Success of Wolsey's domestic policy

Question 1

Name the seven aspects of Wolsey’s domestic policy

Answer 1

1. Legal reforms
2. Financial reforms
3. Social reforms
4. Administration
5. Relations with the nobility
6. Relations with Parliament
7. The Church

Question 2

What were Wolsey’s aims (for domestic policy)?

Answer 2

1. Staying on power as long as possible - controlling the nobility
2. Pleasing the King
3. Bringing the people justice - controlling the nobility
4. Sorting out particular issues

Question 3

Wht evidence is there that Wolsey was successful with his legal reforms?

Answer 3

1. Controlling the nobility/ personal power
   
   1. Sir Amyas Paulet summoned to Parliament daily at threat of property confisaction​
   2. Abandoned cases where own power threatened
   3. In Star Chamber cases against powerful often given an early hearing
2. Tackling corruption of common law
   
   1. As head of secular legal system spent a lot of time hearing cases and making public his reasoning
   2. Supported civil law at expense of common law
   3. His courts (e.g.Star Chamber) cheap and impartial, available to poor
   4. In Star Chamber cases against powerful often given an early hearing
   5. Court of Chancery - permanent judicial comitee for poor

Question 4

What evidence is there that Wolsey failed/ was selfish in his legal reforms?

Answer 4

1. Nobility
   
   1. Disliked him more - aided downfall
2. More just court
   
   1. No changes to ensure his developments were continued once left office
   2. Sometimes used for own interests not for justice - more harm than good?

Question 5

What evidence is there that Wolsey was successful with his financial reforms?

Answer 5

Please the King/ personal power:

1. Replaced fifteenths and tenths with subsidy ^{_{(parliamentary tax)}}
   
   1. Tax based on property and income - far more $$$ than old system
   2. 1st time since 1334 the crown was raising funds based on accurate assessments
2. 1522-3 Two forced loans raised £200,000 for war with France
3. Act of Resumption 1515 increased money from crownlands
   
   1. Had dropped from 400,000 HVII to 25,000

Question 6

What evidence is there that Wolsey failed in his financial reforms?

Answer 6

Pleasing king/ personal power

1. 1523 campaign to France
   
   1. Subsidy meant for £800,000 but brought in £300,000 at slow rate
2. 1525 Amicable Grant
   
   1. 1522-3 grants still being repaid
   2. 1523 subsidy being collected simultaneously
   3. H’s foreign policy had brought little gain
   4. Forced to back down - Pavia failure
   5. East Anglia rebellion of 10,000 men, King forced to step in
   6. King’s (and Wolsey’s) prestige suffered
3. Subsidies £322,000, clerical taxation £240,000, forced loan £260,000, plus crownlands did not cover £1.7 million spent 1509-20 (mostly) on war

Question 7

Overall how successul were Wolsey’s financial reforms?

Answer 7

Generally very good - problems arouse from Henry’s thrist for war e.g. Amicable Grant and did not meet expenditure

So technically a failure but hardly Wolsey’s fault

Question 8

What evidence is there that Wolsey’s social reforms were successful?

Answer 8

Tackling encolsures/ championing poor/ controlling nobility

1. 1517 - inquiry into enclosures
2. Court of Chancery 1518-29
   
   1. Legal action against 264 landowners
   2. 222 brought to court
   3. 188 verdict reached
      
      1. Some forced to rebuild demonlished houses OR return land to arable farming

Question 9

What evidence is there that Wolsey’s social reforms were a failure/ selfish?

Answer 9

Tackling enclosures

1. Small impact
2. 1523 accepted all existing enclosures for subsidy

Nobility

1. Most action against nobility and gentry so maybe not about justice for the poor
2. Added to their hostililty - aided downfall

Question 10

Overall how succussful were Wolsey’s social reforms?

Answer 10

Not that successful:

• Limited impact on problem
• Sacrifised for war subsidy
• Made nobility dangerously hostile

Question 11

What evidence is there that Wolsey’s administration was successful?

Answer 11

Control nobility

Parliament

1. Only called twice _{^{(1515 and 1523 - 2nd = Wolsey’s decision)}} during time in office

Privy Chamber

1. 1526 Eltham Ordinances
   
   1. 6/12 Gentlemen of the Bedchamber removed - the more politcally active/ threatening
   2. Time when policies such as subsidy and Amicable Grant had failed

Greater efficiency to King’s household

Privy Chamber

1. 1526 Eltham Ordinances - more efficient finances
   
   1. Promotions e.g. Sir William Compton from Groom of the Stool to under-treasurer of Exchequer

Question 12

Overall was Wolsey’s aministration successful?

Answer 12

Pretty well for his aims of power

Reduced noble influence over King, only had to call parliament once (albeit unsuccessfully)

Although more self-interest than for improved admin.

Question 13

What evidence is there that Wolsey was successful in managing his relations with the nobility?

Answer 13

Harsh control of nobility?

1. As soon as appointed Lord Chancellor and immediatley started close monitoring of them
2. 1516 - informed nobles in Star Chamber they were not above the law
3. Sent Northumberland to Fleet’s prison for contempt of council’s jurisdiction
4. Interference in marriage arrangements
5. 1521 Duke of Buckingham executed for making ‘treasonous remarks’ - foreign ambassadors thought more remarks against Wolsey
6. Sir Amyas Paulet summoned to Parliament daily at threat of property confisaction​ for putting yougner Wolsey in stocks

Stability whilst in power

1. Treated nobility no more harshly than king
2. Used carrots if willing to work with him
   
   1. Ambitious seeking prmotion went ot Hampton Court - Wolsey lots of power over patronage

Question 14

What evidence is there that Wolsey was unsuccessful in managing his relations with the nobility?

Answer 14

1. Abandoned by nobility once fell from power
2. (Boleyn and faction influenced Wolsey’s fall over access to king)

Question 15

What evidence is there that Wolsey was successful in his policies concerning the Church?

Answer 15

Personal

1. Archbishop of York and Bishop of Lincoln
2. Not monk but still elected abbot of rich abbey St Albans
3. Fathered a daughter ^_(nun) and son ^{_{(given lucrative church livings)}}
4. Kept surplus of stipends to ^{_{(non-resident Italian)}} bishoprics
   
   1. Used church to fund his great lifestyle
5. 1515 Cardinal
   
   1. Gave prevedence over ABCanterbury on ceremonial occasions
6. 1518 Papal legate

Church reforms - education

1. 1519 Visited 60+ religious houses and cathedral chapters
   
   1. Issued new constituations for Augustinian canons
2. Opened Cardinal _{^{(Christ Church)}} College at Oxford
   
   1. Funds from dissolving some 20 smaller monasteries
3. Founded a school in home-town Ipswich

Question 16

What evidence is there that Wolsey was unsuccessful/ plain selfish in his policies concerning the Church?

Answer 16

Selfish

1. Pluralist
2. Broke vow of celicaby
3. Made abbot despite not being a monk
4. Appointed non-resident Italians to bishoprics, paid stipend and kept surplus
5. Used Church to fund his great lifestyle
6. Manipulated papal legate from a few years to life
7. ‘Cardinal’ College

Church reforms - education

1. Only one school set up when plans for many
2. Evidence to suggest he wanted to convert some abbeys into cathedrals adn create new dioceses

Question 17

Overall how successful was Wolsey in his churchy reforms?

Answer 17

Semi

Personally very successful - climbed to top of ladder and exploited his position

In terms of education reforms less successful, although a little.

Also if arguing against his corruption then he/ the church did less well