Foreign Policy, 1527-40

• Henry and Wolsey


  Forced by their weak position to make an anti-Imperial alliance with the French at the Treaty of Amiens in 1527
• Wolsey's actions


  1. Sought to pressurise the emperor by imposing a trade embargo with the Burgundian lands

  2. Charles's retaliation created wide spread unemployment and social problems in England

  3. Forced Wolsey to back down
• Charles V


  • His victory over the French at the Battle of Landriano in 1529
  • His dominance over the Pope, as demonstrated by the Peace of Cambrai in the same year
• Charles V's strength


  Ensured that Henry's attempts to solve his marital issues by diplomatic means were doomed to failure
• Pressure upon Henry's marital position


  Reduced in 1536
• Reasons for reduced pressure

  • Death of Catherine of Aragon
  • Execution of Anne Boleyn
  • Opened up possibility of renewed alliance with the emperor
  • Renewal of fighting between the emperor and Francis I
  • Reduced potential danger of England's isolated position
• Henry's position had once again weakened

  1538
• Charles and Francis

  Buried their differences in the 1538 Treaty of Nice
• Charles and Francis


  Agreed to sever connections with England
• Pope Paul III published a bull deposing Henry and thereby absolving English Catholics from the need to obey their ruler
• The Pope sent envoys to both France and Scotland to rouse support for a Catholic crusade against Henry