Henry’s Foreign Policy Aims 1509 - 1513

- Henry had imperial ideas which involed re-conquest of lands mainly in France

- The main aim was to make England a major power within Europe

Reasons behind the dominance of foregin policy:

- Henry wanted to win back French territories lost during the previous century

- He found war glamorous and wanted to assert himself as a dashing solder-king

- Henry wanted England to be politcally at the heart of Europe

- Believed he could exploit the rivalry between Spain and France in order to develop Englands importance

European Context

- Europe dominated by Spian, France and the Holy Roman Empire

- Constant conflict in Italy, home of the papacy

- Pope ruled vast lands in Italy

- 1508 France intervened to save Venice from Papal attack

- Pope Julus II then called for a 'Holy League' to expel France from Italy

- England and Spain soon joined the 'Holy League'

The First French War 1511 - 1512

- Henry had hoped King Ferdinand would help England win back Aquitaine in France

- An English force under the Duke of Dorset invaded at Gujenne in south-western France but the Spanish help never arrived

- Ferdinand used the invasion as a diversion whilst he conqured Navarre. This was an important route for trading and…