Foreign Policy 1514-26

• Henry VIII had run out of money to continue a warlike foreign policy


  1514
• Consequences of Henry VIII running out of money

  • Unable to exploit the weakness of Scotland following the death of James IV at Flodden
  • Sought peace with France, the settlement being reinforced by the marriage of his younger sister Mary to the French king, Louis XII
• The marriage of Henry VIII's younger sister Mary to the French king, Louis XII was short-lived
• Treaty of London signed


  1518
• Treaty of London


  • Way of securing peace between England and France
  • Eventually became a 'treaty of perpetual peace': a non-aggression pact agreed to by England, France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and numerous smaller states
• Papal legate


  Representative of the Pope
• Wolsey emerged as the leading diplomat in Western Europe
• The Pope's need for a united Christian front meant that he appointed Wolsey as papal legate over England
• The death of Louis XII


  Left the French throne in the hands of Francis I, a charismatic young king
• Francis I becoming king

  Henry immediately saw him as a personal, as well as a political, rival
• Emperor Maximilian


  Agreed the Treaty of Cambrai with the French, leaving England dangerously isolated
• Wolsey


  Was successful in ending England's isolation very quickly with the Treaty of London in 1518
• Tournai


  City returned by England to France
• Albany


  Kept out of Scotland by France, ensuring more peaceable relations on the Anglo-Scottish border
• Field of the Cloth of Gold


  Diplomatic encounter between England and France in June 1520
• The Field of the Cloth of Gold was the most expensive diplomatic encounter of the period
• Henry VIII was defeated by Francis I in a wrestling match


  The event lost some of its attraction in Henry's eyes
• The newfound friendship between England and France continued
• Wolsey negotiated the Treaty of Bruges with Charles


  August 1521
• Treaty of Bruges


  Allowed Henry to improve his relations with the Pope
• Pope


  Anxious to reduce French control over northern Italy
• Marriage alliance


  Between the emperor and Henry's young daughter, the Princess Mary
• Henry's attempt to benefit from the emperor's crushing defeat of the French at the Battle of Pavia

  1525
• Henry's suggestion to Charles


  Launch a joint invasion of northern France to achieve territorial gains
• Charles did not agree to Henry's suggestion of French invasion.
• Charles repudiated his marriage contract with Princess Mary


  Reinforced Henry's resentment towards the emperor
• Henry's ego was bruised when Charles did not agree to his suggestion of a French invasion.
• Henry was obliged to back down after Charles' rejection.