HENRY VIII, 1509-1547
TOPIC DETAIL:
-APRIL 1509: became King
-Had known only wealth and expectation unlike HVII – represented union of House of York/Lanc, symbol of
domestic peace and harmony, end of era of economic depression etc.
SIR THOMAS MORE: “this day is the end of our slavery”
LEGACY OF HVII:
Inherited group of trusted councillors: Thomas Lovell (Chancellor of Exchequer), Bishop Fox (Lord of Privy Seal)
-difference = immediately established: ordered arrest of HVII chief financial enforcers E+D of CLIL + abolished this
hated court
-honoured marriage to Catherine of Aragon – had been kept at court whilst HVII conducted negotiations for
approval from Pope etc
CHARACTER AND SKILLS:
-wanted to be an Imperial King – came from Roman Empire, ruling on behalf of God, recreate Henry V’s victory at
Agincourt in 1415 – language of imperial Kingship = important during separation from Rome: England = ‘empire
governed by one supreme head and king’
CHARACTE TREATMENT OF NOBILITY:
R AND -intended to undermine nobility so he could replace them with talented administrators? – different from HVII
AIMS -goodwill = disbanding CLIL + 175 remaining bonds and recognisances
-suspicion of rivals! Y threat = much weaker by 1509 but nobles remain with royal blood, challenge Tudors? E.g.
‘White Rose’ EDLP/EOS – imprisoned when HVIII rose to power but HVIII executed him for treason in 1513
-younger brother Richard remained free + in French service – died in 1525 Battle of Pavia, French attempted to
exploit claims in negotiations
-No serious attempt to overthrow from abroad
GOVERNMENT:
COURT:
-Centre of politics and government + projection of King’s personality + aura of majesty he sought to create, lavish
etc + company of scholars steeped in new learning of the Renaissance
PRIVY CHAMBER:
-more important role – only most intimate advisors allowed to attend, sure sign of who was in/out of favour
-Privy council: 20 men, advised on matters of state – in theory no one man should dominate
-role extended and transformed = ‘Gentlemen of the PC’
PARLIAMENT: grant extra rev, Wols called one in 1523 but Cromy exploited use = called more , est RS
STYLE OF DIFFERENCE FROM HVII:
GOVERNE - Never gave gov affairs same personal attention – delegated to chief advisors: WOLSEY 1515-1529 +
MENT CROMWELL 1532-40 = depended on maintaining King’s favour to survive
- Encouraged + fostered factionalism
SIMILARITIES TO HVII: Justices of Peace carry out wishes in local gov not nobility – increase in JPs
BACKGROUND: son of butcher and innkeeper, Oxford – possessed drive + prepared to take calculated risks
RISE TO POWER:
able to monopolise power in gov through combo of skill (French war), luck (AB Warham resigned as Chancellor),
+ patronage (rewarded after FW with bishoprics of Lincoln + Tournai)
1507: entered royal household – royal almoner (distributed King’s charity) = access to King and patronage
1512: organised 1513 expedition to France, need transport/supplies for 30,000 army – went well, HVIII =
impressed = rapidly promoted to high office
1514: HVIII referred all major tasks to Wolsey
1515: Warham resigned = made Lord Chancellor, top position in gov – replaced King in everyday admin + virtually
absorbed powers of Council + Pope Leo X made him Cardinal
1518: PLX makes Wolsey Papal Legate = Pope’s representative in England, control patronage of Church – most
powerful man in England?
1524: made Pope Legate a latere (4LIFERS)
LEGAL REFORMS: wanted to tackle problem of slow + unfair delivery of justice
TOPIC DETAIL:
-APRIL 1509: became King
-Had known only wealth and expectation unlike HVII – represented union of House of York/Lanc, symbol of
domestic peace and harmony, end of era of economic depression etc.
SIR THOMAS MORE: “this day is the end of our slavery”
LEGACY OF HVII:
Inherited group of trusted councillors: Thomas Lovell (Chancellor of Exchequer), Bishop Fox (Lord of Privy Seal)
-difference = immediately established: ordered arrest of HVII chief financial enforcers E+D of CLIL + abolished this
hated court
-honoured marriage to Catherine of Aragon – had been kept at court whilst HVII conducted negotiations for
approval from Pope etc
CHARACTER AND SKILLS:
-wanted to be an Imperial King – came from Roman Empire, ruling on behalf of God, recreate Henry V’s victory at
Agincourt in 1415 – language of imperial Kingship = important during separation from Rome: England = ‘empire
governed by one supreme head and king’
CHARACTE TREATMENT OF NOBILITY:
R AND -intended to undermine nobility so he could replace them with talented administrators? – different from HVII
AIMS -goodwill = disbanding CLIL + 175 remaining bonds and recognisances
-suspicion of rivals! Y threat = much weaker by 1509 but nobles remain with royal blood, challenge Tudors? E.g.
‘White Rose’ EDLP/EOS – imprisoned when HVIII rose to power but HVIII executed him for treason in 1513
-younger brother Richard remained free + in French service – died in 1525 Battle of Pavia, French attempted to
exploit claims in negotiations
-No serious attempt to overthrow from abroad
GOVERNMENT:
COURT:
-Centre of politics and government + projection of King’s personality + aura of majesty he sought to create, lavish
etc + company of scholars steeped in new learning of the Renaissance
PRIVY CHAMBER:
-more important role – only most intimate advisors allowed to attend, sure sign of who was in/out of favour
-Privy council: 20 men, advised on matters of state – in theory no one man should dominate
-role extended and transformed = ‘Gentlemen of the PC’
PARLIAMENT: grant extra rev, Wols called one in 1523 but Cromy exploited use = called more , est RS
STYLE OF DIFFERENCE FROM HVII:
GOVERNE - Never gave gov affairs same personal attention – delegated to chief advisors: WOLSEY 1515-1529 +
MENT CROMWELL 1532-40 = depended on maintaining King’s favour to survive
- Encouraged + fostered factionalism
SIMILARITIES TO HVII: Justices of Peace carry out wishes in local gov not nobility – increase in JPs
BACKGROUND: son of butcher and innkeeper, Oxford – possessed drive + prepared to take calculated risks
RISE TO POWER:
able to monopolise power in gov through combo of skill (French war), luck (AB Warham resigned as Chancellor),
+ patronage (rewarded after FW with bishoprics of Lincoln + Tournai)
1507: entered royal household – royal almoner (distributed King’s charity) = access to King and patronage
1512: organised 1513 expedition to France, need transport/supplies for 30,000 army – went well, HVIII =
impressed = rapidly promoted to high office
1514: HVIII referred all major tasks to Wolsey
1515: Warham resigned = made Lord Chancellor, top position in gov – replaced King in everyday admin + virtually
absorbed powers of Council + Pope Leo X made him Cardinal
1518: PLX makes Wolsey Papal Legate = Pope’s representative in England, control patronage of Church – most
powerful man in England?
1524: made Pope Legate a latere (4LIFERS)
LEGAL REFORMS: wanted to tackle problem of slow + unfair delivery of justice
