AQA Tudors - Henry VIII

• What was Henry VIII like?

  Henry VIII succeeded to the throne in 1509 after his father's death

  He enjoyed courtly activities and lacked a strong work ethic

  He relied on others for governance

  He exhibited traits of ruthlessness, cynicism, insecurity, and impulsiveness

  He believed in his own 'divine right' to rule and followed the Catholic Church
• Who was Thomas Wolsey?

  Henry VII's first minister

  Under Henry VIII, had meteoric rise

  Became Archbishop of York (1514) and Cardinal (1515)

  fate depended on securing an annulment w/ Catherine of Aragon but Cardinal Campeggio adjourned 30th July 1529
• Who was Thomas Cromwell?

  appointed by Wolsey - secured annulment and marriage to Anne Boleyn. Ran gov, managed parliament and established royal supremacy. Executed later - blamed for arranging and failing to annul Henry's marriage w/ Anne of Cleves. Brought conciliar gov to an end + Suggested break from Rome so Henry = head of church by 1532 = king's chief minister What+ Reformation parliament was put in place 1529-1536
• Who was Thomas More?

  lawyer, politician and humanist scholar. Didnt except henry's break w/ rome and marriage to anne boleyn = arrested and executed in 1535 for refusing to accept henry as head of church
• Who was Thomas Cramner?


  appointed by archbishop of canterbury 1532 enforced royal supremacy and supported protestant faith.
• How did Henry VIII extend the powers of the crown?

  Royal commissioners were appointed to collect taxes, local law officers were selected to enforce kings law and powers of courts like star chamber. Cromwells consitutional and gov reforms enchanced power of the crown
• How did Henry VIII raise gov revenue?

  peacetime taxes - low and wartime taxes = high. Tax commissioners took 2 years to collect tax levied 1513. 1523- demanded subsidy of 800k but parliament = reluctant to grant. Commisioners collected less than 1/4 (150k.) 1525- amicable grant = required clergy to pay tax 1/3 of value of their goods while rest 1/6 abandoned idea than risk rebellions due to opposition to tax.
• How did Henry VIII settle the succession?

  Worried about succession w/ C of A - no son only a daughter - women = not fit to rule only example = Queen Matilda led to civil war. Annuled marriage -> new wife-> Prince Edward born 1537 settled succesion
• what was the court of chancery?

  not a lawyer but lord chancellor thus oversaw legal system. Used this court to uphold 'fair' justice e.g., issues with enclosure, contracts, land in wills. Problem = too popular and justice = slow (too many cases).
• what was the court of star chamber?

  established by act of parliament 1487 = centre of gov and justice to increase cheap and fair justice and for private lawsuits. Wolsey = too successful and forced to set up 'overflow tribunals' later a permanent committee set up (1519) - deal w/ cases for poor.
• What was the Tudor Subsidy?

  taxpayers + nobility = extraordinary revenue through Î subsidies (grant by parliament for state needs). Rather than use local commissioners - fear they would be over-generous to nobility- set up national committee w/ direct assessments of wealth of taxpayers = revenue more realistic. Success = increase extraordinary revenue for war w/ France. BUT not enough - amicable grant 1525 (freely given gift for king w/out parliament approval HEAVY tax) = widespread resistance + near rebellion.
• What did historians think of Wolsey?

  John Guy - saw Wolsey as 'arrogant and insensitive' evident in relationship w/ parliament 1523 to grant subsidy to finance renewal of war w/ France parliament didn't secure Wolsey what he wanted - atmosphere so charged Speak of House of Commons (Sir Thomas More) felt obliged to ask kings forgiveness for the boisterous behaviour of his members but also defended their rights to express critical opinions.
• What were the Eltham Ordinances?

  1526 - reform finances of Privy Council to push forward proposals for reduction of royal household expenditure as Wolsey didn’t have control over that area of gov also secured the removal of Henry's Groom of Stool (knew royal secrets and was a confidant amongst royals) Sir William Compton replacing him with Henry Norris.
• What did historians think about the ordinances?

