Factional rivalry 1536 to 1553 examples

Henry VIII:

·         1540 – Fall of Cromwell. Duke of Norfolk took advantage of the situation as Cromwell was falling from Henry’s favour after the disastrous marriage with Anne of Cleves. Norfolk proposed Catherine Howard as next wife and accused Cromwell of heresy. He was arrested for heresy and treason because of his relations with reformists such as Robert Barnes and executed in 1540

·         1542- Fall of Catherine Howard. She was not able to manipulate the King and when Cranmer handed to the King a document containing her indiscretions (such as her marriage with Dereham) this led to her execution.

·         1543 – Plot against Cranmer. After Henry’s marriage with Catherine Parr, the conservatives wanted to get rid of Cranmer. However, when the Council attacked him he was able to produce a ring given to him by the King which proved his innocence.

·         1546 – Plot against Catherine Parr. After the failure of the plot against Cranmer, conservatives focused on Parr. Again the King played the two sides against each other, as he agreed with Gardiner on her heretic views and ordered Wriothesley to investigate,…