CARDINAL WOLSEY AND KING HENRY VIII.   Term Paper ID:30090 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Argues that Wolsey, as Lord Chancellor and an intimate advisor to Henry VIII, was not a pawn of the King.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Argues that Wolsey, as Lord Chancellor and an intimate advisor to Henry VIII, was not a pawn of the King. Wolsey's consolidation of his personal power and wealth. His being subject to the King's pleasure and will. His diplomatic talents and achievements. His role in Church reform & disastrous administration of the Church. His excellent changes in the law courts. Outline. Paper Introduction: I Thomas Cardinal Wolsey was not a pawn of Henry VIII even though all his actions were subject to the King's approval. A. Wolsey's talents and ambition made him an accomplished diplomat and administrator, and allowed him to amass great wealth from his ecclesiastical positions. Wolsey's status as his own man, rather than a pawn of the King, must be judged in terms of what he wished to accomplish rather than by current standards. II Wolsey had great diplomatic talents. His Treaty of London secured a vital alliance with France and made England a major power in European politics. B. Wolsey grasped the importance of clear, comprehensive treaties along modern lines and securing English safety Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. This was precisely what Wolsey promised Henry each time the problemarose and was certainly a major part of his mission in arranging the Treatyof London. Inecclesiastic matters this overwhelming desire was to inhibit Wolsey'sability to reform the church. The idea of another crusade against the Ottomans was well understoodas a pretext for general peace. New York: Harper and Row-Torchbooks, 1966.Slavin, A. AsMattingly points out, however, the modern balance-of-power refers to asituation in which the two greatest powers are incapable of definitivelydefeating each other and a third power holds the balance between them.But, "though Wolsey nay have had more in mind than he told his master,"Henry was primarily interested in being on the winner's side--so as tosecure a share in the spoils, rather than worrying about maintaining abalance of power (Mattingly 141). A. . Henry VIII. Baltimore: Penguin, 195 .Elton, G. A. J. Hehad first earned the King's favor by acting as an efficient superiorquartermaster in Henry's war in France and Wolsey was fully aware of hismaster's desire to conquer more of the realm. His entire career was, perhaps because of hishumble origins, based on ambition for ever greater status--a need thatapparently could not be satisfied simply by attaining the highest positionin the King's confidence and domination of the church in England. In order to maintain the peace the treaty was amodel for its time. "Cardinal Wolsey and the Abbot of Chester." History Today 45 (1995): 12-17. Maintaining the power that he steadily accumulated was not dependenton his truly overwhelming wealth nor on his love of display. B. But later scholars often regarded all ofWolsey's efforts in this matter as nothing but a mask for the highlybeneficial French alliance or as a means of increasing his own power. which few if any of them had ever experiencedbefore" Wolsey was able to undermine their sense of independence (Thornton16). F. The council had originally had jurisdiction oversuch matters as rioting and the excessive use of force, but Wolsey addedgreatly to its scope, including such matters as forgery, perjury, and libelwhich had formerly been regulated by the church courts. . Because ofthe resultant Treaty of London (1518) Wolsey has sometimes been creditedwith being the originator of the idea of a balance of power in Europe. But his administration of the church was disastrous and angered clergy and laity alike.IV Wolsey's civil administration also featured self-interest but had better effects. To say that Wolsey was not a pawn, however, is not to say that he wasalways successful or ever particularly admirable. A. Wolsey grasped the importance of clear, comprehensive treaties along modern lines and securing English safety by taking a global view of power.III Wolsey did not reform the church, but secured his power over it and used it to make himself incredibly wealthy. The star chamber court was the forum in which Wolsey was able tojudge criminal matters. No matter how much secular and ecclesiastic power he accumulated,however, Wolsey's position, indeed his life itself, was always dependent onHenry's continued extraordinary favor. Yet, as Thornton notes, Wolsey resisted