  Peter Gwyn - thought purpose of ordinances was for financial reasons alongside the Gentlemen of the Privy council who lost their posts, household servants suffered fate. David Starkey states it reflected Wolsey's fear that amicable grant would make him unpopular - danger of losing political influence over Henry Viii.
• What was the Kings Great Matter?

  Henry = unhappy w/ marriage to Catherine of Aragon - past childbearing age and only heir = princess Mary (wanted a male heir). Considered legitimising his son w/ Bessie Blount (mistress) Henry Fitzroy. Henry created problems for himself when he fell in love w/ Anne Boleyn who didn't want to be his mistress like her sister. Thus, wanted Wolsey to secure an annulment (KGM).
• How did Wolsey fail to annul the marriage?

  the book of Leviticus - prohibition that a man would marry brother's widow. Argument= Julius II permit his own marriage to Catherine as invalid + illegal in gods eyes. Problem = Catherine says they never consummated marriage w/ Arthur = biblical ban didn't apply. forced Wolsey to proceed

  May 1527 - Wolsey exercised power as personal representative of Pope for a fake court to accuse him of sin due to CofA BUT CofA refused to accept this appealed for the canon law (church law) to the pope.
• What happened which delayed the annulment process and led to Wolsey failing?

  Normal circumstance the pope would agree to annulment w/ right fee, but Pope Clement VII couldn't because in early May 1527 Rome was sacked by troops of Emperor Charles V - Pope = prisoner.
• What led to the fall of wolsey?

  After 2 years of fruitless diplomacy Pope sent envoy - Cardinal Campeggio hearing on 15th June 1529 but Campeggio adjourned on 30th July sealing Wolsey's fate
• Why was Wolsey's fall expected?

  He was unpopular - 1523 subsidy (amicable grant)

  Oct 1529 charged w/ praemunire (parliamentary statue to prevent papal interference for rights of Crown appointments to church office) + surrendered himself w/ all possessions.

  4th Nov 1530 arrested - clear he would be tried + executed but cheated executioners' axe - died Leicester abbey 29th Nov
• What were the weaknesses of the church?

  -Weakened by humanist criticists of Colet, Erasmus, anticlerical satire of Simon Fish.

  -Claims to legal supremacy challenged 1528 by lawyer Christopher St German - asserted superiority of English law over canon law - helped parliamentary attack on church's power.

  -Henry = supplied w/ intellectual justifications by the Collectanea Satis Copiosa - document compiled by 2 theologians Thomas Crammer and Edward Foxe - justify kings divorce based on legal and historical principles.
• 1531 - Clergy accused of praemunire + fine


  Began sustained attack on clergy + forced clergy an acknowledgement of 'protector and supreme head of English church' as far as 'the law of Christ allowed
• 1532 Act in Conditional restraint of annates


  Designed to increase pressure on papacy by withholding 1st year income
• 1532- House of commons supplication against the ordinaries


  Increase anticlerical pressure in House of commons
• 1532- Formal submission of clergy to henry viii


  Provoked resignation of Thomas More as Lord chancellor
• How was Henry able to marry Anne Boleyn?

  Anne = pregnant Dec 1532 which forces Henry to take decisive action with open defiance of Pope by both Henry and authorities of English church. Easier = death of Archbishop of Canterbury, William Warham and replaced by Crammer. Married Jan 1533 in secret - child= legitimate according to English law 7th Sep Princess Elizabeth.
• Act in Restraint of Appeals (1533)

  April 1533 - monarch possesed an imperial jurisdiction not subject to any foreign power. Appeals couldn't be made to rome regarding church courts meaning Catherine couldn't appeal against annulment.
• Act of Succession

  April 1534 - marriage to catherine = void, succesion should be vested in children w/ marriage w/ Anne, denying validity of kings marriage w/ anne = treasonable, oath for acceptance of new marriage
• Act of Supremacy (1534)

  Nov 1534 - kings majesty justly is oweth of the head of supreme head of the church of england = accomplished break from rome.

