Henry VIII - Foreign Policy

• What were Henry's aims in foreign policy?

  1 - Honour and glory

  2 - To be internationally recognised as a warrior king

  3 - To secure the Tudor dynasty

  4 - Financial gains and security
• What was Henry's first action for foreign policy?

  In 1510, he extended the Treaty of Etaples. However this was under the guidance of his councillors, it was clear that Henry had different ideas about foreign policy, and wanted a more aggressive approach
• When was the first French War, and why did Henry join this?

  - 1512-1514

  - Henry had an ancient claim, as King of England, to the French throne
• What happened in the first phase of the first French War?

  - Henry acted under the guidance of his Father in Law, Ferdinand of Spain

  - He sent an expedition led by Marquis of Dorset to help the Spanish

  - This fleet was easily defeated, and one of Henry's closest friends (Admiral Edward Howard) was killed in a naval engagement
• What evidence is there that the first phase of the first French war was a failure?

  - His fleet achieved nothing

  - He was used as a distraction whilst Ferdinand successfully conquered Navarre
• What happened in the second phase of the first French War?

  - Was led by Thomas Wolsey

  - The king led 30,000 men from Dover to Calais, in an alliance with the HRE

  - The army advanced to Flanders and captured the fortress of Therouanne

  - Soon after this, the English successfully captured the French city of Tournai
• What was the 'Battle of the Spurs'?

  - After the English captured Therouanne, the French sent a cavalry force to try and capture it back.

  - This was easily defeated by the English
• Was the 'Battle of the Spurs' a significant victory?

  - Although it did give Henry some military glory, this battle is widely recognised as little more than a skirmish

  - Propaganda claimed it to be a stunning victory

  - Geoffrey Elton claims it as 'nothing more than a futile side show
• What evidence is there that the second phase of the First French war was a success?

  - Henry achieved military glory, one of his aims

  - Henry showed his strength as a warrior king by claiming victory over Tournai and Therouanne
• What evidence is there to suggest that the second phase of the FIrst French was was a failure?

  - Therouanne was a more significant victory for Maximilian than the English, and it can be suggested that it benefited Maximilian more.
• What happened after the King left the first French war?

  - The war continued, but proved costly, so there was pressure for peace.

  - Maximilian and Ferdinand settled their differences with the King of France
• What did Henry gain in the peace treaty signed after the first French war?

  - England kept Tournai

  - France increased pension

  - Mary would marry Louis of France

  - Henry promised not to use the title 'King of France
• What was the Battle of Flodden?

  - September 1513

  - King James IV of Scotland crossed the boarder with a considerable force, but was put down by a small army led by the Earl of Surrey and Catherine of Aragon.

  - James IV was killed, along with a significant number of the Scottish nobility. This left the infant James V on the throne

  - Henry VIII did little to build on the advantage of Flodden
• Why was nothing gained from Henry's military adventures of 1513?

  - The war was costly, causing Henry to liquidate his father's inheritance

  - There was problems of the taxation in Yorkshire, which narrowly avoided a full-scale revolt

  - The renegotiated French pension was lost

  - Tournai was sold back to the French for much less than the siege cost Henry.
• What three points can be made about the basis of foreign policy between 1514-1526?


  1 - England remained a minor power and could not compete with the powers of France and Spain

  2 - Henry overestimated English power

  3 - The 'Auld Alliance' between France and Scotland remained strong
• What were the two major concequences of Henry's lack of money in foreign policy?

  1 - He was unable to exploit the weakness of Scotland following the Battle of Flodden

  2 - He sought peace with France with a marriage settlement, but this was short-lived.
• Who was Francis I and how did Henry VIII see him?

  - King Louis XII died soon after the marriage to Mary, and Francis I took the French throne

  - Henry saw him as a direct threat, as he was a young and charismatic king similar to Henry himself
• Who was Charles V and who did they form an alliance with?

  - Ferdinand died in 1516, leaving his grandson Charles V on the throne.

  - Charles V became the HRE in 1519, and formed and alliance with the French in the Treaty of Cambrai
• How did Francis I confirm his power as a ruler?

  - In September 1515, Francis won a sweeping victory over the reputedly invincible Swiss at the battle of Marignano.

