henry viii and wolsely

• finance

  • In the parliaments of 1510, 1512-14 and 1515 Parliament granted Henry taxation.
  • However, government expenditure between 1509 and 1520 was £1.7 million less than the government's income.
  • By 1517 Henry’s foreign policy gains were not proving worth the expense. Henry VIII still wanted war – but the Crown was running out of money.
  • In 1523 Wolsey got parliament to approve a new extraordinary tax called a subsidy. This was based on income rather than wealth.
• Henry VIII was not interested in the day-to-day detail of government. He increasingly relied on Wolsey, who became his chief minister. The question of who was in charge of policy is a cause of debate.
• enclosures

  • Wolsey established a national inquiry into enclosure in 1517. Over 220 landowners were taken to court for illegal enclosing. All but 34 were cleared.
  • Wolsey stirred up the resentment of the landowning classes, gentry and nobility.
  • Wolsey ran into opposition in parliament in 1523, and had to suspend enquiries.
• foerign policys with scotland

  • In 1513 Scotland also invaded England. Catherine of Aragon sent troops commanded by the Earl of Surrey.
  • There was a famous victory at Flodden in which James IV of Scotland and the core of the Scottish nobility were killed.
• invasion of france 1512

  • By 1512, England had joined the Holy League against France. Other members were Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy.
  • England attacked France in 1512. But Spain’s forces did not arrive as promised. England’s army at Boulogne suffered dysentery and drunkenness.
  • Henry led 30,000 troops to France in 1513. A minor victory against the French was hailed as ‘The Battle of the Spurs.’
  • The English took the towns of Tournai and Therouanne.
• outcomes of the invasion of france in 1512

  • Henry VIII had won a victory in France, bringing him prestige. He was encouraged to further pursue his inherited claim to the French throne.
  • What Henry VIII had won was worth little but had cost £930,000. His finances were severely stretched.
  • He had been let down by Spain – and his father-in-law, Ferdinand of Aragon.
• allinace with france

  • In 1514 Henry made peace with France; the Holy Roman Empire and Spain already had.
  • The Anglo-French Treaty stated that England would gain Tournai, France would pay arrears from the Treaty of Étaples and Henry’s sister Mary would marry Louis XII.
  • this ended in 1515 when louis dies and franics becomes king
• England the Peacemaker

  By the end of the 1510s, Henry VIII could not compete with his European rivals. Wolsey looked for a new foreign policy angle for England as Europe’s peacemaker.
• treaty of london 1518

  • Wolsey designed a peace treaty which was signed by 24 European states. This was important if there was to be a crusade. All other signatories would attack any state that broke the treaty.
  • Each state signed a separate agreement with England. This made Henry VIII at the heart of the process.
  • Henry VIII's and Wolsey's status as peacemakers lasted until 1522.
• • In 1519 Charles becomes the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and wants to attack France.
  • In 1522, England launched an expensive and disappointing attack on Normandy.
  • In 1524, England was running out of money and made peace with France.
  • In 1525, Charles captured Francis. But he would not give French land to Henry VIII.
  • Because of the failure of the Amicable Grant (Wolsey's subsidy), Henry VIII could not gain any land.
• • In 1526, Wolsey negotiated joining France, the Pope, Venice and Florence in the League of Cognac against the Habsburgs (Charles).
• Reforms Under Wolsey

  Henry VIII was not interested in the details of government. This means his ministers could be very powerful. Henry VIII's first chief minister was Thomas Wolsey. Wolsey drove religious, legal and economic reforms.
• Church reform

  • As Papal Legate, Wolsey drove religious reform in England.
  • Wolsey regulated and sought to improve clerical behaviour.
  • He sought to improve the quality of the clerics. This was largely through the promotion of education.
  • To improve the cost-effectiveness of monasteries, Wolsey proposed the closure of monasteries with fewer than six clergymen.
• legal refrom

  • Wolsey was Lord Chancellor.
  • It was his responsibility to oversee and improve the legal system.
  • Wolsey sought to promote civil law over common law.
  • Wolsey's reforms included strengthening the Star Chamber.
  • Despite his position as Lord Chancellor, Wolsey was not a trained lawyer. Historians have criticised his limited reforms and argue that he did not truly understand what was needed to improve the system.
• financial reform