  Treason Act- treason could be commited by words/deed/writing
• What did historians think about the treason act?

  seen as savage by some historians - Geoffrey Elton + Steven Gunn defended its application saying it was use was fairly selective and authorities had no interest in prosecuting people. Sir Thomas More = convicted and executed for denying royal supremacy in July 1535.
• Annexing of the first fruits and tenths Nov 1534


  annates paid by bishop - intolerable when paid to pope now acceptable. Increased financial burden on clergy + strengthened royal supremacy. Parliaments role as a law-making body strengthened too. Henry now had full control of church and religious policies. Dissolution of monastries - 1536 and completed by 1542 - churches land confiscated by crown which increased wealth and power of crown = benefit short lived as most land was granted or sold often below market price so crown could raise money for foreign policy.
• What led to the fall of anne boleyn?

  Anne was trying to push England to be more protestant - Cromwell felt his position to be threatened. Persuaded the king that Anne was guilty of adultery- accused of treason and executed 19th May 1536.
• what led to the fall of cromwell?

  1537 - henry's 3rd wife Jane Seymour died when giving birth to Prince Edward. 1540 - Cromwell tried to reconcile w/ League of Schmalkalden for marriage w/ Anne of Cleves. Unhappy partnership: Anne = unsuitable for Henry + match would be unwelcomed politically -> marriage quickly annulled, and Cromwell's credibility was destroyed. Norfolk took advantage of this to marry his niece, Catherine Howard. Cromwell accused of treason and heresy - executed 28th July 1540.
• Why did Henry execute Catherine Howard?

  allegations of affair with Howard and distant cousin Thomas Culpepper because of this she was executed for treason 13th Feb 1542. Several of Catherines relatives were implicated and disgraced. Norfolk = wounded politically. Then married Parr - Norfolk knew the danger of Parr which posed his ambitions + tried unsuccessfully to embroil her w/ accusations of heresy.
• Why was their political rivarly towards the end of Henry's reign?

  As Henry's health deteriorated Norfolk thought he could be next in line for the throne, but Edward Seymour (Jane Seymour's uncle) was also eligible. Norfolk = compromised by arrogance of son Henry Howard earl of surrey who threatened kings' throne + executed for treason. Dying king consented to Norfolk's death 28th Jan 1547 but council didn't want to introduce reign w/ bloodshed so kept him in tower for whole of Edward VI's reign.
• Henry VIII relationship with France 1509-14?


  renewed Treaty of Etaples 1510- sent Christopher Bainbridge (archibishop of york) to persuade pope for an alliance against France. Sent army of 10000 but achieved nothing in 1512. Battle of spurs 1513 captured Therouanne and Tournai.
• What was his relationship like with scotland 1509-1514?

  Battle of Flodden Sep 1513 - James IV small english army - James = killed along w/ a lot of the scottish nobility
• Why did henry gain nothing from wars?

  - costly - forced to liquidate assets inherited

  - rumblings of taxation failed led to revolt

  - french pension lost

  - tournai sold back

  - forced to pay repair defences after seige
• How did Henry restore relationship with France?

  England agreed to return Tournai and granted pension to compensate for loss. French agreed to keep Albany out of scotland which led to peaceful anglo-scottish relations. Good relations reinforced by Field of Cloth of Gold in june 1920. Conflict arose with francis I and Charles V - 1521 wolsey negotiated Treaty of Bruges w/ charles (spain) to show support
• what were the benefits of siding with charles?

  1. could improve relationship w/ pope

  2. might gain territory within France

  3. marriage alliance the emperor and princess Mary (his sister)
• How did henry quickly ruin the anglo-french relations 1514-1526?


  invaded northern france 1522+1523 campaigns gained a little but costly and parliament reluctant to grant extraordinary revenue. Lack of strategic awareness by the crass way he tried to benefit from emperors defeat at battle of pavia 1525 for territorial gains