Thomas Cromwell - Chief Minister 1534-40
Positive Points Negative Points
● Break with Rome made Henry supreme Head of the ● Entirely reliant on Henry’s support as he had enemies
Church at court due to his power, influence and religious
○ 1530 when Cromwell became chief minister he convictions
set out to achieve what Wolsey had failed to do – ○ So unpopular that his policies encouraged
increase royal power in matters spiritual – and he factions in government
did so to a large extent ○ The Reformation parliament in some ways
○ 1532 exploited the anti-clerical feeling in marked a turning point in the frequency with
Parliament (first steps to break), realised he which parliament met - Commons became
could use Parliament to give Henry his increasingly confident and were less easily
annulment by presenting laws as being the will intimidated by the presence of their monarch -
of the people as parliament represented them and policies encouraged factions in government and
responsible for passing numerous anti-clerical he made lots of enemies among the nobles which
acts such as the 1532 Supplication against the meant that he was dispensable in Henry's view.
Ordinaries1533 drafted the Act in Restraint of ○ Cromwell was part of the reformer faction which
Appeals - stopped Catherine appealing to the had fallen out of favour by 1540. He was
pope, famous due to its preamble, first time opposed by the Duke of Norfolk (Catholic
defining vision of royal supremacy, began the faction)
work of transferring papal powers to the king, ○ Sacked by Henry and treated very harshly - does
increased the power, prestige and wealth of the this suggest he Henry he'd failed him? The fact
monarchy that he was made Earl of Essex in April 1540
○ 1534 Act of Supremacy introduced oath of and executed a few weeks afterwards suggests
supremacy- administered to all religious houses that Henry thought he had failed in strengthening
and acknowledged Henry's position as head of royal power
the Church of England - Cromwell had now ● 1536 Dissolution created the most serious rebellion of
given Henry almost complete power over the the reign
English Church and clergy ○ 30,000 rebels who named Cromwell personally
○ Role of Parliament was said to have even in their complaints, rebelled against religious
enhanced by its use in the Reformation - used to changes and taxes, posed a significant threat to
engineer the break with Rome, legitimised it Henry as he had to negotiate, rather than simply
using acts defeat the rebels.
● Late 1534 Henry named him viceregent in spirituals ○ Wide geographical spread - men joined from
which gave him power to shape the religion of the Durham, Northumberland, Lancashire,
country Westmorland and Cumberland
○ Used propaganda and a preaching campaign in ○ Challenged Henry’s supremacy of the Church as
churches to introduce reformer ideas more rebels wanted to return to traditions practices
widely across England BUT was forced to end ○ Cromwell was viewed as a heretic and 3/24
this by 1538 articles opposed him, blamed him for giving
○ Architect of the dissolution of the monasteries in Henry “evil counsel”, person of “low birth”
1536-39 which threatened hierarchical society (son of a
● Enhanced royal power through changes to the legal cloth maker and worked for Wolsey in 1516)
system - argued to have ‘revolutionised’ Tudor ○ BUT Henry later had the leaders executed and
government and made it more efficient went back on his promises - royal power not
○ During the 1530s a system of government affected significantly
centred on the King in his household have way to ● Failed attempt to create a Protestant alliance in Europe
s more modern, bureaucratic form of government by negotiating a marriage with Anne of Cleves
centred around government departments ○ Angered Henry, enemies among the conservative
○ Confirmation of the power of the faction at court saw the opportunity to remove
‘King-in-Parliament' - parliament meets more him permanently - accused him of treason and
frequently and the King works through it - meant heresy, tried and executed on 28th July
parliament met more frequently and the king ● Mainly focused on reforming the Church than
worked through it, which represented Henry as increasing royal power
the ultimate authority. It was the idea that the ○ Could be why he helped to make Henry head of
most powerful institution in the country was the the English Church
king acting in conjunction with parliament rather ○ May have simply used government to give him
than without it. the power to shape the religion of the country -
motive behind being the architect of the
Positive Points Negative Points
● Break with Rome made Henry supreme Head of the ● Entirely reliant on Henry’s support as he had enemies
Church at court due to his power, influence and religious
○ 1530 when Cromwell became chief minister he convictions
set out to achieve what Wolsey had failed to do – ○ So unpopular that his policies encouraged
increase royal power in matters spiritual – and he factions in government
did so to a large extent ○ The Reformation parliament in some ways
○ 1532 exploited the anti-clerical feeling in marked a turning point in the frequency with
Parliament (first steps to break), realised he which parliament met - Commons became
could use Parliament to give Henry his increasingly confident and were less easily
annulment by presenting laws as being the will intimidated by the presence of their monarch -
of the people as parliament represented them and policies encouraged factions in government and
responsible for passing numerous anti-clerical he made lots of enemies among the nobles which
acts such as the 1532 Supplication against the meant that he was dispensable in Henry's view.