  • Henry VIII's government lacked funds.
  • Wolsey sought extraparliamentary means to increase financial resources.
  • In 1522, Wolsey conducted a survey which assessed how much different people in society could pay.
  • This resulted in an increase of £200,000.
  • Wolsey established the 'Amicable Grant' to increase funds for Henry VIII's foreign policy. This was called a subsidy. However, this measure failed.
• great matter

  • One of Henry VIII’s primary aims was to secure the Tudor dynasty.
  • Whilst Catherine of Aragon had produced a daughter, she had not produced a male heir.
  • Henry VIII wanted a divorce and to marry Anne Boleyn.
• great matter

  • The Great Matter refers to Henry VIII’s dilemma. The Pope refused to grant a divorce.
  • Henry VIII claimed that his marriage to Catherine of Aragon should never have been allowed because she had been married to her brother.
  • However, Catherine of Aragon insisted she had not consummated her relationship with Arthur, rendering Henry VIII’s argument null.
  • Henry VIII became increasingly frustrated with the Pope.
• great matter

  • Henry VIII wanted Wolsey, as a Papal Legate, to help persuade the Pope.
  • Wolsey failed and he fell out of favour.
• wolsley fall- the great matter

  • During the late 1520s, Wolsey tried to protect the Church from the King as Henry VIII was frustrated by the Pope over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
  • Henry was concerned his royal prerogative was being undermined. Wolsey assured him it was not.
  • Henry wanted Wolsey, as both chief minister and Papal Legate, to influence the Pope. Wolsey failed and the Church came under attack.
• wolsleys fall -

  • Wolsey's first failing was the Amicable Grant in 1525. Wolsey introduced the grant to fund Henry VIII's war with France. It resulted in rebellion and Henry VIII was forced to pull out of the war.
  • Failing to resolve Henry’s ‘Great Matter’, Henry VIII questioned his loyalty (believing he was serving the Pope before him).
• henry viiis personality

  • likes the idea of shivalry
  • atheltics
  • wants military glory
  • loves jousting
  • wants to be opposite of his dad
• henry viiis aims

  domestic policy - wanted money to go to war. needed good advisors and strong court

  dynasty - needs an heir so he gets married to catherine of aaragon. needs to reduce potential threats so he executes edward de la pole

  foreign policy - wanted to be like henry v. wants to fight the french. wants military glory and prove englands national standing through treaties and war
• henrys campaign of france: background

  • swore on his accession that he would go to war with france and try to get some of the land that england had lost in the 100 year war back
  • he thought it would be good to go to war as noble men would like him more as they had been training to fight their whole life and it keeps them busy so they are less likely to rebel
  • however france is more powerful - have a bigger population , had a standing army and more money. going to war is bad for englands economy
  • catherine is keen on henry allying with spain as her father was ruling. pope is in favour of henry taking on the french as french has been invading italy. not 100% reliable allys as would use for own gain
• henrys campaign of france

  in 1511 he joins the holy league which is an anti french alliance between the pope, ferdinand, switzerland and venice
• henrys campagin of france - 1512

  henry launched an attack/invasion of france allied with spain

  they started from san sebastion (spain)

  spain wanted to take navar, and did, and so that why they landed there - benefits spain and not england

  the english troops rebelled

  • not very succesful as it didnt benefit england
• henrys campaign of france - 1513

  henry allys with maxmillian to invade france again

  this time he invades from calais

  thomas wolsey equpis an invasion force of 30,000 men who are fully equipped and gets the boats, weapons and all requires supplys - largest invasion force since agincourt

  henry and his troops spent a few weeks in calais - not a suprise for france and telling people he will be king of france

  they go inland to therouanne( next to netherlands and germany) - told to go there by maximillian

  move to tournai - BATTLE OF SPURS inbetween theouanne and tourani. french run away and england win the battle - gives military glory , they can plunder city
• henrys campaign of france/scotland - 1513

  due to the "auld alliance" when henry had invaded france, scotland invaded england

  catherune had been left in charge of england with the earl of surrey to help

  earl of surrey goes up north to protect english. they meet at FLODDEN FIELD - james is killed aling with most of the scottish nobility which rules out the threat of scotland

  henry sends a french hostage to catherine to show off his sucess and catherine sends back james ivs coat of arms

