3. Foreign Relations

Question 1

What were Henry VIII’s aims in foreign policy between 1509-14?

Answer 1

Conflict of interests between Henry and his councillors.

They wanted a continuation of Henry VII’s peaceful foreign while Henry VIII desired war.

Question 2

What was foreign policy like with Scotland between 1509-14?

Answer 2

Conflict erupted a Battle of Flodden in September 1513.
James IV was defeated and killed, leaving his infant son James V with the throne.
But Henry did not take advantage of this situation.

Question 3

What was foreign policy like with France between 1509-14?

Answer 3

Henry’s councillors renewed Treaty of Etaples in 1510.
Henry formed the ‘Holy League’
However, in 1513, Henry lead his own force to France.
They won the Battle of the Spurs (good short-term propaganda).
He also captured Thérouanne and Tournai (this was not significant).

Question 4

What was foreign policy like with Spain and The Holy Roman Empire between 1509-14?

Answer 4

In 1512, Henry sent troops of 10,000 men to France.
Nothing was achieved, used as diversion tactic while Ferdinand took Navarre.
Ferdinand and Maximilian made separate peace with France
The Holy League had allowed Ferdinand of Aragon and the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian to exploit Henry.

Question 5

How successful overall was Henry’s foreign policy between 1509-1514?

Answer 5

War was costly (forced to liquidate assets inherited from Henry VII to pay for it).
The renegotiated French pension was lost.
Tournai was sold back for more than cost to seize it.
Resulted in emergence of Wolsey who recovered the Etaples pension, secured marriage alliance with Mary (Henry’s sister) and King Louis XII.

Question 6

What were Henry VIII’s aims in foreign policy between 1514-1526?

Answer 6

England stayed a minor power and couldn’t compete with the powers of France and Spain.
Henry over-estimated England’s power and Wolsey had to shape foreign policy around this.
By the end of 1514 England had run out of money to continue warlike foreign policy.

Question 7

What was foreign policy like with Scotland between 1514-1526?

Answer 7

Lack of money meant Henry was unable to exploit Scotland’s weaknesses after Flodden.
The ‘auld alliance’ between Scotland and France was renewed and meant if relations between France and England were bad, so were Anglo-Scottish relations.

Question 8

What was foreign policy like with France between 1514-1526?

Answer 8

Henry sough peace through a marriage alliance between Mary and the King of France in 1514.
But this didn’t last as Louis died on 1st Jan 1515.
He was succeeded by Francis I who Henry saw as a personal and political rival.
Francis appointed French Duke of Albany as the Scottish King in 1517.
Henry was seen as being incapable of exploiting divisions.

Question 9

How were Anglo-French relations improved by Wolsey in 1518?

Answer 9

He negotiated the treaty of London in 1518.
English and French relations improved.
England returned Tournai, France payed England a pension and kept Albany out of Scotland.
These good relations led to the Field of Cloth and Gold in June 1520 where nothing was achieved in diplomatic terms.

Question 10

What was foreign policy like with Spain between 1514-1526?

Answer 10

Ferdinand died in 1516.

His grandson and successor, Charles V agreed to the treaty of Cambrai with the French leaving England isolated.

Question 11

What was foreign policy like with the Holy Roman Empire between 1514-1526?

Answer 11

In 1519 Charles V of Spain was elected Holy Roman Empire and conflict arose between France and Spain.

Question 12

What was the Treaty of Bruges?

Answer 12

In August 1521 it was negotiated by Wolsey with Charles V.
Henry did this for a number of reasons…
To improve relations with the pope who wanted to reduce France’s control.
Believed he may gain territory in France.
Make a marriage alliance between HRE and his daughter Mary.

Question 13

Why did England’s relationship with the HRE fail after the Treaty of Bruges?

Answer 13

Henry showed his lack of strategy when he suggested a joint invasion of France after Charles’ defeat of France at the Battle of Pavia in 1525.
Charles didn’t agree to this and revoked the marriage alliance.

Question 14

What were Henry VIII’s aims in foreign policy between 1526-1540?

Answer 14

The failure of Henry to solve his ‘Great matter’ which emerged in the mid-1520s by diplomatic means emphasised his lack of power in Europe.
During this time, the focus of policy was to minimise the response of foreign powers to the break with Rome.