Ordinaries1533 drafted the Act in Restraint of ○ Cromwell was part of the reformer faction which
Appeals - stopped Catherine appealing to the had fallen out of favour by 1540. He was
pope, famous due to its preamble, first time opposed by the Duke of Norfolk (Catholic
defining vision of royal supremacy, began the faction)
work of transferring papal powers to the king, ○ Sacked by Henry and treated very harshly - does
increased the power, prestige and wealth of the this suggest he Henry he'd failed him? The fact
monarchy that he was made Earl of Essex in April 1540
○ 1534 Act of Supremacy introduced oath of and executed a few weeks afterwards suggests
supremacy- administered to all religious houses that Henry thought he had failed in strengthening
and acknowledged Henry's position as head of royal power
the Church of England - Cromwell had now ● 1536 Dissolution created the most serious rebellion of
given Henry almost complete power over the the reign
English Church and clergy ○ 30,000 rebels who named Cromwell personally
○ Role of Parliament was said to have even in their complaints, rebelled against religious
enhanced by its use in the Reformation - used to changes and taxes, posed a significant threat to
engineer the break with Rome, legitimised it Henry as he had to negotiate, rather than simply
using acts defeat the rebels.
● Late 1534 Henry named him viceregent in spirituals ○ Wide geographical spread - men joined from
which gave him power to shape the religion of the Durham, Northumberland, Lancashire,
country Westmorland and Cumberland
○ Used propaganda and a preaching campaign in ○ Challenged Henry’s supremacy of the Church as
churches to introduce reformer ideas more rebels wanted to return to traditions practices
widely across England BUT was forced to end ○ Cromwell was viewed as a heretic and 3/24
this by 1538 articles opposed him, blamed him for giving
○ Architect of the dissolution of the monasteries in Henry “evil counsel”, person of “low birth”
1536-39 which threatened hierarchical society (son of a
● Enhanced royal power through changes to the legal cloth maker and worked for Wolsey in 1516)
system - argued to have ‘revolutionised’ Tudor ○ BUT Henry later had the leaders executed and
government and made it more efficient went back on his promises - royal power not
○ During the 1530s a system of government affected significantly
centred on the King in his household have way to ● Failed attempt to create a Protestant alliance in Europe
s more modern, bureaucratic form of government by negotiating a marriage with Anne of Cleves
centred around government departments ○ Angered Henry, enemies among the conservative
○ Confirmation of the power of the faction at court saw the opportunity to remove
‘King-in-Parliament' - parliament meets more him permanently - accused him of treason and
frequently and the King works through it - meant heresy, tried and executed on 28th July
parliament met more frequently and the king ● Mainly focused on reforming the Church than
worked through it, which represented Henry as increasing royal power
the ultimate authority. It was the idea that the ○ Could be why he helped to make Henry head of
most powerful institution in the country was the the English Church
king acting in conjunction with parliament rather ○ May have simply used government to give him
than without it. the power to shape the religion of the country -
motive behind being the architect of the
