Henry VIII
Domestic Policy, 1509-29; the Rise and Fall of Thomas Wolsey

Henry's Leadership Style

• By conventional standards; Ministers had vast powers
• BUT; Henry always had the last word
• Ministers positions = dependent upon the King's trust

Thomas Wolsey

• Rose because he could free Henry from his fathers Ministers
• Man of immense skill
• Knew survival was dependent upon carrying out Henry's wishes
• The Great Expedition = his breakthrough

Wolsey

• Lord Chancellor
• Archbishop of York
• Papal Legate

Wolsey's influence

• Debate = 'loyal servant v Alter Rex'
• Rise due to luck or Skill? (P32 exercise)

foreign policy

• 1513; Great Expedition
• 'Peacemaker of Europe' (1518 + 1520)
• Failures post-Pavia (Amicable Grant)
• Diplomatic Revolution
• Did he fulfil his aims of achieving greatness for Henry?

finance

• Needed to avoid war to avoid debt
• Introduced a new tax; the Subsidy
• 1523; Forced Loan
• 1525; another forced loan (Amicable Grant) failed

law

• Chancery; based on 'Law of Equity'
• Revived Star Chamber (12-120 cases per year)
• Supporters = Wolsey provided 'Justice for all'
• Critics = he pursued a vendetta against the nobility
• Sir Amyas Paulet; imprisoned for 5yrs unless he forfeit his properties

enclosures

• Waged war on illegal retaining
• Brought him into further conflict with the nobility
• Commissions in 1517, 1518 and 1526
• Brought hundreds of convictions

enemies

• Anne Boleyn
• Protestant reformers (despite reforms to monasteries)
• Nobility (Eltham Ordinances, 1526) 
• Unpopular due to abuses of religious positions

the king's great matter

• Could he have settled the case in England?
• Decision to refer to Rome was a key one
• Saw the limitations of Henry's Leviticus argument
• Failed to secure the King what he wanted

downfall

• Amicable Grant
• Diplomatic Revolution
• King's Great Matter
• Enemies (especially Anne)
• Died in Leicester (1530) facing charges of praemunere