anne producing a girl and then having a miscarriage proved fatal for the couple
  • Henry needed a spn desperately
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25
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - why was Henry desperate for a male heir

A
  • In 1536, Henry turned 45 which was the beginning of old age in Tudor times
  • The fall from his horse left Henry scared that he could die without a male heir
  • Henry’s kingdom was underthreat from France and Spain as the pope decreed that England was for anyone who could take it
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26
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - Anne’s personality

A
  • ## Henry disagreed with Anne’s quick, sharp mind and assertive nature, which had once been attractive to Henry as it was different to Catherine
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27
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - Jane Seymour

A
  • Jane Seymour was the opposite to Anne
  • Henry wanted Jane Syemour as a wife
  • Came from Wiltshire
  • She was helped into court by a conservative group who wanted Anne out
  • Individiuals such as the Duke of Norfolk changed their stance and saw Anne as a meddling
28
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - Anne’s suspected adultery

A
  • The atmosphere in Henry’s court was awful as a rumour spread that Anne was unfaithful
  • Henry took this scandal seriously and he asked Cromwell to investigate
  • On April 30 Mark Smeaton, a court musician, was arrested and then tortured at Cromwell’s home
  • He then confessed to having relations with Anne
29
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - George Boleyn

A
  • Along with threason and adiltery, Anne was trialed on adultery as she was suspected to have had sexual relations with her brother
30
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - was Anne guilty?

A
  • She was definitely known to be a flirt and to enjoy male company
  • Apart from Mark Smeaton, all men denied having relations with Anne
  • Anne protested her innocence as well
  • The other four men arrested were noble so they could not be tortured
31
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - role of Cromwell

A
  • Played a significant role
  • Henry asked Cromwell to investigate Anne’s former relationship with Henry Percy, son of the Earl of Northumberland, could be used as valid evidence. There were rumours that Anne and Henry were enganged making the marriage with Henry VIII void
  • Cromwell took the lead role in building a case against Smeaton
  • Searched through over evidence such as court scandals including alledged realtions with George Boleyn
  • He made the ladies-in-waiting spy on Anne
32
Q

Reasons for the fall of Anne - The Cromwell conspiracy

A
  • There is a conspiracy that Anne’s fall was plotted by Cromwell
  • Some viewed that Cromwell wanted Anne out of the court
  • This was because she wanted money from the dissolution of the monasteries which was meant to go to funding the country
33
Q

Anne Boleyn’s arrest and execution

A
  • Anne was tried by the Duke of Norfolk with her brother on the 15th May 1536
  • On 17th May, Cranmer annuled the marriage
  • Princess Elizabeth was therefore illegitimate
  • On the 19th Anne was executed in a public spectacle
34
Q

The succession

A
  • Around two weeks later Henry and Jane married
  • The wedding was small and fast
  • This represented Henry’s urgency for a son
  • With two annulments, there was no legitimate heir to the throne
  • Parliament passed the succession act which meant Henry could appoint anyone he wanted to the throne
  • He chose Henry Fitzroy
  • Henry’s backup plan, his illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, died soon after the passing of the succession act
35
Q

Jane Seymour’ life

A
  • Loyal to Henry
  • Gentle and kind but not bright
  • SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A MALE HEIR, Edward VI, on the 12th October 1537
  • This achieved Henry’s goal of having a male heir to continue the succession
  • This celebration was short lived as Jane died two weeks after the birth of Edward
  • Henry was saddened and he would not remarry for two years
36
Q

The influence of the Seymours

A
  • Jane was reclusive and did not get involved in politics
  • She rarely got involved
  • She got involve in trying to spare the members of the Pilgramige of Grace, Henry’s response was to threaten her with Anne’s fate
  • Jane was from a politically established family
  • Her brother, Edward, was earl of Hertford
  • The Seymours became important when Edward was born
37
Q

Reform contributions made by Cromwell

A
  • Reforms to the Royal Council
  • Stregthening the council of the North
  • Limiting the role of the Kings Chamber in handling financial matters
  • Expanding the role of parliament
38
Q

Cromwell’s reforms to the Royal Council - initial problems

A
  • Topics of discussion were not usually recorded
  • It usually ended up being dominated by one man such as Wolsey and then Cromwell
  • Very few members attended the meetings even though it had over 100 members
  • There were no rules how the meetings should be conducted
  • Decisions were not usually recorded
39
Q

Cromwell’s reforms to the Royal Council - solutions

A
  • The royal council was an important advisory body taht helped Henry run the country
  • Cromwell realised there were issues that needed solving
  • Cromwell created a newsmaller
40
Q

