History A Level AQA Henry 8th Notes

Henry VIII

Executed Epsom and Dudley

Wanted to build an imperialistic state

Treatment of nobility: controlled them by threatening statuses and wealth even more

Style of government:

-          Took major decisions himself

-          Moved the administration of finances into his own private rooms at court

-          Largely ignored parliament – didn’t trust the nobility

-          Continued the use of justices of the peace to carry out local government

-          Privy Chamber became more important – 20 men of the court only and advised (showed who was in favour and who wasn’t)

Difference to Henry VII’s was that he didn’t rlly pay much attention to affairs of  government personally and left it to his chief ministers (wolsey and Cromwell). Also encouraged factionalism at court – where the royal court , not Parliament , was the centre of political power and influence.

-          Keen to establish presence in international affairs and win ‘glorious’ battles

Battles:

1513 : battle of spurs (suggested by wolsey) king personally led army of 30k , crossed over channel to Calais , captured two towns (tornai and therouanne) – theruoanne given to emperor  Maximillian

1513:battle of Flodden – king of scot (james IV) took advantage of henry in France , tried to invade england, earl of surrey +men stopped them , king james dead 

1514: anglo French treaty

Thomas Wolsey:

-          1509: Dean of Lincoln – shows hes a good organiser

-          1513: Bishop of Tornai – town in France which Wolsey helped conquer

-          1514: Archbishop of York

-          1515: Cardinal – given by pope  , oversees England , given this rank to be higher than any other priest

-          1515: Lord Chancellor – secular role (Warham retired)

-          1518: Papal Legate – allowed to him exercise papal powers and deputise the pope

Rise to power: combination of luck, skill and Henrys need for his talents

Relationship with Henry: reliable and keen to listen

Accused of :

-          Pluralism

-          Absenteeism

-          Neglected parliament

-          Wasn’t celibate

-          Amicable grant

Wolsey and the Church

Cos he held so many positions in the church , he effectively weakned

Anticlericalism: criticism of the church

Lollardy – descendants of John Wycliffs followers, belief that the scripture was more important than the pope. Called heretics by the pope

Lutheranism- founded by martin luther, arguments that criticised some catholic key aspects and rituals. Early version of Protestantism

Note that both didn’t directly criticise the church but the religion itself.

What he did to reform the church:

-          Inform bishops to carry out their jobs more scrupulously

-          Order inspections of the quality of religious life in monasteries – over 2 dozen religious houses closed down and assets confiscated

-          Promote religious learning to improve quality of the clergy – funded by closing of monasteries

-          Closed down monasteries with less than six monks

-          Amalgamated (joined…