1527-1540

• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, kings great matter

  • failure to solve the King's Great Matter by diplomacy showed england's weakness in european affairs
  • 8 was forced to ally with france, the Treaty of Amiens in 1527, an alliance against charles so wolsey could try pressurise him with a burgundy trade embargo
  • but he retaliated, causing widespread unemployment in england, so they backed down
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, kings great matter

  • charles' strength made acquiring the annulment near impossible
  • c defeated the french in the Battle of Landriano 1529 and controlled the pope, shown by the Peace of Cambrai (france had to give up on italy and reinforced the pope's political dependence on charles)
  • he was the dominant figure in europe and as CoA's nephew it meant divorce wasn't happening diplomatically
  • wolsey got the blame for the situation and fell from power in 1529
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, Cromwell


  • 1532, 8 tried to secure his position by allying with france, but both were in a weak position so it didn't put much pressure on charles
  • any alliance unraelled when francis tried to marry his son with the neice of the pope
  • the only solution to get an anulment seemed to be to break from rome using statue law with cromwell, this horriefied catholic europe but didn't effect charles who was busy with the ottomans
  • henry tried to ally with the league of schmalkalden but was unsuccessful
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, cromwell


  • 1536 circumstances changed which reduced pressure on 8
  • CoA's death and execution of Anne Boleyn oppened up possibility to ally with charles
  • fighting between charles and francis resumed, reducing the danger of england's isolation
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, cromwell


  • 1538 his position changed again for the worse
  • charles and francis allied with the treaty of Nice and agreed to sever connections with england
  • Pope Paul III published a bull (formal declaration) excommunicating 8 and absolving english catholics from the need to obey their ruler
  • the pope also sent envoys to france and scotland to rouse support for a catholic crusade against henry, so he faced both a threat of domestic revolt and invasion
  • this looked worrying but in reality charles and francis distrusted each other and werent concerned with england
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, articles and AoC


  • rising tensions in 1538 helps to explain the passing of the six articles act in 1539 which reinstated some catholic tradition and was intended to reassure catholics
  • as well as 8's marriage to AoC, allying him with the League of Schmalkalden (protestant cities in HRE). if he thought he was under threat of invasion, then they would be insurance.
  • however it soon became politically redundant as charles and francis fell out, leaving 8 more secure and Anne was personally unsuitable
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, Ireland

  • 8 regarded ireland as troublesome, rebellious and his territory like the North but worse
  • english authority remained in control of the pale and the earl of kildare remained the dominant irish nobleman who had supported lambert simnel but was a servant of the Crown
  • it was difficult to govern ireland with kildare but would be impossible without him
  • ireland posed a threat because, similar to scotland, if they invaded, it would give catholic europe a base for invasion
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, Ireland


  • fitzgerald was dismissed in 1534, led to majour rebellion by his son which was put down with great difficulty and greater expense
  • fitzgerald announced support for the pope and hre
  • rebellion had little to do with protest against protestant doctrines as they hadnt been introduced yet
  • henry tried to bring the irish government into line but failed, it needed a royal government through an english born deputy and military presence to succeed but that would be too heavy a drain on resources
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, Ireland

  • the gaelic lords opposed english interference, invading the pale in 1539. control was reestablished and ireland made a seperate kingdom in 1541, imposing english law and creating counties of gaelic lords to try and pacify the irish
  • all lands in ireland had to be surrendered to the crown and returned only if they pledged loyalty to 8
  • principles of english common law were to be spread and a policy of plantations which involved sending english protestants to ireland began slowly under 8's descendants, containing much brutality and executions
• Foreign Policy 1527-1540, ireland

  • ireland moved from a clan based gaelic structure to a centralised monarch state, bringing it into line with the rest of europe
  • but the irish clung to their support of the pope and catholicism alongside the protestant plantations
  • 8 lacked the resources to enforce the reforms and the lack of loyalty to the crown and religious differences brought on by the Break made the relations complicated