Cromwell’s reforms - the North

A
  • Another aim of Cromwell was to unify England
  • The north was distanced from the south
  • Under the 1536 act of franchises and liberties, the north came under royal control
  • The council of the north which was first set up in 1472 was strengthened so it could obtain a firm grip over the north
  • In 1536, Cromwell guided the act of the u ion in which Wales was modelled like England to be apart of England
41
Q

Cromwell’s reforms - the king’s chamber

A
  • Cromwell turned his attention to the royal financing
  • Significant amounts of money went in and out of the treasury
  • This was controlled by the king’s chamber
  • It meant that the ming could keep a close eye on finance
  • Cromwell realised it needed reform for three reasons
42
Q

Reasons for the reform of the King’s chamber

A
  • Routine tasks such as monitoring expendetures bored Henry
  • There were no formal rules on how the King’s chamber should be run, accounts were not properly monitored or checked
  • The dissolution of monasteries led to a dramtic increase in funding and Cromwell felt that the Chamber would not be able to handle it
43
Q

Cromwell’s financial reforms - The court of Augmentations

A
  • Created in 1536 to handle property and income gained from the monasteries
44
Q

Cromwell’s financial reforms - the court of first fruits and tenths

A

Created in 1540 to collect tax fromthe clergy which had previously been sent to Rome

These helped look after a specific area of revenue

45
Q

Cromwell’s reforms - the management and use of parliament

A
  • For a good deal of Henry’s reign, parliament was a minor institution who was only summoned to approve taxes
  • Laws were only made on royal decree
  • Cromwell saw potential in them to make breaking changes in statute law
  • He did not want to solely rely on Henry’s monarchy
  • The annulment was an example of parliament’s role in law
46
Q

The reformstion of parliament - new roles

A
  • House of Lords, made up of peers and bishops to represent the nobility and clergy
  • House of Commons containing 74 county MPs and 236 town and borugh MPs, these were representative of the public
47
Q

Why did Cromwell reform parliament

A

Cromwell realised that parliament was a way of securing support from people who mattered
- They would be more willing to support Cromwell’s decisions

48
Q

Strategies Cromwell used in parliament

A
  • Cromwell was not going to leave decisions to chance, he used various strategies
  • As the king’s chief minister, he controlled parliamentry business, ensuring that proposals were put forward and discussed
  • As an elected MP, he sat in the House if Commons so he was able to guide personally
  • As a skilled lawyer, he personally drafted many proposals
  • In 1532, supporters of Catherine of Aragon were opposing the Act of Annates, the King visited parliament under Cromwell’s instruction which scared the commons into supporting the act
49
Q

Impact of Cromwell’s parliamentry reforms

A
  • Enforced the idea that parliament was a key part of government and should be consulted on reform
  • Parliament could pass laws on virtually any aspects of life
  • The highest laws of the kingdom were not those made by the king alone but the king’s approval with the commons and lords
50
Q

Henry’s marriage to Anne of Cleves

A
  • The marriage between Henry and Anne was highly political
  • Days after the death of Jane Seymour, the Privy council searched for a new wife
  • By 1539, Anne of Cleves, the daughter of the Duke of Cleves emerged as a favourite as she was gentle and obedient
  • The Cleves family also wanted Anne and Henry to marry even after them hearing of Henry’s mistreatment of wives
51
Q

Benefits for Cleves

A
  • Cleves was a small kindgom north of Rome
  • The marriage offered a chance of power
  • The threat of invasion was a posibility for Cleves, an alliance with England would provide protection
52
Q

The Catholic Crusade

A
  • In 1539, Charles and Francis were about to lead a Catholic invasion to England
  • Spies reported fleets and armies gathering in Antwerp and Boulogne
  • In response, troops were massed and trained in South East England
  • Cromwell saw that by marrying Anne to Henry, an ally coukd be gained against France and Spain
53
Q

Cromwell’s motives for the marriage of Anne of Cleves and Henry VIII

A
  • An alliance with a non-religious state such as Cleves could lead to reforms without opposition
  • A foreign queen would also lack connections to English novles which reduce the chance of an attack on Cromwell
  • Ultimatley, it was Henry who agreed to the proposal
54
Q

Henry’s motives to marry Anne of Cleves

A
  • Henry needed more sons
  • Cromwell was encouraging him to remarry
  • England needed allies
  • Henry chose Anne based on her looks from a portrait
55
Q

England’s isolation in 1538/9

A
  • June 1538 - Charles V and Francis I met in Nice to sign a ten year truce
  • December 1538 - Pope Paul III issued a bull of excommunication which stated Henry was no longer a part of the Catholic faith and he should be removed from the throne
  • January 1539 - Charles and Francis signed a pact in Toledo promising not to enter any agreement with England without the others consent
56
Q

