Key People

• - Cromwell – 1532-1540

  o Increased royal authority, carried out Reformation, increased finance, divorce
• - Wolsey – 1514-1529

  o Increased legal reforms, limited financial, church and enclosure reforms
• When did Wolsey become papal legate?

  1518
• Wolsey's rise to power:

  • Adhered to the King's desires, such as for the war with France
  • 1513 organised French expedition
• What were Wolsey's admin and finance changes?

  • centralised system = make up for power vacuum
  • Local officials that answer to the King
  • RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL
• What were Wolsey's legal reforms?

  • 1516 = reforming plan to remove corruption
  • Star chamber = more cases but got overwhelmed
  • Opened judicial committee for the poor (1519)
  • Overall underdeveloped, more focused on foreign policy.
• Wolsey's policies for Enclosure?


  • Saw enclosure as a negative, opened an enquiry into it in 1517
  • 260 Landowners taken to court
  • Not very successful, just made landowners resent him and they just continued
• Wolsey's parliament policies?

  • Subsidy tax introduced = based on wealth
  • Unable to manage Parliament
• What had Cromwell effectively taken over by 1532?


  The management of the King's divorce.
• What peace event did Wolsey organise in 1520 with the French?


  The Field of Cloth of Gold
• What event occurred in 1525 which demonstrated Wolsey's mismanagement of parliament?


  The Amicable Grant
• What did Cromwell arrange in 1538 that also backfired on him and led to a loss in confidence from Henry?


  Marriage to Anne of Cleaves
• When was Cromwell executed?

  28th July 1540
• Cromwell as chancellor:

  1532-40
• In 1531 what did Cromwell get appointed as:

  Noticing Cromwell's talent, Henry appointed Cromwell to the Royal Council, placing him in Henry's circle of trusted advisers.
• What did Cromwell propose about the power to grant an annulment:

  The power for annulment to be taken from the Pope and parliament to pass a law that would transfer this power to Henry.
• Cromwell disliked Anne Boleyn and suggested about her promiscuity, leading to her execution in 1536.
• 1526 Eltham Ordinances:

  Dressed up as economic reforms

  Reduction in the number of men in the privy council and the removal of the groom of the stool.

  However, could be seen as Wolsey ensuring political supremacy at a time when he was most unpopular.
• When did Cromwell arrange the break from Rome and marriage to Anne Boleyn?


  1533
• Which of Henry's wives did Cromwell secure the beheading of and when?

  Anne Boleyn in 1536
• Which wife did Cromwell arrange Henry's marriage to and how did it go?

  Anne of Cleves, it was disastrous and Henry never forgives him
• When was Cromwell arrested and for what?

  1540, on charges of treason and heresy
• How did Cromwell reform crime and justice?

  - Abolished liberties (areas where the local lord has power instead of the King)

  - Abolished the right of sanctuary for serious crimes
• How effective was Cromwell's reform of crime and justice?

  Rather effective but not completely because sanctuary was still allowed for less serious crimes
• How did Cromwell reform royal power?

  - Reorganising the Council of the North and gave it greater responsibility for law and order such as dealing with serious crimes like rape, murder and treason
• How effective was Cromwell's reform of royal power?

  Quite effective because it improved royal security in the North but the Northern lords remained extremely powerful and the crown still depended on their loyalty and goodwill
• How did Cromwell reform royal finances?

  - Established the Court of Augmentations (1536), to handle the money from the Dissolution of the Monasteries

  - Many lands were sold off, raising large sums of money

  - The Court of Wards (1540) was established to handle estates incomes and look after heir's lands
• How effective was Cromwell's reform of royal finances?

  Very effective, Cromwell increased Henry's income from £100,000 per year to £240,000 per year (DOUBLED)
• Why did Cromwell's ambitions lead to his downfall?

  Although the rumours that he was going to marry Mary were very unlikely they were enough to charge Cromwell with treason
• None of Cromwell's enemies, such as Thomas Howard, led directly to his downfall.
• What was Cromwell's reform of the Privy Council?


  - He made the Privy Council a smaller group of men which made administration more effective

  - The Privy Council had the power to run England on the King's behalf if necessary
• How did Cromwell ensure the support of parliament?

  - Interfering and corrupting elections with bribery and threat

  - Told disagreeing members of the House of Lords that they 'need not attend'

  - Propaganda in the form of pamphlets
• How effective was Cromwell's ensuring of the support of parliament?

  Effective because Henry managed to make the country protestant and managed to pass many laws