the opportunity to act in anyoutrageous fashion against them and adhered to his habit of impartialityand fairness--certainly an outstanding example of how his proceeding inlegal matters could differ from his approach to troublesome individuals inother spheres. Gaining the cardinal's hat helped himachieve greater prominence in the church but it was not until, in 1518,Wolsey achieved the unusual status of papal legate (legatus a latere), orpapal viceroy, that the cardinal became "as supreme over the English Churchas Henry's favor made him over the English state" (Bindoff 83). There was little of substance, therefore, that Wolsey didentirely on his own initiative, as all significant policies had to have theimplicit or explicit approval of the King. England under the Yorkists and Tudors: 1471-16 3. Wolsey always coveted the position ofarchbishop of Canterbury, who was usually the effective head of the Englishchurch since the only other archbishopric in England, York, took in onlythe impoverished northern reaches. Mosthistorians, such as Helm, regard the possibility that Wolsey was sincereabout church reform with great skepticism. 1955. J. He may have been admirable inimproving the administration of justice and he may be judged lacking in hisfailure to reform the church. By thattime Wolsey's ambition had unintentionally deprived the church of mostvestiges of its power. As Wolsey saw it the problem was tobreak this alliance and "to draw one or all" of the continental powers toEngland (Harvey 87). But Wolsey persisted formany years in hoping for just such an outcome and even supported Charles Vwhen the wars began in Italy again because Charles had promised to supporthis election to the papacy. It was notsurprising, therefore, that after Wolsey's "vigorous, selfish and quitedisastrous rule" that the church collapsed under Henry's pressure for theseparation from Rome, as Elton notes, what is surprising is that the churchcould have resisted at all ("Reformation" 23 ). One of Wolsey's great achievements, in Henry'seyes, was wringing an additional huge amount of tribute money out of theclergy and the King could hardly begrudge him the exploitation of his ownoffices. As Chancellor he was already the head of the entire justice systemand sat regularly in the court of Chancery, which was not bound by exactrules but was a court for the king's will where the Lord Chancellor was theonly judge. Itspermanence was doomed, of course, and war began only thirty months laterwhen the Italian wars broke out again with renewed power. As Helm notes, no matter what Charles promised(and he never followed through) Wolsey should have known that he :had notmore chance of becoming Pope than Henry had of becoming Emperor--and theCardinal ought to have recognized the fact" (59). A. Thornton, for instance, cites his use of Chancery and the starchamber court as a means of forwarding his project of bringing the countypalatine of Chester, one of the "strong independent jurisdictions" thatresisted the centralizing impulse of Henry's reign, under greater control(12). But Wolsey's conception was, also, much broader than any heldby other diplomats and rulers of the era. Yet much of what drove Wolsey washis personal insatiability--for power, wealth, glory, and things--and hisaccumulations, based on Henry's favor, turned the halls of power into "ahothouse of nurtured discontent" and developed resentment against him amongthe people and the clergy (Harvey 1 2). Wolsey's disgrace and fall andHenry's willingness to treat him as a scapegoat do, indeed, seem to meritthe term pawn. His Treaty of London secured a vital alliance with France and made England a major power in European politics. But in all the principal areaswith which he was concerned--in domestic, ecclesiastical, and foreignaffairs--Cardinal Wolsey was, by virtue of his intelligence, industry, andambition, as much his own man as anyone could be in such a position--andmore so than most. Wolsey favored a good relationship with the French but when, shortlyafter his accession to the crown, Francis launched his war to capture Milanand Tuscany Henry regarded the French King's progress with "ill-concealedjealousy" of a personal as well as political nature (Pollard 68). New York: Dover, 1988.Pollard, A. The Cardinal's impartiality in the courts was, however, every bit ascarefully calculated to extend his power as any other action that he took.Although he thought himself successful, however, whether the observeragrees with the ethics of his policies or not, it is difficult, from avantage point of nearly four centuries after the fact, to say that Wolseywas a success up to the time of his fall. The Pope accordingly granted Wolsey theextraordinary title of papal legate which included many powers ordinarilyreserved solely to the popes--such as absolving people who had beenexcommunicated, the right to "demand tribute from archbishops, bishops andarchdeacons in order to exercise their usual jurisdictions," and the powerto order the reformation of monasteries (Harvey 93). Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1977.Harvey, Nancy Lenz. R. His limiting of the power of the King's Council was due to all power being in his own hands. New York: Humanities Press, 1968.Mattingly, Garrett. New York: Macmillan, 198 .Helm, P. His changes in the law courts were his finest legacy.V Wolsey's projects often conflicted with the interests of the aristocracy, the church, and the people--but never with his own interests or those of the King--until, fatally, he was unable to arrange the desired divorce. This would have been the case,however, no matter who was in his place. Wolsey was also capable of finding ways to use the courts in othermatters. Maximilian of Austria had repeatedly offered Henrythe imperial crown and King and Cardinal had treated the idea as a joke.But, as Harvey notes, Wolsey wanted to avoid such ideas taking hold sincethe result would be to make "the stronger kingdom become the wastedappendage of the weaker" (86). Simply by ensuring that many of the county's chief gentlemen "weredragged through courts . ButHarvey notes that Wolsey cleverly used Leo X's eagerness to end the wars inItaly to secure the last honor (short of the papacy itself) that he desiredfrom Rome. The idea of Henry as Holy Roman Emperor mayseem as farfetched as that of Wolsey as pope. Since all power was concentrated in his hands the king's council,for example, was reduced to little more than a nominal, occasional meetingof individuals rather than a body responsible for advice "vital matters asforeign policy, the armed defence, finance, or any domestic affairs"(Elton, Tudor 61). Works CitedBindoff, S. B. In the case of the star chamber court, of which he canbe said to be the founder, Wolsey did, however, continue the legacy of theking's council. The episode was also a success in terms of Wolsey's personalinterests. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1958.---. Wolsey's talents and ambition made him an accomplished diplomat and administrator, and allowed him to amass great wealth from his ecclesiastical positions. In Wolsey's own termseven the pretense of disinterested rule was seldom a consideration. There Wolsey, not much versed in the technicalities of law,could enjoy "his penchant for occupying the centre of the stage anddistributing praise and blame with an even-handed impartiality" intended toimpress observers (Helm 62). In terms ofadministration in the immediate vicinity of the King Wolsey had a negativeeffect. The churchwas "a franchise, a liberty in the medieval sense, independent in its laws,its courts" and the influence it exerted, if it chose, over the spirituallives of the people (Elton, "Reformation" 228). Tudor England. He was ordained in 1498 and beganhis relatively slow climb to eminence by serving various influential menuntil, in 15 7, he became chaplain to Henry VII and, in 15 9, was appointedalmoner and counselor to Henry VIII. Wolsey did have great plans for the reformation of the church eventhough he himself was the worst example of many of the worst sins of theclergy, such as: pluralism, the holding of benefices that he could notmanage; simony, the selling of church offices; and violating the oath ofcelibacy by having numerous mistresses and fathering two children. Whether what he did was good or bad, served Henry or himself,forwarded England's interests or those of the church was almost a matter ofindifference since what counted was having the power to do such things. From that point on Wolsey's riseproceeded at great speed--in both the ecclesiastical and secular realms.In 1514 he was appointed archbishop of York and in 1515 he was elevated tocardinal and to Lord Chancellor. B. Thus even when hewas dealing with the question of achieving some balance between Francis Iof France and Charles V of Spain, especially in regard to their desire tocontrol more of Italy, Wolsey was mindful of Henry's desire to take more ofFrance but wary of it as well since it might only whet his appetite forgreater conquests. It is important alwaysto judge his actions in terms of his aims and the limitations that wereinherent in serving at the King's pleasure. 