Cromwell's fall from power

• Cromwell's fall from power

  1. Catholic faction
  2. Cromwell's own beliefs
  3. Cleves marriage disaster
• Catholic faction

  -  Led by Duke of Norfolk (Thomas Howard) & Stephen Gardiner

  -  Norfolk had helped to settle the Pilgrimage of Grace for Henry only 4 years prior so was trusted by Henry

  -  Gardiner & Norfolk were able to engineer a marriage btwn Henry & Norfolk’s second niece, Catherine Howard (portrayed as an innocent 19-year-old)

  -  Henry’s infatuation w/ Catherine -> believed what he was being told about Cromwell, they were able to persuade him to rush through Attainder process (guilty of treason) & execute Cromwell

  - His execution took place on the same day as Henry’s marriage to Catherine Howard
• Catholic faction (counter)

  -  Henry soon after realised he’d been fooled (but it was too late)

  - Henry didn’t want one faction to dominate – wanted balance so would be unlikely to knowingly side with the Catholic faction
• Cromwell's own beliefs

  -  Charged w/ heresy – accusers claimed he was plotting to bring in a full Protestant church to England

  -  Closely associated w/ reformist beliefs & legislation

  - Son of a blacksmith – low born
• Cromwell's own beliefs (counter)

  -  Plotting unlikely – aware of Henry’s beliefs & had witnessed punishment given to those who denied transubstantiation

  -  Cranmer (married priest) escaped punishment (& Cromwell?)

  - Hardworking individual, valued by Henry as Chief Minister & Vicegerent in Spirituals (deputy in religious matters)
• Cleves marriage disaster

  -  Marriage was a disaster – Henry found her unattractive

  - Recommencement of Franco-Habsburg hostilities proved the marriage to be unnecessary (angered Henry more)
• Cleves marriage disaster (counter)

  -  Peace btwn France & Habsburgs left England isolated, fears of a Catholic crusade following Henry’s excommunication in 1538 – Cromwell engineered alliance w/ German Protestant princes through marriage to Anne of Cleves in 1539

  -  Soon after, Henry rewarded him w/ title (Earl of Essex), rare reward for someone w/o noble connections – unlikely if Henry had any intention of removing him

  - Cromwell had assisted in the divorce of Catherine of Aragon – Henry had some trust in Cromwell to achieve another successful marriage