success of henry viii's foreign policy 1509 - 1529

what are the topics typically asked in exam questions when referring to henry viii’s foreign policy?

• henry viii’s aims and changes in aims → need to provide ranking and reasoning for judgements on their significance

• extent of success/failure

what were henry’s aims in foreign policy (4 themes that can be used in the exam questions)?

1. glory and prestige, make england a dominant force in europe and himself a ‘warrior king’

2. build alliances

3. gain land in france

4. control scotland

when was the renewal of the treaty of etaples? impact on foreign policy?

• 1510

• was a peace treaty, prevented him from gaining land in france through warfare → directly conflicted aim to become a warrior king

• continued to provide the french pension £5000 p/a and the assurance that france would not support opponent of henry

what foreign policy decision was made in 1511? impact?

• established an anti-french holy league by sending wolsey to rome

• involved alliances with spain, HRE, venice and the vatican states

• confirmed decision to go to war with france even if it meant losing vital french pension

• gained prestige on the continent through alliances with powerful nations

what foreign policy decision was made in 1512? impact?

• sent 10,000 troops to south west france → supporting father in law ferdinand of spain

• first aggressive action, hoped to gain land in northern france → used as a pawn by ferdinand to achieve his own aims

• expensive decision with little to justify expenditure

what international foreign policy decision was made in 1513? impact?

• 1st invasion of france → had confidence to do so from alliances with powerful spain and HRE

• led for into north-east france (after losing initial naval battle) organised by wolsey, broke advice of old guard

• won the battle of the spurs and captured towns of tournai and therouanne

• overall achieved his foreign policy aims at great, unjustifiable expense

what were the names of the towns henry captured in 1513 invasion of france? their significance?

• tournai and therouanne

• were of great expense to maintain and of minimal strategic importance → waste of time and money

• wolsey made bishop of tournai → showing intent to maintain english control over them and expand in the long term

how much did the first invasion of france 1513 cost?

£600,000 → nearely 5 times english annual income

what was the problem with the 1512 invasion of france?

• overly costly → £600,000, nearly 5 times england’s annual income

  • increased taxation to fund expedition nearly cased a revolt in yorkshire

• tournai and therouanne were a drain on resources and of little strategic importance

• abandoned by HRE and spain, signed peace treaties with france → lost allies

• lacked funds and international support to launch a second invasion

• french pension was now lost → detriment to crown finances, would’ve been advantageous to help recoup their losses after expensive conflict

what other conflict did england participate in 1513 while henry was away in france?

• scotland invaded england in solidarity with france → invoke the ‘auld alliance’

• catherine of aragon acted as regent, swiftly sent troops north and won the battle of flodden

• james iv killed → 17 month old son james v made king, with duke of albany acting as regent

what mistake did henry make after the victory at the 1513 battle of flodden? why?

• failed to capitalise on the vulnerability of scotland having an infant king. could’ve further increased domination of scotland and secured the northern border for good.

• henry viii was too focused on continental military campaigns to form a secondary attack on scotland to consolidate their dominance

how did england come into peace in 1514? terms of peace treaty?

• campaign w/ france came to end as wolsey negotiated terms of the treaty of st germaine 1514

• formed an agreement of perpetual peace (lasted less than 15 years)

• england kept control of tournai and therouanne

• treaty of etaples and the french pension were restored

why did england enter the treaty of st germaine in 1514?

• lacked necessary funds to continue conflict with france, forced to prioritise peace in order to recover crown finances

what do the terms of the treaty of st germaine show?

• land in france was likely not the main priority, early years at peace with france suggest henry was prioritising alliances and prestige over territory

  • likely disappointed no new land was gained from the treaty

what impact does henry viii’s sister mary have on the early stages of foreign policy?

• october 1514 → married louis xiii of france

• january 1515 → louis died, marriage short lived

• may 1515 → married charles brandon, the king’s best friend and duke of suffolk

  • damaged relations with france

  • denied opportunity to establish an alliance via diplomatic marriage, angered henry but didn’t really do anything about it suggesting lack of interest in succession until 1527

why did henry go to war with france 1513?

• hoped to gain power on the continent

• restore prestige and personal glory

• do so through claiming territory and form alliances

how could foreign policy up to 1514 be seen as a failure?

• failed to capitalise and consolidate english control over scotland after battle of flodden

• exhausted crown finances with expensive wars

• destabilising impact of taxation to fund conflict

• land gained in france had no value and drained resources

• continued peace w/france counteracted hope for glory

• marriage of louis xiii and then charles brandon to mary, continued poor relations with france despite period of relative peace

what was henry viii’s foreign policy aim 1514-1521? why?

