Character and Aims

Question 1

Character of Henry VIII

Answer 1

• Tyrannical and ruthless through him becoming more paranoid as his reign went on eg. execution of his wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard
• He had a profound dislike for business of government

Question 2

Government structure

Answer 2

• Short term emphasis on governing through councils which made two returns later (1529-32, 1540-47)
  -Two more periods relied upon a chief minister who shaped structure of government. First was Thomas Wolsey and the second was Thomas Cromwell

Question 3

Closer look into Wolsey

Answer 3

• Rewarded for his efforts with range of Church offices
• Received recognition form papacy , being appointed cardinal by Pope Leo X
• Made papal legate in 1518 this meant that he now outranked the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Warham, and gave him control over religious orders in England
• Appointed as Lord chancellor in 1515
• Wolsey’s enemies bought him down in 1529 by exploiting weaknesses in his relationship with the King after he failed to secure the annulment of Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon

Question 4

Legacy of Henry VII

Answer 4

Henry VIII had essentially a fourfold legacy from his father:
- money £300,000 left
- unpopular mechanisms for extracting money
- peaceful foreign policy
- conciliar form of government
- Within the first few years they would all disappear
- Richard Fox, Thomas Lovell and Richard Weston secured the arrest of Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley
- Council Learned in Law was abolished in 1510

Question 5

Henry’s Early Aims

Answer 5

• As well as dismantling unpopular aspects of his fathers reign Henry VIII had a few key other aims to achieve
  
  • Establish status amongst European monarchs through marriage
  • re-establish the role of nobility
  • Establish himself as warrior King through success in battle

Question 6

Marriage to Catherine Of Aragon

Answer 6

• Needed Papal dispention as Henry was marrying his younger brothers past wife
• Got married 11 June 1509
• Henry believed that Catherine had been unfairly treated and was anxious to conclude the marriage as quickly as possible
• Catherine exercised some influence over policy making in first few years

Question 7

Re-establishing nobility

Answer 7

• Nobility was largely frozen out of direct influence by Henry VII
• Henry VIII shared the tastes and dominant military culture of aristocracy
• People roughly the same age the ones who played sports with him accompanied him to war in Northern France and Scotland

Question 8

Execution of Duke of Buckingham 1521

Answer 8

• Showed how ruthless Henry was to nobility early in his reign
• Descendant of Edward III
• Regarded with suspicion by Henry who wrote a letter to Wolsey setting out his concerns about Buckingham and four other nobles
• Buckingham prone ti muttering about the issues of succession
• Even been warned by Wolsey
• The duly found him guilty and executed him

Question 9

Foreign Policy

Answer 9

• Sought to other throw his fathers legacy
• Pursuit of military glory which fitted closely with traditional nobility, led war directly in France
• Vast amounts of money were spent to achieve painfully small gains which had little or no strategic significance
• Mixed with alliance with Spain, France and Holy Roman Empire

Question 10

Henry’s later aims

Answer 10

• Henry didn’t have a consistent approach to government
• He always gave priority to the pursuit of pleasure
• Broadened the use of statue laws (Acts of Parliament)
  -Effects on the church were almost a complete consequence of the the break of Rome
• Exhibited ruthlessness and cynicism demonstrated of Empson and Dudley
• Also demonstrated his impulsiveness in speed of marriage to Catherine of Aragon and further marriages later and the execution of Thomas Cromwell