How far did Henry VIII destroy Henry VII’s legacy between 1495 and 1514?
On the 23rd April 1509, Henry VIII became king, inheriting his father’s legacies. These included a
strong and stable financial position, a councillor government and peaceful foreign relations. For
Henry VIII to have destroyed his father’s legacies, he would have had to have caused a negative
change which would have lasted for a substantial period. Although Henry VIII undoubtedly destroyed
some areas of Henry VII’s legacy, such as finance, this was not uniform across all aspects and there is
prominent disparities between each legacy. Therefore, Henry VIII only partially destroyed Henry VII’s
legacy between 1495 and 1514 with substantial fluctuations.
Undoubtedly, Henry VIII destroyed the financial stability inherited from his father, suggestive that
there were certainly elements of Henry VII’s legacy which were continued. Initially, it could be
argued that Henry VIII preserved his father’s legacy. This is because, in 1510 the Treaty of Etaples
was renewed and therefore the french pension continued. This is suggestive that there was an
active effort to continue England’s financial stability as it meant that England still received the
£159,000 pension, contributing to the extent of its financial strength. This indicates a continuation of
Henry VII’s legacy as he tried to accentuate England’s financial stability by negotiating such pension
from the king of France in 1492 in return for removing soldier’s from french soil. However, in 1513,
Henry VIII successfully captured the french towns of Tournai and Theróuanne, subsequently ending
the french pension as it caused a deterioration in Anglo-french relations. Undoubtedly, this showed
that Henry VIII destroyed Henry VII’s financial legacy as such renewal was only short-term and ended
in a negative impact on England’s financial position. His temporary upholdal indicates that any
continuation of his legacy was short-term and did not successfully materialise as was stopped too
early. Furthermore, Henry VIII spent £30,000 left by his father in the first few years of his reign in
expensive for issues such as the Battle of Flodden (1513). This further affirms that Henry VII’s legacy
was destroyed as it shows that the strong financial position he had carefully constructed was quickly
denigrated. Subsequently, Henry VIII had to liquidate his father’s assets. This shows that Henry VIII
was comparatively frivolous and followed a more expensive campaign, therefore having a negative o
impact by removing England from it’s financially strong and stable position. This is because, he often
spent vast sums of money to achieve painfully small gains which had little or no strategic
significance. Although the majority did not expire until the 1520s, Henry VIII further undermined his
father’s legacy through the cancellation of bonds. This shows that Henry VIII was willing to dismantle
the unpopular aspects of his father’s policy despite their potential to aid financial security, indicating
he prioritised his own success over England’s stable financial position. This further destroyed Henry
VII’s legacy as it meant a deduced income from bonds and therefore England would have occupied a
less finically powerful position than that established by Henry VII.
Moreover, Henry VIII’s approach to the government is an indication that Henry VIII’s legacies were
only partially destroyed. Undoubtedly, an indication of the preservation of Henry VII’s legacy is the
infrequent role of parliament in Henry VIII’s government . For example, between 1509-1514 Henry
VIII only called parliament twice. This mirrors the reign of his father as parliament only met 7 times
during his 24 years of Henry VII being king. This was due to a desire to not strain loyalty through too
many requests for money. Therefore, Henry VIII did not entirely destroy his father’s legacy as some
key elements were continued. Additionally, Henry VIII inherited Henry VII’s government. This
included members such as Richard Fox and Thomas Howard. This shows that destruction was not
uniform across all aspects and some elements were continued into Henry VIII’s reign. Moreover, this
meant that there was a renewed emphasis on governing through the council, reiterating the notion
that aspects of Henry VII’s legacy were continued. However, a clear indication of destruction is the
abolishment of the Council Learned in Law in 1510. This was a key aspect of Henry VII’s government
which had the function of increasing the king’s revenue and exploiting his prerogative rights. By
abolishing this body which developed under the leadership of Bray, Henry VIII undermined a key
On the 23rd April 1509, Henry VIII became king, inheriting his father’s legacies. These included a
strong and stable financial position, a councillor government and peaceful foreign relations. For
Henry VIII to have destroyed his father’s legacies, he would have had to have caused a negative
change which would have lasted for a substantial period. Although Henry VIII undoubtedly destroyed
some areas of Henry VII’s legacy, such as finance, this was not uniform across all aspects and there is
prominent disparities between each legacy. Therefore, Henry VIII only partially destroyed Henry VII’s
legacy between 1495 and 1514 with substantial fluctuations.
Undoubtedly, Henry VIII destroyed the financial stability inherited from his father, suggestive that
there were certainly elements of Henry VII’s legacy which were continued. Initially, it could be
argued that Henry VIII preserved his father’s legacy. This is because, in 1510 the Treaty of Etaples
was renewed and therefore the french pension continued. This is suggestive that there was an
active effort to continue England’s financial stability as it meant that England still received the
£159,000 pension, contributing to the extent of its financial strength. This indicates a continuation of
Henry VII’s legacy as he tried to accentuate England’s financial stability by negotiating such pension
from the king of France in 1492 in return for removing soldier’s from french soil. However, in 1513,
Henry VIII successfully captured the french towns of Tournai and Theróuanne, subsequently ending
the french pension as it caused a deterioration in Anglo-french relations. Undoubtedly, this showed
that Henry VIII destroyed Henry VII’s financial legacy as such renewal was only short-term and ended
in a negative impact on England’s financial position. His temporary upholdal indicates that any
continuation of his legacy was short-term and did not successfully materialise as was stopped too
early. Furthermore, Henry VIII spent £30,000 left by his father in the first few years of his reign in
expensive for issues such as the Battle of Flodden (1513). This further affirms that Henry VII’s legacy
was destroyed as it shows that the strong financial position he had carefully constructed was quickly
denigrated. Subsequently, Henry VIII had to liquidate his father’s assets. This shows that Henry VIII
was comparatively frivolous and followed a more expensive campaign, therefore having a negative o
impact by removing England from it’s financially strong and stable position. This is because, he often
spent vast sums of money to achieve painfully small gains which had little or no strategic
significance. Although the majority did not expire until the 1520s, Henry VIII further undermined his
father’s legacy through the cancellation of bonds. This shows that Henry VIII was willing to dismantle
the unpopular aspects of his father’s policy despite their potential to aid financial security, indicating
he prioritised his own success over England’s stable financial position. This further destroyed Henry
VII’s legacy as it meant a deduced income from bonds and therefore England would have occupied a
less finically powerful position than that established by Henry VII.
Moreover, Henry VIII’s approach to the government is an indication that Henry VIII’s legacies were
only partially destroyed. Undoubtedly, an indication of the preservation of Henry VII’s legacy is the
infrequent role of parliament in Henry VIII’s government . For example, between 1509-1514 Henry
VIII only called parliament twice. This mirrors the reign of his father as parliament only met 7 times
during his 24 years of Henry VII being king. This was due to a desire to not strain loyalty through too
many requests for money. Therefore, Henry VIII did not entirely destroy his father’s legacy as some
key elements were continued. Additionally, Henry VIII inherited Henry VII’s government. This
included members such as Richard Fox and Thomas Howard. This shows that destruction was not
uniform across all aspects and some elements were continued into Henry VIII’s reign. Moreover, this
meant that there was a renewed emphasis on governing through the council, reiterating the notion
that aspects of Henry VII’s legacy were continued. However, a clear indication of destruction is the
abolishment of the Council Learned in Law in 1510. This was a key aspect of Henry VII’s government
which had the function of increasing the king’s revenue and exploiting his prerogative rights. By
abolishing this body which developed under the leadership of Bray, Henry VIII undermined a key
