Foreign Policy until 1529

• Why did Henry VIII marry Catherine of Aragon?

  To create an Anglo-Spanish alliance and to produce heirs as quickly as possible
• When was Henry VIII's first war with France in his reign?

  1512-1514
• When did Henry declare war with France for the first time?

  April 1512
• What military events took place in April 1512?

  • Henry sent troops under the Marquis of Dorset to help the Spanish, landing at Bayonne
  • England was let down by its allies
  • Ferdinand instead used the opportunity to take control of Navarre
  • Within a few months, England's force were recalled in disgrace
• When was Henry's navy defeated at Brest?

  April 1513
• What military events took place in June 1513?

  • An English force of 30,000 men (organised by Wolsey) landed in Calais
  • They marched towards Flanders to help Henry's ally, Maximilian, to capture the French town of Theroanne
• When was the Battle of the Spurs?

  August 1513
• What happened at the Battle of the Spurs?

  • The French army was defeated by the English
  • Theroanne fell to the English
  • Henry also captured Tournai
• When was the Battle of Flodden?

  September 1513
• What happened at the Battle of Flodden?

  • James IV led a raiding party into England
  • Queen Catherine (acting as Henry's governor of the realm whilst he was in France) raised an army to meet the Scottish threat
  • The Scottish army was defeated at Flodden, with James being killed alongside 10,000 Scots
• When were peace terms agreed for the war with France that had originated in 1512?

  August 1514
• What were the peace terms agreed for the war with France that had originated in 1512?

  • Henry was allowed to keep the territory that he had acquired (Theroanne and Tournai)
  • France agreed to pay the arrears owed
  • Henry's younger sister, Mary, was to marry the King of France, Louis XVII
• When did Francis come to the French throne?

  1515
• When did Charles come to the Spanish throne?

  1516
• When did France and Spain sign the Treaty of Noyon?

  1516
• What events regarding foreign policy took place in 1516?


  • Spain accepted French rule of Milan
  • France accepted Spanish rule of Naples
  • Maximilian made peace with France
• When was the Treaty of London?

  1518
• What did the Treaty of London state?

  It was a peace treaty between France and England, coupled with a non-aggression pact signed by 20 other countries, principalities, and dukedoms
• When did King Charles of Spain become Holy Roman Emperor after the death of Maximilian?

  1519
• How powerful was Charles now?

  • Now Holy Roman Emperor
  • Inherited the Hapsburg lands in Austria
  • Now ruled Spain, Burgundy, Austria, and the Holy Roman Empire
• When was the Field of the Cloth of Gold?

  June 1520
• What took place at the Field of the Cloth of Gold?

  It was a celebration of peace between the two countries, consisting of 2 weeks of jousting, feasting, and ostentatious display
• In June 1520, what was Wolsey doing?

  He met with Charles and maintained good relations between England and the Holy Roman Emperor, but Wolsey refused to join Charles in any potential war with France
• When did Francis declare war on Charles and subsequently invade Luxembourg?


  1521
• When was the Calais Conference?

  August 1521
• What took place at the Calais Conference?

  A temporary peace was brokered between France and Spain by Wolsey
• When was the Treaty of Bruges?

  1521
• What did the Treaty of Bruges state?

  • Wolsey agreed to declare war on France if France would not agree to peace
  • Charles confirmed he would marry Henry's daughter, Mary
• When did Charles and Henry declare war on France (per the terms of the Treaty of Bruges)?

  1522
• What military events took place in 1522?

  Charles recovered Milan but broke his promise to Henry to support English troops in Picardy, so English troops returned empty handed
• What military events took place in 1523?

  • Another campaign was launched against France
  • England allied with the discontented Duke of Bourbon and Charles, who promised support from Imperial troops stationed in the Netherlands
  • English troops, led by the Duke of Suffolk, nearly reached Paris, but were let down by their allies and returned empty-handed
  • The French war had cost £400,000
  • Henry offered a 16-year truce to James, but it was refused, so raiding parties and border raids continued
• When was the Battle of Pavia?

  1525
• What took place at the Battle of Pavia?

  Charles won a dramatic victory over the French and captured Francis
• As a result of the Battle of Pavia, what did Henry do?

  • He wanted to invade France to capture the French crown
  • However, Charles did not support him and Wolsey's attempts to raise money via the 'amicable grant' led to rebellion
  • Henry was forced to back down, and Charles even annulled the marriage treaty with Mary as he no longer needed England's support
• When was the Treaty of More signed?

  August 1525
• What did the Treaty of More state?

  It was a treaty between England and France where Henry agreed to give up his claim to the French throne in return for a pension
• In 1525, why did Anglo-Scottish relations improve?

  The anti-English Duke of Albany died, leaving Scottish King James V free to adopt more friendly relations with England
• What did Wolsey pursue in 1526?

  An anti-Imperial alliance
• When was the League of Cognac formed?

  1526
• What was the League of Cognac?

  It was a group to try and reverse the previous French defeat at Pavia, consisting of France, Venice, Milan, Florence, the Pope, and England as a 'protector'