  - He forced a treaty with the Pope, took control of Milan and forced Queen Margaret to flee from Scotland
• What was the Treaty of London (1518)

  - A treaty of 'perpetual peace' led by Wolsey that ended England's isolation by signing an agreement of peace with over 20 European powers

  - It was seen as a diplomatic, political and moral triumph

  - European rulers such as Francis I, Maximillian and Charles V signed
• Why was the treaty of London significant/successful?


  - It avoided costly warfare

  - Wolsey led a treaty of 'collective security', which had never been attempted previously

  - Made Henry's position more prestigious, which was an aim in his Foreign Policy
• Why was the Treaty of London a failure?

  - The Treaty did not last, with the Hapsburg-Valois war breaking out in 1521

  - England was still controlled by the more powerful nations of Europe
• What was the Field of the Cloth of Gold?

  - in 1520, Francis I and Henry VIII met up for two weeks in an event of power and prestige

  - The meeting ended on the 25th of June, with little achieved

  - The event lost some value in Henry's eyes, as he lost a wrestling match with Francis

  - The event cost roughly £15,000
• What did the Field of the Cloth of Gold achieve?

  - Very little in terms of foreign policy

  - It was, however, a glorious opportunity of recognition for Henry

  - A treaty was signed with Charles V a few weeks later (Francis I enemy)
• What was the Calais Conference?

  An attempt to prevent war between France and Spain over Milan.
• What was the Treaty of Bruges?


  - This was a treaty that Wolsey organised between Henry and Charles V

  - Henry met with Charles to form an alliance
• Why did Henry choose to ally with Charles V?

  - He could improve his relations with the Pope

  - He beleived that he could gain more territory in France

  - Part of the deal was a marriage alliance of Mary, Henry's youngest daughter and Charles.
• Why and when did the Second French war begin?

  - Francis I declared war on Charles V in April 1521, by invading Calais
• What did Wolsey do to try and bring peace?

  - He held a peace conference that the empire and France attended
• What did Wolsey do in secret with the Second French war?

  - Henry wanted to join the conflict, so Wolsey knew he had to pick a side

  - Wolsey double-dealed, meeting Charles at Bruges when out for the Calais Conference.

  - They agreed to declare war on France if no peace plans were made by Francis I
• What was this secret meeting known as?

  - Treaty of Bruges

  - It would happen after France paid the next installation of the French Pension
• What war was Charles more invested in instead of the Second French War?

  - He was more invested in the conflict in Northern Italy, as he had just recovered Milan.

  - English troops were sent to Picardy, but a number of the emperor's troops lacked
• How did English fortunes increase in the war in 1523?

  The Duke of Bourbon, a powerful English nobleman, raised his army against Francis. Plans were quickly drawn up to have a three sided attack on Paris by the Dukes of Suffolk, Bourbon and imperial forces from the Netherlands.
• What caused Henry to lose interest in the War vs France (1523)?

  - Many abandoned their forces in Paris, causing Henry to lose interest and Wolsey to go back to negotiating peace.
• Why did Henry and Wolsey look to secure an alliance with France in 1525?

  - the treaty with Charles was not giving Henry as much as he hoped for, so Wolsey looked to form an alliance with France
• What was the Battle of Pavia?


  - A crucial moment in the conflict between Francis and Charles, in which Francis was captured and held captive
• What did Henry suggest to Charles after the battle of Pavia?

  He suggested a joint invasion upon France to achieve territorial gains, but Charles disagreed.
• What did Charles' disagreement mean for Henry?

  - His ego was bruised and he had to back down

  - His resentment towards the emperor was reinforced when Charles rejected the marriage contract

  - Wolsey's domestic prestige never really recovered from this
• Why did the alliance with Charles V fail?

  - Charles V opposed the annulment between Catherine and Henry

  - Francis had been heavily defeated by the imperial army, making Charles stronger and in less need of an ally

  - Charles V rejected Henry's proposal for an attack on France to capitalise on Pavia

  - Charles cancelled his marriage that he agreed in the Treaty of Bruges
• What was the Treaty of the More?

  It was a Treaty signed in August 1525 with France.