• no clear aim to policy at this stage

• england remained a minor power and couldn’t compete with france, spain or HRE

• previously overestimated own powers, ran out of money which equated for a change in methodology

• wolsey attempted to achieve prestige through alliances instead of war (lower cost option)

how did the death of louis xii of spain become a problem?

• triggered the accession of francis i

  • increased rivalry between england and france, since had greater ambition and less desire for peace than louis

  • was more aggressive, sought to prove himself

how did the accession of francis i of france cause scotland to be an increased threat to english interests?

• the auld alliance remained strong

• francis began to stimulate unrest in scotland

• henry had failed to capitalise on victory at flodden and the fact they had an infant as a monarch

• duke of albany (james v’s regent) was french and likely controlled by francis

how did francis i assert his power and royal authority across europe?

• defeated previously undefeated french army

• forced a treaty on the pope

• signed treaties with span and hre → politically isolated england

  • displayed continued strength and an ambitious, successful foreign policy

what is wolsey’s arguable greatest foreign policy achivement?

1518 treaty of london

what was the purpose of the 1518 treaty of london? what was occuring in europe to require this agreement?

• wolsey attempted to make henry the peacemaker of europe since couldn’t war with france

• 1518 - pope called for christian crusade against ottoman turks who threatened influence of the papal states in southern europe

• didn’t want to be left out, couldn’t afford to enter a war which was unlikely to succeed AND not directly related to england

what nickname did henry gain after wolsey’s efforts to gain prestige for england through alliances rather than warfare?

‘glorious peacemaker’

what were the terms of the 1518 treaty of london and how many countries joined?

• acted as a treaty of perpetual peace, non- aggression pact

• spain, france, HRE, and numerous smaller states joined

• over 20 countries signed the treaty

• returned tournai to france → prioritising peace over territory

was 1518 treaty of london a success or a failure?

• failure in the sense that it didn’t achieve perpetual peace

• success for wolsey → brought him international fame, hoped to become pope

• england performed pivotal role in achieving balance of power in europe, became less vulnerable and left period of isolation temporarily

who became the emperor of the HRE after the death of maximilian i in 1518? impact on european relations?

• charles v → now the most powerful man in europe

• increased the habsburg-valois rivalry and their determination to control both italy and northern europe

• charles was already leader of burgundy (inherited from father, philip) and had inherited spain in 1516 from mother (joanna of castile)

• henry viii had to choose to support francis or chalres in hapsburg valois rivalry

what did henry have to consider when choosing between francis and charles? who did he choose?

• chose francis

• traditionally hated france, needed to attempt to balance power distribution in europe

• however, english cloth trade dependent on markets in burgundy, specifically antwerp

what was the 1520 field of the cloth of gold? why?

• sought an alliance AGAINST HRE, charles

• a meeting between henry and francis, arranged by wolsey in english territory in northern france

• took place over 2 weeks with magnificent feasts, tournaments, masquerades and religious services

how large was the field of the cloth of gold 1520? cost?

• lasted for 2 weeks

• over 3000 tents

• cost £15,000 → gaining prestige on a budget

to what extent was the field of the cloth of gold successful? why?

• minor, limited political results

• english and french courtiers remained distrustful

• henry resented losing a wresting match to francis

  • caused him to meet with charles v and prepare another anti-french treaty with HRE

when did francis i declare war on the habsburgs?

1521

what reasons did england have to support france with their war against the HRE 1521?

• would stop habsburg dominance with anglo-french alliance

• deal with charles would encourage the auld alliance to come to fruition again

• francis is in a weak position → may offer up more in a deal

what reasons did england have to NOT support france with their war against the HRE 1521?

• charles v was nephew to catherine of aragon

• charles v offered to marry mary, henry’s daughter

• charles v controlled netherlands, vital for english cloth trade

• henry still hoped to make territorial gains in france

what were the terms of the 1521 treaty of bruges? impact?

• wolsey secretly agreed to declare war on france w/charles

  • to be kept secret until next instalment of french pension had been paid

• charles would compensate england for loss of french pension

• charles confirmed choice to marry mary (daughter) when she was of age

• gave henry a powerful alliance, could hopefully gain territory in france

what motivation did wolsey have in securing the treaty of bruges?

believed he wanted to win the support of charles v to be elected the next pope

how was foreign policy a success 1514-1521?

• maintained relative peace → 1518 treaty of london

• steady improvement to england’s alliances experienced

• 1521 treaty of bruges and alliance with hre

how was foreign policy a failure 1514-1521?

