Question 1b

Question 1

Explain why Wolsey rose to power and became known as the ‘alter rex’ by 1518.
- Wolsey’s appointment as Royal Almoner in 1509
- Rise of Wolsey

Answer 1

1. His personality and hard work
   - gained a degree from Oxford at 15 even though son of a butcher from Ipswich
   - 1513 - skilfully organised war with France by organising the army, its equipment and transport -> Henry made him Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of York in 1514
   - well-known for being charming, intelligent and a great negotiator
2. Role in the Church
   - common way to climb to power in 16th century = what he did
   - 1501 - appointed Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, used the role to get to know important men
   - 1518 - became papal legate (outranked arch. of can.)
3. Opportunism
   - 1509 - appointed Royal Almoner, automatically meant he was on the Royal Council, used this to get close to Henry VIII
   - H didn’t like ministers he inherited from his father, getting rid of men like Empson and Dudley -> gave Wolsey the opportunity to fill in gaps and get promoted quick by doing tasks for King

Question 2

Explain why Wolsey fell from power by 1530.
- The King’s ‘Great Matter’
- The Amicable Grant, 1525

Answer 2

1. High profile failures
   - 1525 - introduced Amicable Grant - a tax levied on the King’s subjects to pay for invasion of France, EXTREMELY UNPOPULAR (wasn’t approved of by parliament + people were given 10 weeks to pay -> revolts)
   - Suffolk - 10,000 men rebelled out of anger -> tax being abandoned
   - meant Henry had to postpone his French campaign + began to doubt Wolsey (no longer able to collect taxes for the rest of his time)
   - W had to take responsibility = humiliated him + damaged his rep
2. His failure in the King’s ‘Great Matter’
   - 1529 - Pope became virtual prisoner to Charles V (had troops close to Rome) so he was reluctant to grant annulment
   - W decided he + Cardinal Campeggio (Pope’s representative) would rule on the case BUT (under p’s instructions) c.c dragged out case until July when it was adjourned
   - failure to get annulment to Catherine of Aragon angered H + made him increasingly impatient with W
3. Enemies in court
   - W had low birth but high status = deeply resented by many inc. Duke of Norfolk
   - SO W made attempt to control court through Eltham Ordinances BUT only led to more enemies
   - e.g. one reform = King’s Privy Chamber was reduced from 12 to 6 men but some were Henry’s friends
   - also: Boleyn Faction resented W for failure to get annulment and because H was infatuated with Anne, her + her brothers persuaded him to get rid of W

Question 3

Explain why the Amicable Grant was introduced in 1525.
- Battle of Pavia, 1525
- the 1513 Subsidy

Answer 3

1. Success in the Battle of Pavia
   - 1525 - Charles V successfully captured Francis I during battle
   - H saw this as an opportunity to invade France and recover English land that was taken from the Crown in the 15th cent
   - invasion needed to be funded so amicable grant introduced to raise money
2. Subsidy
   - 1513 Subsidy - tax introduced by W, seen as fairer bc people;e were taxed on their wealth, unlike traditional Fifteenths and Tenths
   - major success bc it raised 3x amount of fif+tenths between 1513-23
   - BUT after 1523, W had trouble raising money through it bc it began to produce lesser amounts due to demands of war
   - led to a.g. bc W needed a new way of generating income for King
3. To keep H happy + at centre of European politics
   - during war with France, H = humiliared
   - despite treaty of Bruges (Charles V would help H during invasion) support never came
   - also, when Charles V captured Francis I, he refused to share the success with H and ignored suggestion to divide France between England and the Holy Roman Empire with h at throne
   - led to a.g. bc invasion achieved very little + cost £430,000 which had to be recovered

Question 4

Explain why Henry VIII launched his campaign against the Pope and the Catholic Church, 1529-33.
- the new Protestant religion
- the failure of divorce proceedings

Answer 4

1. To annul marriage with Catherine of Aragon
   - Charles V = nephew to Catherine of Aragon + had troops close to Rome so Pope was reluctant to grant annulment
   -so W decided that him, as Papal Legate, along with Cardinal Campeggio would rule on the case of the annulment
   - so Campeggio was instructed to drag out the case until it was adjourned in June 1529
   - H grew impatient with long process of the annulment + eager to marry A.B so launched campaign
2. Allegations of corruption within Catholic Church + popularity of Protestantism
   - German priest (Martin Luther) spread new protestant religion throughout Europe -> many turned to it including H’s advisers who were sympathetic to the new religious ideas
   - also: brought light to the corruption within the Catholic Church
   - e.g. stated that indulgences and charities were unnecessary + the Bible should be recited in the language of the country so people can understand
   - steered H to push for campaign bc Protestantism was becoming increasingly popular
3. Political and economic reasons
   - Act in Restraint of Appeals 1533 - meant England would no longer be subjected to any foreign rule and that H would be named Supreme Head of the Church of England (an idea he liked)
   - also: break from the Pope allowed for a new source of income bc taxes from clergy would go to him instead of the Pope
   - led to H launching campaign bc the outcomes appealed to H

Question 5

Explain why there was opposition to Henry VIII’s break with Rome.
- Thomas More
- Cromwell’s commission of 1535

Question 6

Explain how Cromwell used Parliament to achieve the break with Rome.
- The Treason Act, 1534
- the Oath of Succession, 1534

Question 7

Explain why Wolsey made changes to the justice system in the years 1515-25.
- Star Chamber
- Enclosure