Wolsey's Domestic Policies
Wolsey’s Domestic Policies
1. Firstly, Henry and Wolsey depended on the nobles to be War leaders between 1511 and 1514 which is when England went to War against France, and also in 1522 when War broke out with France again. Also, effective control of the country’s outlying regions depended on their cooperation. In the North Midlands and the North West, for example, the government was heavily dependent on the power of the earls of Derby and Shrewsbury, while in the west, the power of the earl of Devon and the Marquis of Dorset was crucial in assisting Henry to maintain royal power. Good order on the borders with Scotland was equally dependant on the good will of Lord Darce and the Earl of Northumberland.
2. Wolsey’s general attitude towards the nobility was mixed. He had good reason to watch the nobility carefully, for he was of humble birth and his rise to power had generated much jealousy and suspicion in the nobles. However, it seems that Wolsey and the nobility tolerated each other well enough, especially over local control. Wolsey does not appear to have set out to destroy the nobility out of ill will, revenge or jealousy. He sought merely to subdue it to royal authority as the king himself demanded.
3. The Duke of Buckingham was an exception to the policy of limiting the nobles’ power as he was one of a few with substantial Plantagenet blood as he was a remote descendent of King Edward III. Although he was an exception he resented the fact that Henry would not allow him to exercise his hereditary office as Constable of England.
4. I do not believe Elton to be correct when he says that Wolsey ruined England’s finances as Wolsey had much success in introducing new taxes without too much opposition from the people, for example subsidies in 1512 and forced loans. Subsidies brought in £300 000 and a forced loan of £200 000. The reason many believe that Wolsey was a failure with the finances was because he did not raise enough to fund Henry’s war efforts,
1. Firstly, Henry and Wolsey depended on the nobles to be War leaders between 1511 and 1514 which is when England went to War against France, and also in 1522 when War broke out with France again. Also, effective control of the country’s outlying regions depended on their cooperation. In the North Midlands and the North West, for example, the government was heavily dependent on the power of the earls of Derby and Shrewsbury, while in the west, the power of the earl of Devon and the Marquis of Dorset was crucial in assisting Henry to maintain royal power. Good order on the borders with Scotland was equally dependant on the good will of Lord Darce and the Earl of Northumberland.
2. Wolsey’s general attitude towards the nobility was mixed. He had good reason to watch the nobility carefully, for he was of humble birth and his rise to power had generated much jealousy and suspicion in the nobles. However, it seems that Wolsey and the nobility tolerated each other well enough, especially over local control. Wolsey does not appear to have set out to destroy the nobility out of ill will, revenge or jealousy. He sought merely to subdue it to royal authority as the king himself demanded.
3. The Duke of Buckingham was an exception to the policy of limiting the nobles’ power as he was one of a few with substantial Plantagenet blood as he was a remote descendent of King Edward III. Although he was an exception he resented the fact that Henry would not allow him to exercise his hereditary office as Constable of England.
4. I do not believe Elton to be correct when he says that Wolsey ruined England’s finances as Wolsey had much success in introducing new taxes without too much opposition from the people, for example subsidies in 1512 and forced loans. Subsidies brought in £300 000 and a forced loan of £200 000. The reason many believe that Wolsey was a failure with the finances was because he did not raise enough to fund Henry’s war efforts,