• 1520 field of the cloth of gold → minor political success and henry changed his mind, france remained a problem

• lost tournai to france → lost control of scotland

what were the four key stages to english foreign policy 1522-1529?`

1. second english invasion of france 1523

2. success for charles, rejection for henry and wolsey

3. peace with francis

4. peace and isolation

how did the second invasion of france 1523 go?

• joint attack with english and hre troops

• troops sent to northern france, led by duke of suffolk (charles brandon)

• reached within 50 miles of paris

• became apparent charles v more interested in fighting northen italy, previously managed to recover milan → lost support of charles

• suffolk forced to retreat to calais

• wolsey looking for peace treaty by 1524

how much did the second invasion of france cost england?

£430,000 → less that 1st invasion 1513 as allied temporarily with HRE

what military success did charles v experience in 1525? what did english suggest he do next?

• crushed french forces at battles of pavia → captured francis i

• henry suggested a joint invasion of northern france and divide it between them

how does wolsey’s action to raise money for prospective third attack on france impact charles’ decision to abandon their alliance?

• 1525 amicable grant → failed to raise funds, upset nobility and parliament, damaged reputation inc. wolsey

• charles v wasn’t convinced of strenght of english, couldn’t commit to war → virtually ended 1521 treaty of bruges

• charles recinded marriage contract with mary (lost possible diplomatic tool)

• wolsey’s reputation was damaged and lost support of charles for his papal candidacy

• henry began to move to an alliance with francis

what evidence is their that wolsey and henry’s foreign policy was a complete failure by 1525?

• continued failure in plight for stronghold in france

• deterioration of 1521 treaty of bruges → returned to look for an alliance with france

• 1525 amicable grant failure and severe lack of funding

• loss of betrothal between mary and charles

how did henry and francis make peace?

• august 1525 anglo-french treaty of the more (a friendship treaty)

• 1526 formation of the league of cognac

what was the aug 1525 anglo-french treaty of the more?

• a friendship treaty

• henry abandoned territorial claims in france

• french pension was resumed to aid in repairing crown finances

• aimed to return a balance of power to europe due to henry and wolsey’s fears of increasing dominance of charles v

what was the 1526 league of cognac?

• league against hre

• contained france, venice, the papacy, florence and england

what was henry’s main goal in foreign policy from 1527 onwards?

to be granted an annulment on his marriage to catherine of aragon by the pope to which charles v objected as he didn’t want his aunt to be subjected to the embarrassment

besides the removal of charles’ support for the possible 3rd invasion of france, what else gave henry motive for an alliance with francis instead?

• 1527 sack of rome

• 1527 treaty of amiens

• 1527-1528 trade embargo on antwerp

what was the 1527 sack of rome? how did it contribute to henry further supporting francis over charles?

• pope was virtually captured as hre forces took over rome

  • one of the reasons the pope would not grant the annulment

what was the 1527 treaty of amiens? how did it contribute to henry further supporting francis over charles?

• official alliance between britain and france (no longer bound by solely a friendship treaty)

• aimed to secure pope’s diplomatic independence (pope being pressured by hre in his decision making)

• france and england declared war on hre → henry promised to fund france’s attacks but didn’t send own troops

• marked warmest relations between england and france in henry’s reign

why did henry impose the 1527-1528 trade embargo on antwerp? how was it a failure?

• hoped to defeat the hre outright, or at least distract charles enough to distance his influence on the pope and possibly bully acceptance of the annulment

• caused civil and economic unrest in england → forced wolsey to back down (failure to secure annulment lost henry’s favour)

how did england become isolated, losing alliance with france?

• 1529 - francis’ forces defeated by hre at battle of landriano

  • forced into 1529 treaty of cambrai

  • france had to give up ambition of italy and support charles v’s repression of protestants

• wolsey only involved in treaty at the last minute

• pope remained under charles’ control and made a seperate peace treaty

  • REMAINED VERY UNWILLING TO GRANT ANNULMENT

what were henry’s aims of foreign polys 1522-1529?

• to continue to gain territory and dominance over france

• recoup losses from deterioration of 1521 treaty of bruges

• ally with france

• 1527 onwards, prioritised annulment of marriage to catherine of aragon

what strength in foreign policy can be seen between 1522 and 1529?

• 1521 treaty of bruges - temporarily, prior to becoming an abject failure → success at battle of pavia

• aug 1525 anglo-french treaty of the more → 1526 league of cognac → 1527 treaty of amiens

  • in best position with france for entire reign so far

what failures in foreign policy can be seen between 1522 and 1529?

• 1521 treaty of bruges → lost diplomatic marriage of daughter mary

• 1525 amicable grant

• 1527-28 trade embargo of antwerp → 1529 treaty of cambrai after failure of battle of landriano