2, The Reformation: 152 -1559, 226-5 . But the King's use of Wolsey in the matter of the proposeddivorce from Catherine of Aragon was a distinct departure from theirprevious relationship. "On Henrician Politics: Games and Dramas." Huntington Library Quarterly 6 (1999): 249-71.Thornton, Tim. But the question of Wolsey's failure to reform the church oftenignores the fact that he was hardly alone in his abuses and during theearly years of Henry's reign the clergy saw little in his attitudes thatwas different from the "formalized piety, devotion to Rome, and use ofclerical councillors in places of importance" that had been the custom ofHenry VII (Elton, Reform 57). T. As Helm allows, however, Wolsey succeeded inthis for the most part and it was the aspect of his administration thatconsistently received the greatest amount of praise. He used his legatine power to dissolve much of thepower inherent in the two provinces of York and Canterbury and, byconcentrating all real power under his control, he had "turn[ed] thebishops into mere agents of his greatness" (Elton, "Reformation" 23 ).Wolsey had also driven all other clergymen out of the counsels of power andhis own great unpopularity tended to increase the people's mistrust of thepapacy, with which his legate status had so identified him. AsMattingly notes, however, the view of his contemporaries was more generousand men from "peace-loving humanists" to seasoned diplomats believed thatWolsey was sincere in wishing to establish a permanent peace. I Thomas Cardinal Wolsey was not a pawn of Henry VIII even though all his actions were subject to the King's approval. Even had he wished to do soWolsey's mania for accumulation probably could not have been controlled.Bindoff puts Wolsey's vast wealth in perspective by noting that, at a timewhen his various bishoprics and the abbacy of St. Prior to that time Wolsey was treated as a trustedand capable, if ambitious, man who carried out the King's will but oftendid so in ways that he devised himself and, not infrequently, developedstrategies of his own that were sanctioned by the King. Wolseywas concerned with balancing Henry's ill-conceived martial desires with atreaty that would guarantee England a secure position as arbiter betweenFrancis and Charles, thereby earning as well the gratitude of Pope Leo Xwho was eager to see the French withdraw from his own doorstep. Wolsey was the son of a prosperous grazier and his brilliance securedhim a place at Magdalene College Oxford. The treaty called for a league ofChristian nations, with the Pope as president, which committed the membersto maintaining peace in order to aid in the defense of Europe against thethreat of Islamic Turkey. At timesthis compelled actions that were admirable--he desired a reputation forfairness in the law court and so earned it--or despicable--he desired greatwealth and extracted it by any means in his power. He persuaded Henry, as he had done in the past, to forbid thepapal legate to enter England "until Wolsey's power equaled that of thepapal emissary" (Harvey 93). A pawnis a chess piece of limited function that is deliberately sacrificed, whennecessary, to serve a larger strategy. But forWolsey the power to do good, to serve the King, to serve the church, orsimply to amass a fortune for himself were all based on his overpoweringambition. B. But, at least in the caseof the law courts, his legacy was far more beneficial. But it is important, as Slavinnotes, to consider Tudor political actors as "engaged in a continuingconversation, constructing their public personae, without the indeliblemark of character," at least as it is conceived of in "our modern focus onthe notions of sincerity and authenticity" (268). Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1959.---. Wolsey's status as his own man, rather than a pawn of the King, must be judged in terms of what he wished to accomplish rather than by current standards.II Wolsey had great diplomatic talents. To say that Cardinal Wolsey (1475-153 ) was the pawn of Henry VIIIimplies a number of things about the Lord Chancellor's abilities,accomplishments, and relationship with the King that are incorrect. His view ofjustice might be based on his love of himself in the position of thegreatest arbiter in the land--with some degree of jurisdiction over nearlyeveryone but the King--but it could also produce genuine justice andreform. For this reason Henry, andWolsey, always held that it was necessary to maintain as much control aspossible over the church. The Tudor Revolution in Government: Administrative Changes in the Reign of Henry VIII. Reform and Reformation: