HVIII GOVERNING/FINANCES

Question 1

WHICH of Henry VIII’s reigning years were under conciliar government?

Answer 1

1) 1509 - 1514
2) 1529 - 1532
3) 1540 - 1547
TOTAL: 15 years

Question 2

WHICH of Henry VIII’s reigning years were under the government of a chief minister?

Answer 2

1) Wolsey: 1514 - 1529
2) Cromwell: 1532 - 1540
TOTAL: 23 years

Question 3

HOW MANY times did Henry VIII call parliament during the first half of his reign (1509 - 1529)?

Answer 3

4 times (only once during Wolsey’s period of dominance - in 1523)

Question 4

NAME an example of parliament being used during the first half of Henry VIII’s reign (1509 - 1529).

Answer 4

1523 - parliament was called to grant extraordinary revenue to fund invasions of France. They were reluctant to do so.

Question 5

WHY did conciliar government end in 1514?

Answer 5

1) Some of his father’s advisors were reluctant to support a war with France
2) Wolsey’s organisational skills caught his attention after managing the French campaign

Question 6

WHAT position was Wolsey given in 1515 and WHY was it important?

Answer 6

Wolsey was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1515, which meant that all other courtiers had to go through him to speak to the king.

Question 7

WHO were the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber?

Answer 7

A group of young noble-born courtiers (also known as Henry’s ‘minions’)

Question 8

WHAT did Wolsey do about the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber and WHEN?

Answer 8

1) He attempted to neutralise their influence in 1519 and replaced them with his own supporters, but most managed to recover their positions
2) He also tried to reduce them with the Eltham Ordinances 1526

Question 9

WHEN were the Eltham Ordinances introduced?

Answer 9

1526

Question 10

WHAT was the political effect of the Eltham Ordinances?

Answer 10

Wolsey tried to reduce the number of Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber using the excuse of cutting down household expenditure. He secured the removal of Henry’s Groom of the Stool, Compton, and replaced him with someone more compliant.

Question 11

HOW effective were the Eltham Ordinances in changing the king’s court?

Answer 11

Moderately effective for the last few years of Wolsey’s dominance, but by 1529, it could not prevent Wolsey from being arrested.

Question 12

WHAT were the financial consequences of the Eltham Ordinances?

Answer 12

It caused many humble household servants to lose their posts, but Wolsey did manage to reduce household spending.

Question 13

WHAT was the ‘Tudor Subsidy’?

Answer 13

A new way of collecting subsidies (extraordinary revenue) set up by Wolsey which used a national committee to assess people’s wealth.

Question 14

NAME an example of when the Tudor Subsidy was used.

Answer 14

Wolsey used it in 1523 to collect extraordinary revenue for war in France.

Question 15

WHAT were the consequences of the Amicable Grant?

Answer 15

There was widespread resistance that resulted in the end of its imposition. Parliament also strongly disliked Wolsey after as he tried to do it without their approval.

Question 16

WHEN did Wolsey introduce the Amicable Grant?

Answer 16

1525

Question 17

WHAT was the ‘Amicable Grant’? WHY was it conroversial?

Answer 17

In theory, it was a ‘freely given gift’ from the subjects to their king, but in practice it was a heavy tax. It most upset parliament as it was levied without its approval.

Question 18

WHICH years did the Reformation Parliament sit?

Answer 18

1529 - 1536

Question 19

WHEN was Wolsey made a Papal Legate and WHAT did that mean he could do?

Answer 19

1518 - he could now act on the Pope’s behalf

Question 20

WHAT caused the fall of Wolsey?

Answer 20

The King’s Great Matter. Henry wanted Wolsey as both chief minister and Papal Legate to influence the Church, but Wolsey failed to do so and was arrested as Henry questioned his loyalty

Question 21

WHAT was Wolsey charged with and WHEN was he arrested?

Answer 21

October 1529 Wolsey was charged with praemunire (a law that said it was illegal for the Pope to interfere in the rights of the Crown to make appointments) and arrested on 4th November 1530.

Question 22

WHEN did Wolsey die?

Answer 22

29th November 1530, Wolsey died naturally before he could be properly tried and executed.

Question 23

WHAT brought Cranmer to prominence?

Answer 23

He wrote a book called Collectanea Sapis Copiosa with Edward Foxe which provided legal grounds in which Henry could get an annulment and gave it to the king

Question 24

HOW did Cromwell change the Privy Council?

Answer 24

He reduced it to 20 men who took responsibility for the business of government. This was more efficient and appointment to the Council had a greater emphasis on talent rather than just as a reward.

Question 25

WHAT administrative reforms did Cromwell introduce?

Answer 25

• The Court of Augmentations
• The Court of First Fruits
• The Court of Wards
  All of these centralised and professionalised Crown finances

Question 26

WHY have some historians suggested that Cromwell’s policies revolutionised government?

Answer 26

• Parliament’s status was greatly enhanced under Cromwell due to the Reformation
• Move from ‘personal’ government to a more ‘modern’ form, involving the creation of different departments and centralised rules.

Question 27

WHAT caused the fall of Cromwell?

Answer 27

1) He was blamed for the failure of Henry’s marriage to Anne of Cleves
2) The conservative Duke of Norfolk and his niece Catherine Howard helped to accuse Cromwell of treason

Question 28

WHEN was Cromwell executed?

Answer 28

July 1540, on the same day that Henry VIII and Catherine Howard got married

Question 29

HOW did governance change in the last 7 years of Henry VIII’s reign (under conciliar government)?

Answer 29

The Privy Council now had a fixed membership (even more professional)

Question 30

NAME 3 key conservatives in Henry VIII’s council from 1540-47.

Answer 30

The Duke of Norfolk
Stephen Gardiner
Thomas Wriothesley