Question 15

What was the treaty of Amiens?

Answer 15

An alliance against the HRE with France in 1527.
It aimed to pressurise the HRE by imposing a trade embargo.
However, Charles’ retaliation lead to widespread unemployment and social issues in England.

Question 16

What failures were there in the foreign policy with the Holy Roman Empire and France between 1514-1526?

Answer 16

In 1529, peace between France and HRE ensured Henry’s attempts to solve his great matter by diplomatic means would fail.
Henry blamed Wolsey for this which lead to his downfall in 1529.
After brief fighting between the HRE and Francis I, peace was renewed in 1538 with the treaty of Nice and the Pope attempted to raise support from France and Scotland for an anti-English crusade.

Question 17

What successes were there in the foreign policy with the Holy Roman Empire and France between 1514-1526?

Answer 17

In 1532 a fragile alliance made with France strengthened Henry’s power and solved his ‘great matter’.
However, a marriage alliance between Francis’ son and the Pope’s niece meant that Henry had no choice but to solve his great matter by breaking with Rome, which began in 1533.
Once the alliance made in the treaty of Nice broke down, the anti-English crusade fell through and Henry found himself in a much more secure position.

Question 18

What were Henry VIII’s aims in foreign policy between 1540-1527?

Answer 18

There was a distinct contrast with the policies of the previous decade.
In the 1530s the focus was to minimise the response of foreign powers to the break with Rome.
But 1540s Henry returned to the aggressive foreign policy.

Question 19

What was foreign policy like with Scotland between 1540-1547?

Answer 19

In 1542, Henry invaded Scotland.
Scotland was defeated at the Battle of Solway Moss and James V died, leaving his infant daughter Mary as his heir.
Instead of invading, Henry tried to secure his aims through a marriage alliance between prince Edward and Mary Queen of Scots through the treaty of Greenwich (1543).
However, Scottish Parliament refused to approve the treaty so Henry ordered raids on Edinburgh, Leith and St Andrews.

Question 20

How can Henry be blamed for the failed foreign policy with Scotland between 1540-1547?

Answer 20

He didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to invade Scotland and secure his policy in 1542.
The raids afterwards just antagonised the Scots further.

Question 21

Why did Henry VIII invade France between 1540- 1547?

Answer 21

Henry agreed an alliance with the emperor to help the French invasion.
Henry was desperate for military glory and lead his own army (despite the advice from his councillors) to Calais in 1544.

Question 22

How did invasion of France between 1540- 1547 go?

Answer 22

Captured Boulogne but the emperor made his separate peace with Francis I at crépy.
England was defeated in France at Battle of Ancrum Moor.
Francis sent troops to Scotland to help a possible invasion of England.
France failed to take back Boulogne and the Scot’s invasion never occurred.
In the end, peace was agreed in 1546.

Question 23

What was the outcome of the invasion of France between 1540- 1547?

Answer 23

This futile conflict was extremely costly (£2 million), funded by dissolution of monasteries, borrowing large sums and debasement of coinage (lead to increased rate of inflation).

Question 24

Overall, what was foreign policy like between 1540-1547?

Answer 24

Henry let his personal desires for revenge against France and HRE for duping his in earlier conflicts get in the way of doing what was best for his country.

Question 25

How important was securing succession to Henry VIII?

Answer 25

It was a constant aim throughout his reign.
He was desperate to produce a male heir.
From 1529, his foreign policy was tied up with his ‘Great Matter’- obtaining a marriage annulment from Catherine of Aragon.

Question 26

How successful was Catherine of Aragon and Henry’s marriage in securing succession?

Answer 26

She bore a daughter, Mary, and had several miscarriages.

It became evident that she would not produce an heir, so Henry went about securing a marriage annulment.

Question 27

What difficulties were there with securing a marriage annulment with Catherine?

Answer 27

Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, had invaded Rome.
He was Catherine’s nephew and completely opposed the annulment.
Even after being released, the pope relied on Charles V.
1529- 1532, Henry sought evidence to prove that the Pope had no jurisdiction over England and the annulment.