English Successes in Foreign Policy Outweighed Failures: 1511-25
Do you agree with the view that, in the years 1511-25, English successes in foreign policy outweighed failures?
In the years 1511-25, England managed to successfully pursue a policy of peacemaking due to Wolsey’s excellent diplomatic skills and managed to negotiate peace at London in 1518 between twenty countries and become a leading power in European affairs; this reflected extremely well on England’s image with the rest of Europe and could be viewed as the basis for the argument that the policy was successful. Further argument for the successes in foreign policy outweighing failures could be made by referring to the successful initial invasion campaigns against France between 1512-13 as well as the several peace negotiations England had arranged up until the year 1525, the several invasions it had fended off on the Scottish border as well as Wolsey’s immense skills in funding the policy. In this essay I will be looking at whether these successes outweigh the failures in foreign policy.
The main success in foreign policy was Wolsey successfully delivering a policy of peace between 1511-25; this is shown in Source 4 where M.D. Palmer refers to the peace at London in 1518, where peace was agreed between twenty countries in Europe, as Wolsey’s ‘greatest triumph’, which it indeed was, at least for Wolsey if not just for England at the time. It’s outcome for Wolsey was appointment as papal legate which granted Wolsey the power to act on the Pope’s behalf which was a great deal of power to hold and definitely a success for Wolsey. The benefits of this peace for England were also quite significant as it meant England was no longer isolated as it previously had been as it was now a key player in European affairs as Henry and Wolsey wanted; this in turn also meant it presented a better image to the other European powers and instilled a sense that England was more powerful than it was in reality. As well as the Treaty of London, Wolsey also planned the events at the
In the years 1511-25, England managed to successfully pursue a policy of peacemaking due to Wolsey’s excellent diplomatic skills and managed to negotiate peace at London in 1518 between twenty countries and become a leading power in European affairs; this reflected extremely well on England’s image with the rest of Europe and could be viewed as the basis for the argument that the policy was successful. Further argument for the successes in foreign policy outweighing failures could be made by referring to the successful initial invasion campaigns against France between 1512-13 as well as the several peace negotiations England had arranged up until the year 1525, the several invasions it had fended off on the Scottish border as well as Wolsey’s immense skills in funding the policy. In this essay I will be looking at whether these successes outweigh the failures in foreign policy.
The main success in foreign policy was Wolsey successfully delivering a policy of peace between 1511-25; this is shown in Source 4 where M.D. Palmer refers to the peace at London in 1518, where peace was agreed between twenty countries in Europe, as Wolsey’s ‘greatest triumph’, which it indeed was, at least for Wolsey if not just for England at the time. It’s outcome for Wolsey was appointment as papal legate which granted Wolsey the power to act on the Pope’s behalf which was a great deal of power to hold and definitely a success for Wolsey. The benefits of this peace for England were also quite significant as it meant England was no longer isolated as it previously had been as it was now a key player in European affairs as Henry and Wolsey wanted; this in turn also meant it presented a better image to the other European powers and instilled a sense that England was more powerful than it was in reality. As well as the Treaty of London, Wolsey also planned the events at the