Henry VIII and Wolsey, 1509-29
Henry VIII, Renaissance Prince
England in 1509
Government:
● Henry VII was king before Henry VIII, and his reign was identified with greed and repression.
● Henry VIII became king at age 18 and wanted to be known for his wealth, prosperity and
generosity.
Society:
● Tudor society was hierarchical and there were limited opportunities for social mobility.
● Most people shared the same religion of Catholicism.
Henry becomes king
Becoming heir to the throne:
● In 1502, Henry's elder brother Arthur died and he became heir to the throne at age 10.
● Henry was denied any role in governing the kingdom by his father, so he was largely untrained in
the skills needed to rule as king.
Accession to the throne:
● Henry's accession was met with enthusiasm across the country as he looked open and
handsome, in contrast to his father.
● Henry took immediate steps to distance himself from his father by arresting two ministers most
closely identified with his father's hated financial policies.
Marriage to Catherine of Aragon:
● In 1509, Henry married Catherine of Aragon, who was previously married to Prince Arthur.
● Catherine was a princess of Spain, so the marriage strengthened an important alliance with the
country.
Henry's character
● Henry was a strong athlete, a talented musician and spoke multiple languages.
,● He was a very religious Catholic, attending church services and giving charity to the poor daily.
● However, he had a big ego and believed that he had been appointed directly by God.
● He was stubborn and his advisers found it very difficult to change his mind.
Key features of Henry's government
The king → makes all important policy decisions and appointments to religious or political positions.
Royal Household → nobles and servants who ensure that the king is provided with food, clothing and
spiritual guidance.
Privy Chamber → part of the Royal Household, looks after the king's personal needs and provides
entertainment.
Royal Council → a group of advisers chosen by the king, mainly from the nobility and clergy, provides
guidance on policy and handles routine matters of state.
Court → key servants, advisers and friends of the king who lived near to him and entertained him.
Parliament → made up of the House of Lords and House of Commons, passes laws requested by the
king and approves new taxes.
Justices of the Peace → landowners who kept law and order in their local areas.
Henry's attitudes
Government:
● Henry began to carry out a great deal of his work through a single trusted chief minister.
● He was not interested in administration and was content to let others look after the everyday
process of government.
Kingship:
● Henry wanted to model his rule on the great Renaissance monarchies of France and Spain,
where the king was a towering figure.
● He was more interested in performing brave deeds and being skilled in the art of courtly love.
Henry VIII's monarchy
Aims:
● Henry wanted to dictate policies to his ministers and achieve glorious victories in battle abroad.
, ● He also wanted to create a magnificent royal court to attract great men through art,
architecture, dress and entertainment.
● He also wanted to perform the traditional duties of a monarch, including maintaining law and
order, being a good servant to the Church and having a son to continue the royal line.
Strengths:
● Henry was popular as he looked the part of a great king.
● England was rich, stable and had an established system of government.
● His wife had important foreign connections with Spain.
● He had a team of experienced advisers around him and ambition to become a great Renaissance
king.
Weaknesses:
● Henry had little experience of government and little desire to get involved with the day-to-day
business of government.
● His attitude to kingship was simplistic and he had a large ego that was difficult to manage.
● He wanted England to go to war as soon as possible so he could prove himself to be heroic.
● He liked high-risk sports like jousting, which could threaten his health.
The rise of Wolsey and his policies
Wolsey's rise to power
Background:
● Wolsey had a common background as the son of a butcher.
● He was very intelligent and gained his degree from Oxford at age 15.
● In 1509, his appointment as Royal Almoner made him a member of the Royal Council, allowing
him to build a personal relationship with the king.
Becoming Alter Rex:
● Henry preferred pleasure over administration, so Wolsey could establish a role for himself by
carrying out the tedious tasks of government.
● Henry also disliked many of the advisers inherited from his father, and had many of them
arrested or retired.
Henry VIII, Renaissance Prince
England in 1509
Government:
● Henry VII was king before Henry VIII, and his reign was identified with greed and repression.
● Henry VIII became king at age 18 and wanted to be known for his wealth, prosperity and
generosity.
Society:
● Tudor society was hierarchical and there were limited opportunities for social mobility.
● Most people shared the same religion of Catholicism.
Henry becomes king
Becoming heir to the throne:
● In 1502, Henry's elder brother Arthur died and he became heir to the throne at age 10.
● Henry was denied any role in governing the kingdom by his father, so he was largely untrained in
the skills needed to rule as king.
Accession to the throne:
● Henry's accession was met with enthusiasm across the country as he looked open and
handsome, in contrast to his father.
● Henry took immediate steps to distance himself from his father by arresting two ministers most
closely identified with his father's hated financial policies.
Marriage to Catherine of Aragon:
● In 1509, Henry married Catherine of Aragon, who was previously married to Prince Arthur.
● Catherine was a princess of Spain, so the marriage strengthened an important alliance with the
country.
Henry's character
● Henry was a strong athlete, a talented musician and spoke multiple languages.
,● He was a very religious Catholic, attending church services and giving charity to the poor daily.
● However, he had a big ego and believed that he had been appointed directly by God.
● He was stubborn and his advisers found it very difficult to change his mind.
Key features of Henry's government
The king → makes all important policy decisions and appointments to religious or political positions.
Royal Household → nobles and servants who ensure that the king is provided with food, clothing and
spiritual guidance.
Privy Chamber → part of the Royal Household, looks after the king's personal needs and provides
entertainment.
Royal Council → a group of advisers chosen by the king, mainly from the nobility and clergy, provides
guidance on policy and handles routine matters of state.
Court → key servants, advisers and friends of the king who lived near to him and entertained him.
Parliament → made up of the House of Lords and House of Commons, passes laws requested by the
king and approves new taxes.
Justices of the Peace → landowners who kept law and order in their local areas.
Henry's attitudes
Government:
● Henry began to carry out a great deal of his work through a single trusted chief minister.
● He was not interested in administration and was content to let others look after the everyday
process of government.
Kingship:
● Henry wanted to model his rule on the great Renaissance monarchies of France and Spain,
where the king was a towering figure.
● He was more interested in performing brave deeds and being skilled in the art of courtly love.
Henry VIII's monarchy
Aims:
● Henry wanted to dictate policies to his ministers and achieve glorious victories in battle abroad.
, ● He also wanted to create a magnificent royal court to attract great men through art,
architecture, dress and entertainment.
● He also wanted to perform the traditional duties of a monarch, including maintaining law and
order, being a good servant to the Church and having a son to continue the royal line.
Strengths:
● Henry was popular as he looked the part of a great king.
● England was rich, stable and had an established system of government.
● His wife had important foreign connections with Spain.
● He had a team of experienced advisers around him and ambition to become a great Renaissance
king.
Weaknesses:
● Henry had little experience of government and little desire to get involved with the day-to-day
business of government.
● His attitude to kingship was simplistic and he had a large ego that was difficult to manage.
● He wanted England to go to war as soon as possible so he could prove himself to be heroic.
● He liked high-risk sports like jousting, which could threaten his health.
The rise of Wolsey and his policies
Wolsey's rise to power
Background:
● Wolsey had a common background as the son of a butcher.
● He was very intelligent and gained his degree from Oxford at age 15.
● In 1509, his appointment as Royal Almoner made him a member of the Royal Council, allowing
him to build a personal relationship with the king.
Becoming Alter Rex:
● Henry preferred pleasure over administration, so Wolsey could establish a role for himself by
carrying out the tedious tasks of government.
● Henry also disliked many of the advisers inherited from his father, and had many of them
arrested or retired.
