Post by Mr Modica on Feb 20, 2014 20:27:39 GMT
Henry VIII: The Fall of Thomas Wolsey
In theory the charge against Wolsey that was eventually used to engineer his downfall had been available to Henry since 1515. In the fourteenth century a series of acts had created the crime of praemunire, this was the use of external power (i.e. Papal) to the detriment of the King or one of his subjects. Ever since his appointment as legate Wolsey had been open to this charge, and consequently the confiscation of all his property and imprisonment at the King’s pleasure.
In October 1529 Wolsey was arrested, imprisoned and had his property confiscated on such a charge. He was fairly quickly released and allowed to live in modest circumstances at York (where he was Archbishop). From here Wolsey launched a campaign to get himself re-instated, but without success. Wolsey was summoned to appear in what would undoubtedly have been a show trial in London, but he died from ill health at Leicester in November 1530.
Why?
Undoubtedly the key issue in Wolsey’s fall was his failure to secure an annulment (NOT divorce) of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Wolsey had promised Henry that this would be an easy matter given his influence in Rome, but this was not the case and Wolsey and Henry received rebuff after rebuff. The length of time that the annulment was taking was also an issue: Henry was infatuated with Anne Boleyn, who refused to surrender her virtue to Henry till he was in a position to marry her; also Henry was concerned that the passage of time would mean it was less likely that he would produce a son to inherit the throne from him.
There is good evidence to suggest that Henry became convinced, by the Boleyn faction that Wolsey was actively delaying the progress of the annulment in the hope Henry’s infatuation would pass and that Wolsey would not have to deal with the annulment from Catherine, who was held in high regard around Europe.
It would seem Henry was never really convinced by this argument, despite dismissing him Henry sent Wolsey numerous tokens of his good will, and seems to have actively considered his re-appointment on several occasions. It was only the anti-Wolsey propaganda fed to him by the Boleyn faction that prevented him from doing so.
The Boleyn faction was of course not just interested in the marriage for its own sake, with Anne as queen and Wolsey out of the way the path to wealth, position and influence would be open. In this regard Wolsey’s demise was entirely political.
On Wolsey’s fall the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the Earl of Wiltshire become Henry’s leading advisors.
In theory the charge against Wolsey that was eventually used to engineer his downfall had been available to Henry since 1515. In the fourteenth century a series of acts had created the crime of praemunire, this was the use of external power (i.e. Papal) to the detriment of the King or one of his subjects. Ever since his appointment as legate Wolsey had been open to this charge, and consequently the confiscation of all his property and imprisonment at the King’s pleasure.
In October 1529 Wolsey was arrested, imprisoned and had his property confiscated on such a charge. He was fairly quickly released and allowed to live in modest circumstances at York (where he was Archbishop). From here Wolsey launched a campaign to get himself re-instated, but without success. Wolsey was summoned to appear in what would undoubtedly have been a show trial in London, but he died from ill health at Leicester in November 1530.
Why?
Undoubtedly the key issue in Wolsey’s fall was his failure to secure an annulment (NOT divorce) of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Wolsey had promised Henry that this would be an easy matter given his influence in Rome, but this was not the case and Wolsey and Henry received rebuff after rebuff. The length of time that the annulment was taking was also an issue: Henry was infatuated with Anne Boleyn, who refused to surrender her virtue to Henry till he was in a position to marry her; also Henry was concerned that the passage of time would mean it was less likely that he would produce a son to inherit the throne from him.
There is good evidence to suggest that Henry became convinced, by the Boleyn faction that Wolsey was actively delaying the progress of the annulment in the hope Henry’s infatuation would pass and that Wolsey would not have to deal with the annulment from Catherine, who was held in high regard around Europe.
It would seem Henry was never really convinced by this argument, despite dismissing him Henry sent Wolsey numerous tokens of his good will, and seems to have actively considered his re-appointment on several occasions. It was only the anti-Wolsey propaganda fed to him by the Boleyn faction that prevented him from doing so.
The Boleyn faction was of course not just interested in the marriage for its own sake, with Anne as queen and Wolsey out of the way the path to wealth, position and influence would be open. In this regard Wolsey’s demise was entirely political.
On Wolsey’s fall the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the Earl of Wiltshire become Henry’s leading advisors.