Principal Servants to the Crown

History: Edexcel A Level England, 1509-1603, topic 1.3.1

Thomas Wolsey

Henry VIII was not interested in the details of government. This means his ministers could be very powerful. Henry VIII's first chief minister was Thomas Wolsey.

Wolsey's rise to chief minister

Wolsey was very influential between 1510 and 1529.
Wolsey was intelligent, worked tirelessly and served Henry well.
Wolsey overcame rivals at court. The Gentlemen of the Bedchamber, for example, were purged in 1519 and reduced under the Eltham Ordinances.
Wolsey quickly rose through the Church's ranks.
By 1518 he was a Papal Legate (meaning he could act on the Pope's behalf).

Wolsey and the Church

When Wolsey was Chief Minister, the Reformation was happening in Europe.
Wolsey tried to reform the Church. He promoted education and wanted the quality of the clergy to improve.
As a Catholic and Papal Legate, Wolsey was opposed to the ideas of Protestantism.
But Henry VIII was at odds with the Church because he wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon (The Great Matter).

The Great Matter

During the late 1520s, Wolsey tried to protect the Church from the King as Henry VIII was frustrated by the Pope over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
Henry was concerned his royal prerogative was being undermined. Wolsey assured him it was not.
Henry wanted Wolsey, as both chief minister and Papal Legate, to influence the Pope. Wolsey failed and the Church came under attack.

Wolsey's fall

Wolsey's first failing was the Amicable Grant in 1525. Wolsey introduced the grant to fund Henry VIII's war with France. It resulted in rebellion and Henry VIII was forced to pull out of the war.
Failing to resolve Henry’s ‘Great Matter’, Henry VIII questioned his loyalty (believing he was serving the Pope before him).

Historical debate over Wolsey's fall

Roger, Ellsmore and Hudson view court politics as a key reason behind Wolsey's fall: "The Boleyn faction orchestrated Wolsey’s demise because he would not or could not obtain a divorce".

Thomas Cromwell

By 1532, Thomas Cromwell had emerged as Henry VIII's new chief minister as a replacement for Wolsey.

Cromwell's religious sympathy

In the mid-1530s, Cromwell encouraged preachers to spread Protestant messages.
Cromwell played a main role in the dissolution of monasteries in 1536.
By the end of the 1530s, Cromwell was dissatisfied with the level of reform. He believed more Protestant reforms could be made. This desire contributed to his downfall.

Cromwell and Henry VIII's divorce

In September 1530, Thomas Cromwell and Edward Foxe gave the king their book Collectanea Satis Copiosa (‘The Sufficiently Abundant Collection’). It provided legal grounds for Henry to have an annulment of his marriage.
He used parliament to attack the Church until, in 1534, the Royal Supremacy confirmed on Henry the power of king and pope.

Cromwell's governance reforms

The Royal Council became the Privy Council. This was smaller and more professional. Cromwell became the Principal Secretary.
Parliament lasted seven years under Cromwell, with a wider scope than ever before.

Cromwell's administrative reforms

Cromwell oversaw bureaucratic change as well religious change.
Cromwell developed the Court of Augmentations, Court of First Fruits and the Court of Wards. This centralised and professionalised Crown finance.

Cromwell's fall

Cromwell was Henry VIII's last chief minister.
Cromwell was part of dangerous court politics. For example, he had orchestrated Anne Boleyn's downfall.
The humiliating failure of Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves was pinned on Cromwell by the Duke of Norfolk and his niece, Catherine Howard.

Accusation of treason

Cromwell was accused of treason and heresy by the Duke of Norfolk.
An Act of Attainder was passed against him and he was accused of failing to properly enforce the Act of the Six Articles.
Cromwell was executed in July 1540, the day Henry married Catherine Howard.

Lord Burghley

William Cecil, later Lord Burghley, was the Queen's longest-serving minister.

Background

Cecil came from a gentry background (not a peer).

Rise to power

Cecil began politics under the Duke of Somerset (Lord Protector under Edward VI).
Falling Somerset’s decline, Cecil earned the favour of Warwick (later the Duke of Northumberland)
Cecil became a secretary of state for Edward VI.
In 1551, Cecil became the Chancellor of the Order of the Garter.
Cecil resisted Northumberland’s machinations to change the line of succession.
For this reason, he was granted immunity by Mary I.

Relationship with Elizabeth I

Cecil advised Elizabeth before she became queen as Surveyor of Estates and Princess Elizabeth’s steward.
Upon her accession, Cecil became a close advisor for the Elizabeth I.
Cecil benefited from Elizabeth I’s patronage and became a firm favourite.
He had considerable influence over the Crown.
A contemporary, Richard Verstegan, said that “The Queen will listen to none but unto him [Cecil]."
Cecil was elevated to Lord Burghley in 1571.

Cecil's skills

Cecil gained favour because of his administration and financial skills.
He held conservative views and emphasised stability. His outlook was closely aligned to Elizabeth’s.
Over the years, Cecil began to heavily influence Elizabeth’s domestic and foreign policies.
E.g. he promoted the repression of religious extremists (whether Catholic or Puritan).

Positions in Elizabethan government and court

Originally, Cecil was Secretary of State.
In 1561, Cecil became Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries.
In 1572, Cecil became the Lord High Treasurer.
Elizabeth I on his appointment to the Privy Council (1558): “I have this judgement of you, that you will not be corrupted with any gift, you will be faithful to the state, and without respect of my private will, you will give me the best advice”.

The Succession Crisis

The scope of Cecil’s power is seen in his response to the Throckmorton Plot, 1583.
In case of Elizabeth I’s death, with no named successor, Cecil wanted a Bond of Association to select her successor and govern in the interim.
Historians such as Lake have emphasised the far-reaching implications of the Bond of Association.
Cecil essentially planned a situation where there would be no monarch: a republic.
Cecil wanted to give a select group of politicians the authority to choose the future monarch. This was unprecedented as usually, the ability to choose the line of succession was a royal prerogative.

Test yourself on Principal Servants to the Crown

What was the Great Matter?
What was Wolsey's first failing?
When did Thomas Cromwell emerge as Henry VII's new chief minister?
Cecil's rise to power?
When was Cecil granted the title, Lord Burghley?

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