Role Of Thomas Wolsey In The Reign Of Henry Viii

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Cardinal Thomas Wolsey 's success throughout his religious, military and political career was heavily intertwined within the success in the reign of Henry VIII. Wolsey had become known as the second king, as lord chancellor he oversaw many royal documents and as legate was the pope 's representative in England. If an individual wanted something done they would go to York Palace or Hampton court and not the King 's residency.1 However, Wolsey retained his power as long as young King Henry remained lazy and the Cardinal retained his confidence. The Cardinal 's ambition acquired him a number of various positions, however, his ambition also proved his downfall in which he was unable to maintain the demands of the king. The purpose of this paper …show more content…

His intelligence and capability eventually acquired him a position as a chaplain to the archbishop of Canterbury and Henry VII.2 Wolsey was then bestowed the position of royal almoner by Henry VIII, that is, he was responsible for the distribution of the king 's charity.3 His attributes allowed him to then move onto the more ambitious position of running Henry VIII 's military campaign in France from 1512-14.4 Wolsey then became archbishop of York in 1514 and was then given a cardinal 's hat by the pope in 1515.5 Wolsey had become a trusted advisor to the young king Henry; maintaining day-to-day domestic politics that the young king was indifferent to, acting as a political guide for the young king, maintaining the Star Chamber and successfully negotiating the Treaty of London in 1518 facilitating peace within Europe. By 1525 Wolsey was on a decline towards his downfall by failing to provide Henry with the annulment needed for Anne Boleyn to become queen. If Wolsey had become pope, granting Henry an annulment would have been a much quicker process. Cardinal Wolsey could have remained in England after becoming pope, maintain his claim within Henrician government and changing England 's dynamic within early modern