Thomas Wolsey

Question 1

When was Wolsey appointed as Henry VII’s chaplain?

Answer 1

1507

Question 2

What happened to Wolsey in 1509 when Henry VII died?

Answer 2

Wolsey hadn’t been around long enough to be associated with Henry VII’s old councillors who Henry VIII hated so Henry VIII appointed him as Almoner later that year.

Question 3

What did Wolsey’s job as Almoner do for him?

Answer 3

It gave him a seat on the Royal Council and this gave him regular access to the King.

Question 4

When did Pope Leo X appoint Wolsey as a Cardinal?

Answer 4

1515 and a Cardinal is one of the highest ranking positions in the church.

Question 5

When was Wolsey made Papal Legate in England?

Answer 5

1518 and this is the highest position that a clergyman could be in the church. It also meant he got some of the Pope’s powers in England.

Question 6

What did Wolsey do to Henry VIII’s ‘minions’?

Answer 6

He replaced them with people he could trust as the ‘minions’ limited his power.

Question 7

Who controlled appointments within the Royal Council?

Answer 7

Wolsey, not Henry.

Question 8

What were the Eltham Ordinances?

Answer 8

Happened in 1526 and it reduced the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber from 12 to 6, this allowed Wolsey to remain Henry’s most influential advisor.

Question 9

In 1528 what happened when Wolsey refused to appoint a woman who Henry had chosen as the Abbess of Wilton?

Answer 9

Henry gave him a public dressing down and still made him appoint her.

Question 10

What happened to the Duke of Buckingham?

Answer 10

In 1921 Buckingham was executed and Wolsey was accused of orchestrating this. Buckingham was a powerful noble who opposed Wolsey within court and since he was executed this shows how much power Wolsey had since Buckingham was executed.

Question 11

What was Wolsey’s nickname?

Answer 11

‘Alter-Rex’ meaning ‘Mini-King’ and he was called this due to his grip on power.

Question 12

Was Wolsey master or servant?

Answer 12

He was Henry’s bitch.

Question 13

The church had a lot of problems before the Reformation but was Wolsey part of the problem?

Answer 13

He was part of the problem as he held numerous positions (pluralism), had illegitimate children and took numerous salaries and these were all against the church.

Question 14

How much money did Wolsey raise through additional taxes because of his church position between the years of 1515 and 1529?

Answer 14

£240,000

Question 15

Why did Wolsey leave lots of clerical positions vacant?

Answer 15

So he could take the wages for himself.

Question 16

What did Wolsey do with the money he got from dissolving over 30 monasteries, which were not doing their duties?

Answer 16

He used the money to set up schools and a collage in Oxford University to teach theology.

Question 17

Did Wolsey live like a clergyman?

Answer 17

No he built himself an elaborate palace and had more servants than Henry.

Question 18

Did Wolsey clash with parliament because of his role in the church?

Answer 18

Yes and in 1515 Henry had to publically remind Wolsey that England comes before the church because Wolsey was attacking parliament for being anti-clerical.

Question 19

What happened when Wolsey tried to argue that the church should have it’s own system of law?

Answer 19

Henry decided that he ruled and only God had more power than him and Wolsey was forced to grovel at the feet of the king for forgiveness.

Question 20

Why was Henry VIII happy to leave Wolsey to deal with the daily business of running the country?

Answer 20

Because Henry was didn’t have the best work ethic.

Question 21

Why was Wolsey able to pass policies without consulting Henry VIII?

Answer 21

Because he controlled the Great Seal and the Privy Seal.

Question 22

What did Wolsey create to hear the cases of people too poor to use the existing courts?

Answer 22

The Court of Requests.

Question 23

What was the problem with the Court of Requests?

Answer 23

It was too popular and couldn’t cope with demand.

Question 24

Wolsey increased the use of the Star Chamber but by how much?

Answer 24

He saw 120 cases a year which is an increase from 12 a year.

Question 25

What was enclosing?

Answer 25

When a noble made a field bigger and this meant less peasants were needed.

Question 26

How many landowners did Wolsey punish for enclosing?

Answer 26

Over 200

Question 27

What happened to all of Wolsey’s work with enclosing after his death?

Answer 27

His work was forgotten and the practise resumed.

Question 28

How much money did Wolsey raise in taxes between 1513 and 1529?

Answer 28

£414,000

Question 29

What was the Subsidy tax?

Answer 29

A new form tax that was fairer as it was based on income.

Question 30

When did Wolsey introduce the Subsidy tax?

Answer 30

1513

Question 31

How did Wolsey make more money to fund Henry’s aggressive foreign policy?

Answer 31

He used forced loans and this meant nobles were forced to give Henry money. Wolsey raised £260,000 in 1522 and 1523 however this way of taxation was very unpopular.

Question 32

What was the Amicable Grant?

Answer 32

Introduced by Wolsey in 1525 and was an extra-ordinary tax that was too much and led to a rebellion in Suffolk, this mistake led to Wolsey’s downfall.