Section A

• Cromwells early career:

  -son of blacksmith

  -1503 joined French army

  -became cloth merchant and developed business knowledge

  -returned to England 1514 and married woman from wealthy family

  -became successful London merchant

  -developed thriving legal practice

  -became Wolseys most senior advisor
• service to Wolsey:

  -Cromwell defended Wolsey in court which gained audience from Henry

  -impressed Henry with his loyalty and legal skills

  -1531 appointed to loyal council in Henry's circle of trusted advisors
• handling of annulment:

  -1531 Cromwell proposed solution

  -power of annulment to be taken from pope and given to Henry

  -parliament used to pass law transferring power

  -ground breaking because it directly challenged power of pope and expanded power of parliament

  -January 1533 Anne Boleyn was pregnant, so Henry need divorce quickly to ensure child was legitimate

  -25 January Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer performed secret marriage ceremony
• what was 1533 Act in Restraint of Appeals?


  Stated king was supreme head of England meaning he could grant annulments
• divorce hearing:

  -divorce hearing began in May 1533 by Archbishop Cranmer

  -23 May court announced the original papal dispensation was invalid and Henry and Catherine had never been legally married

  -Henry's secret marriage to Anne therefore legal

  -Anne Boleyn birthed Elziabeth in September 1533
• Kings Cheif Minister:

  -securing divorce was Cromwells big break

  -from 1533 until his death in 1540 he was Henry's chief minister

  -1535 he became Chancellor of the Exchequer

  -1536 he became lord of privy seal

  -1540 he became Earl of Essex

  -he became very rich and powerful