Berenice Ings – The Early Tudors: 1485 - 1558
Topic 3: Henry VIII and Wolsey
Henry VIII’s personality • Henry’s personality and aims as King
• Marriage to Catherine of Aragon
• His role in government to 1529
• Aims and policies in foreign affairs to
1529
The Age of Wolsey • Wolsey’s role in foreign affairs
- Wars With France
- Relations with Major European
Powers
- Diplomacy and the Treaty of
London
- The Field of the Cloth of Gold
- The Treaty of Cambrai
• Wolsey’s administration of
government,
- Finances
- Law
- social reforms and enclosure
- Taxation and finances
• The Church and its condition under
Wolsey
The divorce and • The King’s great Matter
Wolsey’s fall • The Role of Anne Boleyn
• Foreign affairs and the Great Matter
• Wolsey’s solutions and the court at
Blackfriars
• Failure and the fall of Wolsey
Break from Henry VII
Henry VIII’s accession was greeted with joy and was king for
more than 37 years with many changes after 1529
Henry VIII wanted to demonstrate a break form the past and
impress his subjects that he was a vigorous king by making
two very public declarations of change
1. arrested and executed Edmund Dudley and Sir Richard
Empson which gained Henry some dubious popularity by
removing two of Henry VII’s hated advisors
2. Henry announced Catherine of Aragon was to become his wife
meaning Henry would be seen as chivalrous by righting a
wrong to a virtuous woman who had behaved with dignity
during the period after Arthur’s death
1
, Berenice Ings – The Early Tudors: 1485 - 1558
War and Glory
Henry wanted to prove himself valiant by being successful in
war and due to Henry’s victories in France (most notably at
Agincourt) followed by the crowning of his son as the King of
France it meant the title ‘King of France’ was part of Henry’s
inheritance
Desire for war and glory dominated the early years of Henry’s
government
Although henry desired war, his ministers were less supportive
and skilled at inaction when they disagreed with his policies,
particularly Archbishop Warham and Bishop Fox who tricked
Henry into renewing the TRUCE WITH FRANCE in 1510
Although Henry’s marriage to Catherine secured a Spanish
alliance, he soon discovered Ferdinand of Aragon could break
any agreement he had made if it was in his interests
Henry launched his expedition to France in 1512 with the aim
of taking Aquitaine
Following the alliance with Ferdinand an army was sent to
northern Spain in preparation for a coordinated campaign BUT
Ferdinand simply used the presence of English troops as a
distraction to the French and took the opportunity to seize
lands he desired in Pyrenees = English army was short of
supplies and unwelcome amongst locals and returned home,
achieving nothing but the waste of money
In 1513 Henry decided that the invasions would focus around
Calais (area still controlled by England) and so would not need
to rely on allies BUT the French realised that if they avoided a
full battle little damage could be inflicted by the English and so
Henry could achieve little but SLOW PROGRESS through part
of northern France – captured (unimportant) Therouanne
(which was then handed over to Maximilian who burnt it to the
ground) and Tournai (not economically important but was
internationally known – gave Henry glory)
BATTLE OF THE SPURS (1513) appeared as it Henry
achieved his aims of glory and military conquest due to the
defeat of the French army
Catherine of Aragon was quick to act when the Scots attacked
England whilst Henry was diverted with the France which
resulted in the English victory
- BATTLE OF FLODDEN (1513) – this was of greater
significance than Spurs as the victory resulted in the removal
of Scottish threat for many years whilst increasing Henry’s
status both at home and abroad
The campaign had exhausted English finances meaning Henry
was unable to return to France in 1514 to further pursue his
claim to the throne
2
Topic 3: Henry VIII and Wolsey
Henry VIII’s personality • Henry’s personality and aims as King
• Marriage to Catherine of Aragon
• His role in government to 1529
• Aims and policies in foreign affairs to
1529
The Age of Wolsey • Wolsey’s role in foreign affairs
- Wars With France
- Relations with Major European
Powers
- Diplomacy and the Treaty of
London
- The Field of the Cloth of Gold
- The Treaty of Cambrai
• Wolsey’s administration of
government,
- Finances
- Law
- social reforms and enclosure
- Taxation and finances
• The Church and its condition under
Wolsey
The divorce and • The King’s great Matter
Wolsey’s fall • The Role of Anne Boleyn
• Foreign affairs and the Great Matter
• Wolsey’s solutions and the court at
Blackfriars
• Failure and the fall of Wolsey
Break from Henry VII
Henry VIII’s accession was greeted with joy and was king for
more than 37 years with many changes after 1529
Henry VIII wanted to demonstrate a break form the past and
impress his subjects that he was a vigorous king by making
two very public declarations of change
1. arrested and executed Edmund Dudley and Sir Richard
Empson which gained Henry some dubious popularity by
removing two of Henry VII’s hated advisors
2. Henry announced Catherine of Aragon was to become his wife
meaning Henry would be seen as chivalrous by righting a
wrong to a virtuous woman who had behaved with dignity
during the period after Arthur’s death
1
, Berenice Ings – The Early Tudors: 1485 - 1558
War and Glory
Henry wanted to prove himself valiant by being successful in
war and due to Henry’s victories in France (most notably at
Agincourt) followed by the crowning of his son as the King of
France it meant the title ‘King of France’ was part of Henry’s
inheritance
Desire for war and glory dominated the early years of Henry’s
government
Although henry desired war, his ministers were less supportive
and skilled at inaction when they disagreed with his policies,
particularly Archbishop Warham and Bishop Fox who tricked
Henry into renewing the TRUCE WITH FRANCE in 1510
Although Henry’s marriage to Catherine secured a Spanish
alliance, he soon discovered Ferdinand of Aragon could break
any agreement he had made if it was in his interests
Henry launched his expedition to France in 1512 with the aim
of taking Aquitaine
Following the alliance with Ferdinand an army was sent to
northern Spain in preparation for a coordinated campaign BUT
Ferdinand simply used the presence of English troops as a
distraction to the French and took the opportunity to seize
lands he desired in Pyrenees = English army was short of
supplies and unwelcome amongst locals and returned home,
achieving nothing but the waste of money
In 1513 Henry decided that the invasions would focus around
Calais (area still controlled by England) and so would not need
to rely on allies BUT the French realised that if they avoided a
full battle little damage could be inflicted by the English and so
Henry could achieve little but SLOW PROGRESS through part
of northern France – captured (unimportant) Therouanne
(which was then handed over to Maximilian who burnt it to the
ground) and Tournai (not economically important but was
internationally known – gave Henry glory)
BATTLE OF THE SPURS (1513) appeared as it Henry
achieved his aims of glory and military conquest due to the
defeat of the French army
Catherine of Aragon was quick to act when the Scots attacked
England whilst Henry was diverted with the France which
resulted in the English victory
- BATTLE OF FLODDEN (1513) – this was of greater
significance than Spurs as the victory resulted in the removal
of Scottish threat for many years whilst increasing Henry’s
status both at home and abroad
The campaign had exhausted English finances meaning Henry
was unable to return to France in 1514 to further pursue his
claim to the throne
2