The significance of the marriage between Henry and Anne of Cleves

A
  • Showed that Henry was still worried about the succession despite the birth of Edward
  • Anne of Cleves was not Henry’s first choice of bride
    Many families would not allow Henry to marry their daughters. This showed how damaged Henry’s reputation was
  • Henry’s need to ally with a small state such as Cleves showed how isolated England was
  • The marriage also showed that Henry had no intention of repearing the relationship with Rome
  • Cromwell played a large role in the marriage and his future dependend on the success of the marriage
57
Q

The failure of the marriage and its implications

A
  • Henry saw Anne as ugly and within six months they were divorced
  • Cromwell still persuaded Henry to go through with the marriage
  • Henry realised he had to as he needed an ally
  • Henry did not consumate the marriage
  • Other factors convinced Henry that the marriage would not last
  • Anne did not fit into sophisticated English court life
  • Anne was not as educated as Henry’s other wives
58
Q

Catherine Howard

A
  • Henry had now fallen in love with a lady-in-waiting, Catherine Howard,
  • Catherine was young and flirty
  • This began in the spring of 1540
  • An alliance with Cleves was no longer needed as relations between Francis and Charles broke down
  • In July 1540, the marriage of Anne of Cleves and Henry had been annulled due to an existing marriage between Anne and the Duke of Lorraine
  • Anne of Cleves was greatly rewarded with great castles and manors. She was called the king’s sister
59
Q

Cromwell’s fall from power

A
  • Henry blamed Cromwell for the failure of his marriage to Anne of Cleves
  • He already began to lose faith in Cromwell due to some of his religious policies
  • Despite the split from Rome, Henry still viewed himself as Catholic and he disagreed with Cromwell’s role in the reformation
  • However his fall was not certain as he became the Earl of Essex in 1540 which gave him noble blood
60
Q

Why Norfolk was instrumental in the fall

A
  • Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk spent most of the 1530s competing with Cromwell over influence over Henry VIII, he had three main motives
  • Cromwell was protestant whislt Norfolk was catholic
  • Norfolk believed that Henry should not be influenced by Cromwell due to his low birth
  • Norfolk was angry at Cromwell due to him becoming Earl of Essex, he believed this title was to rich fo Cromwell’s blood
61
Q

Norfolk in a position to destroy Cromwell

A
  • He saw that Cromwell’s power was fading due to Henry’s anger about Anne of Cleves and his religious beliefes
  • Catherine Howard was Norfolk’s neice and this gave him influence over the king
  • He instructed Catherine to spread rumours that he was not putting enough effort in securing a divorce from Anne of Cleves. He claimed that Cromwell as plotting to convert England to protestantism fully
  • Both accusations were untrure
62
Q

Fatcs about the Duke of Norfolk

A
  • In the 1520s, he had been the enemy of Wolsey and in the 1530s he opposed Cromwell due to them both being of humble beginnings
  • He helped bring about Cromwell’s downfall
  • He was born into a long established noble family. Also, he was an experienced soldier as he fought in the Battle of Flodden in 1513
  • He failed in him to become Henry’s chief minister
  • He was the uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and he played a major role in securing these marriage
  • He also held many positions such as Lord Treasurer
  • He was catholic
63
Q

Cromwell’s reaction to Norfolk

A
  • He was aware of the danger and he retaliated
  • In February 1540, Cromwell orderd the closure of Thetford Priory which was an attack on Norfolk as he planned to use it as a college for priests and it was his family mausoleum. Cromwell completely destroyed it forcing Norfolk’s family remains to be removed
  • Cromwell also tried to remove Norfolk from Henry’s court by persudaing Henry that Norfolk was sick but Norfolk convinced Henry he was not sick
64
Q

The execution of Thomas Cromwell

A
  • Cromwell was arrested at a Privy Council meeting on treason and heresy
  • Cromwell’s awards were stripped from him whilst he protested he was not a traitor
  • Cromwell was taken to the tower whilst royal officials seized his goods
  • On 29th June parliament passed an act which condemned Cromwell to death
  • Cromwell pleaded for mercy but the King showed him none and he was beheaded on the 20th July 1540, the same day Henry married Catherine Howard
65
Q

Reactions to Cromwell’s death

A
  • Religious reformes in England knew they had lost a significant ally
  • Catholis Europe was delighted at Cromwell’s death, Francis declared it a miracle of God
  • The catholic group in court became more influential, led by Norfolk
  • Many people in England cheered his death as he was seen as ruthless for closing down monasteries
  • Henry came to regret his decision as he realised how good Cromwell had been

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