A renaissance prince ? -
● H8 considered very handsome and was vain, egotistical, and self righteous
● Styled himself as a fertile prince who could secure the Tudor dynasty
● H8 loved hunting, music, poetry, sport, and court entertainments
Tyrant ? -
● Behaviour changed during reign
● Debate over whether there was an accident which triggered his change or whether he
had always displayed traits of cruelty and instability
● Treason laws became much harsher during 1530s as H8 feared people would not accept
his marriage to Anne Boleyn
Consistent aims -
● Maintain England’s security and stability
● Pursuit of glory and war against France; wanted to copy H5 and his success at Agincourt
● Establish England’s status as an important European power
● Preserve Tudor dynasty especially succession
Early aims -
● Initially H8’s aims were to legitimate his authority
● Wanted to establish himself as king of england
● Wanted to distance himself from his father’s unpopular policies
Later aims -
● By the end of 1520s H8 aims included divorce from Catherine of Aragon and marriage to
Anne Boleyn
● Led to H8 focusing on becoming an imperial king - rex imperator
● By 1530s H8 aimed to rid england of papal authority; he could divorce / remarry / and
become rex imperator
H7 legacy -
● Around £300,000 in royal coffers in 1509
● At first the Royal Council was full of H7s loyal servants; Archbishop of Canterbury
Warham Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Lovell Chancellor of Exchequer, Bishop Fox as
Lord Privy Seal
● H8 married Catherine of Aragon who had not been allowed to leave england, securing
the marriage alliance with Spain
Changes from H7s rule -
● As soon as H8 became king, he attacked his father’s advisors and institutions
● He arrested Empson and Dudley and shut down the Council Learned in Law
Early Parliament -
● Before 1529 H8 only called parliament twice
, ● First 1515 for Hunne Case; Richard Hunne refused to pay the church fees of his baby’s
burial after being arrested he was murdered incident exposing anti-clericalism in
parliament
● 2nd time 1523 when Parliament needed to agree to greater taxation
Parliament and Henrican Reformation -
● Parliament passed legislation such as Act of Supremacy and Treason Act 1534
● H8 and Cromwell relied on Parliament to pass necessary legislation new ground; gave
parliament a role in changing country’s religion, acknowledged need for parliamentary
agreement to secure such important changes, precedent set.
Parliament pressure on clergy -
● 1532 H8 pardoned clergy of crimes against him, also forced them to recognise him as
lawmaker and head of the church
● Supplication Against Ordinaries 1532 demanded that the king deal with corruption of
clergy
● Submission of Clergy 1532 stated H8 could make decisions on church laws without pope
● Jan 1533 Cranmer married H8 and Anne Boleyn in secret
Parliament pressure on pope -
● January 1532, parliament passed first act of Annates - meant payments to rome from the
clergy when taking up a new post were suspended
● August 1532 H8 asked pope to choose Cranmer to be Archbishop of Canterbury
● 1533 parliament passed Act in Restraints of Appeals meant no appeals could be made
to the Pope on decisions taken in English courts
Wolsey’s rise to chief minister -
● Very influential between 1510 and 1529
● Intelligent, worked tirelessly and served H8 well
● Overcame rivals at court, Gentlemen of the Bedchamber were purged 1519 and reduced
under Eltham Ordinances
● Quickly rose through the ranks at church
● 1518 he was a Papal Legate - he could act on Pope’s behalf
Wolsey and church -
● When he was Chief minister, the reformation was happening
● Tried to reform the church, promoted education and wanted quality of clergy to improve
● As catholic and papal legate Wolsey was opposed to ideals of protestantism
● H8 was at odd with church because he wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon
Great matter -
● During late 1520s Wolsey tried to protect church from king as h8 was frustrated by the
pope over his divorce from catherine
● H8 considered very handsome and was vain, egotistical, and self righteous
● Styled himself as a fertile prince who could secure the Tudor dynasty
● H8 loved hunting, music, poetry, sport, and court entertainments
Tyrant ? -
● Behaviour changed during reign
● Debate over whether there was an accident which triggered his change or whether he
had always displayed traits of cruelty and instability
● Treason laws became much harsher during 1530s as H8 feared people would not accept
his marriage to Anne Boleyn
Consistent aims -
● Maintain England’s security and stability
● Pursuit of glory and war against France; wanted to copy H5 and his success at Agincourt
● Establish England’s status as an important European power
● Preserve Tudor dynasty especially succession
Early aims -
● Initially H8’s aims were to legitimate his authority
● Wanted to establish himself as king of england
● Wanted to distance himself from his father’s unpopular policies
Later aims -
● By the end of 1520s H8 aims included divorce from Catherine of Aragon and marriage to
Anne Boleyn
● Led to H8 focusing on becoming an imperial king - rex imperator
● By 1530s H8 aimed to rid england of papal authority; he could divorce / remarry / and
become rex imperator
H7 legacy -
● Around £300,000 in royal coffers in 1509
● At first the Royal Council was full of H7s loyal servants; Archbishop of Canterbury
Warham Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Lovell Chancellor of Exchequer, Bishop Fox as
Lord Privy Seal
● H8 married Catherine of Aragon who had not been allowed to leave england, securing
the marriage alliance with Spain
Changes from H7s rule -
● As soon as H8 became king, he attacked his father’s advisors and institutions
● He arrested Empson and Dudley and shut down the Council Learned in Law
Early Parliament -
● Before 1529 H8 only called parliament twice
, ● First 1515 for Hunne Case; Richard Hunne refused to pay the church fees of his baby’s
burial after being arrested he was murdered incident exposing anti-clericalism in
parliament
● 2nd time 1523 when Parliament needed to agree to greater taxation
Parliament and Henrican Reformation -
● Parliament passed legislation such as Act of Supremacy and Treason Act 1534
● H8 and Cromwell relied on Parliament to pass necessary legislation new ground; gave
parliament a role in changing country’s religion, acknowledged need for parliamentary
agreement to secure such important changes, precedent set.
Parliament pressure on clergy -
● 1532 H8 pardoned clergy of crimes against him, also forced them to recognise him as
lawmaker and head of the church
● Supplication Against Ordinaries 1532 demanded that the king deal with corruption of
clergy
● Submission of Clergy 1532 stated H8 could make decisions on church laws without pope
● Jan 1533 Cranmer married H8 and Anne Boleyn in secret
Parliament pressure on pope -
● January 1532, parliament passed first act of Annates - meant payments to rome from the
clergy when taking up a new post were suspended
● August 1532 H8 asked pope to choose Cranmer to be Archbishop of Canterbury
● 1533 parliament passed Act in Restraints of Appeals meant no appeals could be made
to the Pope on decisions taken in English courts
Wolsey’s rise to chief minister -
● Very influential between 1510 and 1529
● Intelligent, worked tirelessly and served H8 well
● Overcame rivals at court, Gentlemen of the Bedchamber were purged 1519 and reduced
under Eltham Ordinances
● Quickly rose through the ranks at church
● 1518 he was a Papal Legate - he could act on Pope’s behalf
Wolsey and church -
● When he was Chief minister, the reformation was happening
● Tried to reform the church, promoted education and wanted quality of clergy to improve
● As catholic and papal legate Wolsey was opposed to ideals of protestantism
● H8 was at odd with church because he wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon
Great matter -
● During late 1520s Wolsey tried to protect church from king as h8 was frustrated by the
pope over his divorce from catherine
