Domestic Policies Under Cromwell (1532-40)

Cromwell’s rise to power

• Conciliar government continued for almost 3 years after the fall of Wolsey - emergence of Cromwell brought this to an end

• Cromwell rose to power due to proposing a way Henry could secure his marriage annulment (the break with Rome)

• Then became the King’s chief minister in 1532

The break with Rome

• Proposed by Cromwell as a way of securing Henry’s marriage annulment

• Would involve placing Henry himself has head of the English Church

Changes in government

• Cromwell diminished the role of the royal household

• Made himself secretary of the household

• Meant the Privy Council assumed now a significant role in managing government and Parliament grew in importance

• Parliament’s role in government developed during 1529 to 1536 (1533-1534 - Acts of Parliament)

• Parliament originally called to deal with Wolsey

• After this its attention shifted towards Henry’s divorce and the Church

The impact Henry’s divorce with Catherine had on the Church

• Divorce and break with Rome were achieved through use of statute law (Acts of Parliament)

• The Catholic Church had been weakened by humanist critisisms of the Church’s structure

• The Church’s claims to legal supremacy were challenged in 1528 by lawyer Christopher St German - helped prepare the way for the parliamentary attack on the Church’s power - organised / masterminded by Cromwell

• Henry had also continued to pressure the papacy and the Pope in order to fully secure the break from Rome