  • henry then makes peace with france
• thomas wolsely

  went to oxford and became the besrer of the college when he graduates

  becomes chaplin to henry vii and then almoner

  comes to real attention in 1513 after plannning and organising succesful invasion of france

  pluarlist - always held more than one position in church( for money)

  absentism - archbishop of york but never went there

  had 2 children

  increadibly wealthy

  becomes chancellor - governs england and organises henrys foerign policy

  acts like he is king
• alliances 1509 - 1529

  1511/1513 - holy league. anti french. england, papacy, HRE, spain

  1514-1517 - charles and france in 1516(treaty of nyon) max and france in 1517( treaty of cambrai) and swiss and france. left england diplomaticaly isolated

  1518 - treaty of london. england france and HRE

  1521-1525 - anglo imperial with england and HRE. france diplomatically isolated

  1526 - league of cognac. anti imperial alliance. between france, england and italy

  1529 - treaty of cambrai between france , HRE, pope and italy. leaving england diplomaticaly isolated
• foreign policy - 1514

  england makes peace with france - french pension restored, england can keep tournai, mary married king louis and wolsely gets to be bishop of tournai. the terms of this treaty said it would last 1 year after the next kings death - louis dies 1st jan 1515

  francis becomes king of france - he wants to go to war with italy and he has great victory over milan

  henry suggest making an anti french alliance as they are so powerful but nobody joins and all make seperate treatys with france - scarsbrick says that england is "the laughing stock of europe"
• foreign policy - 1516

  charles goes to spain to claim it after ferdinands death and makes nyon peace treaty with france
• foreign policy - 1518

  TREATY OF LONDON - inspired by pope leo x who was worried about the ottomans so he wants to unite the christian countries.

  leo asks wolsely to make this alliance and makes him papal legate

  england has the treaty and everyone makes peace with england making them the centre of the treaty which is a big achievement

  "peace was a much cheaper way of securing englands dominant positon in europe than subsidising anti french alliances" peter gywn

  as part of the treaty:

  • tournai returned to france
  • henrys daughther mary promised to french kings son

  wolsley and henry like being peace keepers and they are centre
• foerign policy - 1519

  when charles becomes HRE there is a shift in european affairs as there is now an 'hapsburg encirclement of france'
• foreign policy - 1520

  FIELD OF CLOTH OF GOLD - peace summit between henry and francis with a big party and jousting

  henry and francis wrestled

  looks like henry and the french are at peace but before and after the field of cloth of gold, wolsely is having secret meetings and negotations with charles in the low countries
• foreign policy - 1521

  francis takes navar from spain which goes against the treaty of london - charles goes to england to complain about the terms being broken which leads to an ANGLO IMPERIAL ALLIANCE - marriage between charles v and mary( never happens)
• foreign policy - 1523

  england launches an invasion of france

  duke of suffolk and 10,000 men set off. charles says to attack paris( to help him as it will distract france)

  gets within 60 miles before the alliance collapses so england decides to make an anti hapsburg alliance with the french
• foreign policy - 1525

  battle of pavia - francis gets captured by imperial forces

  henry goes and reassociates himself with charles as france is weak

  henry suggests dividing france in 2 but charles says no

  henry asks wolesly for a war tax to invade france - amicable grant

  henry trys to make a treaty with charles but he says no

  august - TREATY OF THE MORE with france. england no longer claims to be king of france and then return of the french pension
• foreign policy - 1526

  LEAGUE OF COGNAC - france, england and italian states as an anti imperial alliance as they were worried about charles power
• foreign policy - 1527

  sack of rome - charles unpaid troops smash up rome and take control of the pope. this is a problem as this is when henry starts to want an annulment from the pope but he is in the custody of catherines nephew making it hard for henry

  wolsely wants to put pressure on charles so he puts a trade embargo on the netherlands - unpopular with everyone
• foreign policy - 1529

  peace of cambrai - leaves england out and wolsely gets the blame for this and he is removed from power