Henry VIII's Government (Incomplete)

Concillar Government

Period: 1509 to 1514

Wolsey is appointed as Lord Chancellor

1512

This put him in charge of royal government and gave him immense power because he acted as gatekeeper to the king.

Wolsey becomes Archbishop of York

1514

Concillar government had broken down by 1514

1514

Because of disagreements between Henry and his Councillors over the war with France and Henry's preference to surrounding himself with younger courtiers.

Thomas Wolsey is Chief Minister

Period: 1514 to 1529

• Henry relied on Wolsey to manage government effectively from 1514.
• Wolsey's influence was derived more from his close personal relationship with the King than from formal positions.

Wolsey becomes a Cardinal

1515

Wolsey extends the use of the Star Chamber

1516

This had been established as an offshoot of the King's Council during Henry VII's reign.
Wolsey made it the centre of both Government and the legal system.
Wolsey used it to increase cheap and fair justice and heard cases of alleged misconduct and private lawsuits.

Wolsey becomes the Papal Legate

1518

The Eltham Ordinances

1524

• Aimed to reduce royal household expenditure by reforming the Privy Chamber's finances.
• Wolsey also used it to reduce the influence of the Privy Chamber.

Wolsey's Amicable Grant fails spectacularly

1525

• This was a 'voluntary gift' (read: heavy tax) levied without parlimentary approval.
• It led to widespread resistance and had to be abandoned.

Henry asks Wolsey to secure a Papal dispensation for the annulment of his marriage to Catherine.

1525

• His justification was that his marriage to his brother's widow was illegal in the sight of God. (I.e. the Exodus argument)

Wolsey called a special court to 'try Henry' for his 'crimes'.

1527

The Pope was reluctant to help because he was a prisoner of Charles V, Catherine's Nephew, who fiercely opposed the idea of an annulment.

Cardinal Campeggio arrives in England to hear the case, in conjunction with Wolsey, in a legatine court.

1529

• The hearing was opened in June and closed in July. Campeggio refused to grant an annulment.

Wolsey's downfall

1529

In October he was charged with Praemunire and retired to Yorkshire.

Reformation Parliament

Period: 1529 to 1536

• Set up to deal with Henry's divorce and the reform of the English church

Thomas More leads a semi-concillar government

Period: 1529 to 1532

Foxe and Cranmer present Henry with their book.

1530

It justified Henry's annulment on legal grounds, based on historical principles, and encouraged the Break from Rome.

Wolsey is arrested, but dies before the trial.

1530

The English Clergy are collectively accused of Praemunire and are ordered to pay a £100,000 fine.

1531

The Convocation of Canterbury met in February

1531

This recognised Henry as 'Supreme head of the Church'

Act to Stop Peter's Pence

1531

Abolished the payment of tax to Rome.

Cromwell emerges as Chief Minister and begins passing many laws to enable Henry's annulment and Remarriage.

1532

In May, the Clergy submitted.

1532

The Clergy accepted Henry as head of the Church and as their lawmaker.

The First Act of Annates

1532

This banned the payment of annates to Rome.

Supplication of the Ordinaries (March)

1532

• The Clergy weren't allowed to enact church law without royal permission.
• The existing Church law was to be examined by a royal commission.

Thomas Cromwell is Chief Minister

Period: 1532 to 1540

• Cromwell rose to power as chief minister by 1532 and dominated royal government for the rest of the 1530s.

Act in Restraint of Appeals to Rome (February)

1533

• Made Henry the supreme head of the Church of England.
• Declared Rome had no power over matrimonial cases.

First Act of Succession

1534

• Registered Henry's marriage to Catherine as invalid and validated his Marriage to Anne.
• It was a treasonable offence to attack the marriage.

Second Act of Annates

1534

• Confirmed the First Act of Annates
• Abbots and Bishops were to be appointed by the King not the Pope.

Treason Act

1534

This listed key treasonable crimes and made intent and words treasonable as well as deeds.

The Act of Supremacy

1534

• Contained an Oath of Supremacy to be taken by all religious houses.
• Sir Thomas More and several others refused. This would be their downfall.

Act for First Fruits and Tenths

1534

Ensured clerical taxes would go to the King not the Pope.

Valor Ecclesiastus

1535

Cromwell commissioned this survey into the wealth and condition of the church.

Act for the Dissolution of Lesser Monasteries

1536

The smaller monasteries were closed down.

Act of Ten Articles

1536

Rejected 7 of the 10 Sacraments of Catholic doctrine.

Cromwell issued the Royal Injunctions

1536

These ordered the clergy to:
- defend royal supremacy in sermons
- abandon pilgrimages
- give money for educational purposes to teach children key scripture.

Cromwell issues more Royal Injunctions

1538

• The English bible had to be placed in all parishes within 2 years.
• All births, deaths and marriages had to be registered in every parish.
• People were to be actively discouraged from pilgrimages.
• Relics were to be removed from all churches.

Henry is excommunicated by the Pope

1538

Act of Six Articles

1539

• Confirmed Transubstantiation, Private masses and Confession.
• Banned Priestly Marriage, Chastity marriage, Communion by the laity.

The Dissolution of Greater Monasteries began

1539

Cromwell is executed

1540

Concillar Government is restored

Period: 1540 to 1547

• Following the fall of Cromwell, a new Privy council emerged with fixed membership and recorded proceedings.
• Power was divided between 2 competing Factions, the Conservatives and the Reformists

Act for the Advancement of True Religion

1543

Restricted access to the English Bible to upper class men and noblewomen in private.

The Chantries Act is passed

1545

This allowed the dissolution of Chantries

Cranmer rules Henry's marriage to Catherine invalid.

1933