‘Henry VIII was content to allow ministers to “rule” for him’ Assess the validity of this view between the years 1526-1547

Paragraph 1: Delegation to Ministers

• Point: Henry VIII relied heavily on ministers like Wolsey and Cromwell to manage the day-to-day operations of governance, allowing them considerable autonomy.

• Evidence:

  • Thomas Wolsey’s Role:

    • As Lord Chancellor and Cardinal, Wolsey managed domestic policy, legal systems, and foreign relations.

    • Initiatives like the Eltham Ordinances (1526) aimed at streamlining royal finances and the expansion of the Star Chamber demonstrated his administrative authority.

    • His dominance ended when he failed to secure the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, illustrating the conditional nature of his power.

  • Thomas Cromwell’s Reforms:

    • Cromwell’s leadership in the Reformation Parliament (1529–1536) restructured Church-State relations, including the Act of Supremacy (1534) and the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536–1542).

    • He leveraged anti-clerical sentiment to assert royal supremacy but operated under Henry’s approval.

• Explanation: While Wolsey and Cromwell exercised considerable influence, their authority was contingent on Henry’s objectives and trust.

Paragraph 2: Henry’s Active Involvement in Key Decisions

• Point: Despite delegating extensively, Henry VIII retained control over critical decisions, particularly those involving his personal life and the direction of religious policy.

• Evidence:

  • The King’s Great Matter:

    • Henry’s determination to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon drove Wolsey’s efforts and, later, Cromwell’s strategy to break with Rome.

    • The failure of Wolsey to deliver a solution led to his downfall in 1529, demonstrating Henry’s decisive role in ministerial appointments and dismissals.

  • Religious Policy:

    • Henry personally shaped the content of the Six Articles (1539), which reinforced traditional Catholic doctrines despite Cromwell’s Protestant sympathies.

    • His involvement in the dissolution of monasteries reflected both his financial motives and his control over ecclesiastical reforms.

  • Marriage Alliances:

    • Henry overruled Cromwell’s advice by pursuing Catherine Howard and later Katherine Parr, illustrating his dominance in personal and dynastic matters.

• Explanation: Henry’s active role in pivotal moments highlights that he was not content to allow ministers to “rule” independently but instead used them as instruments to achieve his aims.

Paragraph 3: Governance in Henry’s Later Years

• Point: In his final years, Henry VIII’s declining health and the restoration of conciliar government led to increased factionalism, but he continued to exert control over his ministers and court politics.

• Evidence:

  • Factional Rivalries:

    • Following Cromwell’s fall in 1540, power shifted to a conciliar style of government dominated by competing factions.

    • Henry manipulated these rivalries, balancing the conservative Norfolk faction against reformists like Edward Seymour.

  • Katherine Parr’s Influence:

    • Henry’s marriage to Katherine Parr in 1543 bolstered Protestant reform efforts, indicating his strategic choices despite factional pressures.

  • Final Years:

    • Henry’s imprisonment of Norfolk and his son in 1546 reflected his continued ability to neutralize threats and assert authority even in his declining years.

• Explanation: While factionalism grew in the later years, Henry maintained ultimate authority, ensuring that no minister or faction ruled unchecked.