England, 15 9-1558. Renaissance Diplomacy. "The Reformation in England." The New Cambridge Modern History, Vol. Albans would, at a valueof £1 , per year, have made him "by far the richest man in England," headded to this his chancery fees, other ecclesiastic incomes (especiallyfrom the legatine jurisdiction), and the endless customary bribes toproduce, by the mid-152 s, an annual income of nearly £5 , (82). Hemight identify the Treaty of London as a league against the Muslims and beunderstood to speak of something less disinterested. From the time ofWolsey's consolidation of his personal power in 1511 to the beginning ofhis fall in 1528 the Cardinal was unquestionably subject to the King'spleasure. His ambitions, however,explain why he might have suspected Henry of the same. Inthis, of course, he always had to be seen to serve Henry's interests andhis continued power was utterly dependent on the King's good will.Wolsey's longevity as the most trusted and intimate of Henry's advisors andthe great extent of his powers are proof in themselves that he succeeded inone of the most difficult of balancing acts--serving his personal ambitionwhile satisfying the ambitions of a sharp-witted, capable King. But in foreign relations he primarily soughtincreased glory, through securing England's power and safety, and thisenabled him to become an innovative and able diplomat. But Wolsey'saccomplishment was genuine in intellectual terms, as an exercise ofdiplomatic skill, and in practical terms in securing a more powerful rolefor England in European politics. It was equipped with "provisions for arbitration ofdisputes and stiff guarantees against aggression" as well as language thatdeliberately avoided the "reservations and ambiguities which had flawedprevious treaties" (Mattingly 144). The treaty was also, however, to be the source of "a general peacefor Europe" and Wolsey now saw himself as the arbitrator of the security ofthe whole continent (Pollard 77). Wolsey negotiated secretly with France and produced atreaty of peace that allowed Francis to buy back Tournai, at a veryexcessive cost paid to Henry and with a substantial compensation to Wolseyfor the loss of the bishopric of Tournai. He had, however, excellent ideas on reform. He announced his intention to transform thirteenmonasteries into bishoprics but never even began this undertaking and"contented himself in practice with the dissolution of more than a score ofsmall religious houses"--principally in order to secure their wealth forhis own purposes (Helm 67). But in either case Wolsey's own aims arewhat must be considered. In general the English church "had the highest opinionof its independence, was incapable of reforming itself," and failed tounderstand that it was already subject to Henry's will even before Wolseyconsolidated his domination of the church (Elton, Reform 58). Francis and Charles, who hadrecently inherited the crown in Spain but had barely been able to takepossession, had reached an accord. He transformed thestar chamber from a state tribunal into a court in which people could turnfor settlement of their affairs and it became a regular part of the justicesystem. The fact, however, is that Wolsey not only failed to reform thechurch but, by means of his own ambition, destroyed whatever chance it hadhad of attaining independence of the King when it was faced with theproblem of Henry's desire to withdraw from communion with Rome. He may also have suspectedthat Henry would not look unfavorably on the idea of extending his domainfarther into Europe. Talk of reform was a constant subject amongthe clergy themselves but it had no more meaning than Helm ascribes toWolsey's promises. Mattingly describes the papal legate Lorenzo Campeggio'senthusiasm for the treaty and his conviction of Wolsey's sincerity. Or he might happilyplan to reform the church in the very areas where he was the worstoffender, yet feel no compunction about doing as he wished. Regardlessof his motives this was the action of one who was his own man in a positionwhere most men would have been wary of allowing their nakedly personalconcerns to appear so plainly and to provide the king with so muchammunition when he decided to turn against them. Wolsey planned, for instance,to reform the monasteries in accordance with the power granted by hisstatus as papal legate. In diplomatic matters Wolsey's reach tended to exceed his grasp. Various aspects of Wolsey's civil administration were pursued quiteas vigorously as his despoiling of the church. Thomas Cardinal Wolsey. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.