Henry VII created a competent and effective government with skilled men - but middle sort which meant easier to control - on each post rather than the normal family name connection way which designed a fully capable and educated government full of men dedicated to the king filled with intelligent advice for Henry VIII later on.
Arthur their first born was to be heir to the throne.
The expectation of Arthur was highly great, Henry VII took real time and effort into trying to mould his son into a great king and of the early ages of just 3 he was made ‘Prince of Wales’ and of the age of 6 he was sent to live in Ludlow Castle in the welsh marches to being his learning of kingship. The young king to be was carefully educated having many great tutors one of many being Bernard André the blind poet. He even went to the trouble of an arranged marriage with Ferdinand II of Spain to his daughter Catalina (Catherine of Aragon) and Arthur this conjured up a strong alliance with the seen most dominant power, Spain. It was evident Arthur had learnt all he knew from his weary father.
Following Arthurs death, Henry VII’s third child became heir and would come to the throne in 1509 at just 17 years old. He was somewhat unprepared for the position, as it had been intended that he would pursue a clerical career and perhaps become Archbishop of Canterbury. This lack of preparation and education is seen in the heavy influence during the early years of Henry's reign of older statesmen such as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.
Many in England believed that the succession of Henry VIII would usher in a less austere era than the one Henry VII had ruled over. While Henry VII was seen as being a less than colourful character, Henry VIII was viewed as the opposite and many hoped that the whole royal court would become a more colourful environment. Arthur received the education and training that a future king required while Henry effectively stayed in the background. Arthur’s unexpected death meant that Prince Henry had to learn quickly about the task of kingship. He impressed many. On the day that Henry was crown wrote in a poem presented to Henry at his coronation: “This day is the end of our slavery, the fount of our liberty; the end of sadness and the beginning of joy.” This shows that many were truly excited about Henry VIII becoming king.
He liked to think of himself as a chivalric king, taking much inspiration of the late Henry V who took great pride in being the head of a united country and having many foreign war successes such as the hundred years of war and coming ever so close to conquering France.
Henry VIII wanted to be just like Henry V which shows with his early conflict with France themselves in 1512; yet wouldn’t listen to advisors to plead with him to continue with his father’s cautious policies but this wasn’t Henry VIII’s way of Kingship.
At the start of his reign there is evidence of Henry taking firm control of issues mainly concerning foreign policy however strong opposing evidence that much of his government before 1529 was done by advisors; which indicates he wasn’t a political leader, it was known Henry VIII found the day to day routine of government very tedious and tiresome (not like his father who was very dedicated to the political side) he left the work to his councillors mainly Thomas Wolsey.
To conclude,
“Destined for success” broken down is how powerful and secure his reign would be that includes that of any problems he would inherit.
The question asks is this a ‘fair summary’ of Henry VIII’s early reign which excludes any decisions/events that happened in his later reign and in that case he was destined success if you go by the traditional historiography of Henry VII’s reign. He gave his son an inevitable successful. Henry VIII inherited a state that was united and behind the monarch, a state that had a decent European reputation, a monarchy that was wealthier than it had been for centuries, a nobility that had been tamed and made to work for the Crown and a system of government that was competent and effective. A country not at war, was solvent was not racked by faction, that was more centralised in its administration than ever before.
Henry VII was about “gold or gems or precious stones” whereas Henry VIII was about “Virtue, glory and Immortality, showing that Henry VII was concerned with giving England a wealth and stability within that wealth unlike his naïve son he was only concerned for himself and spending all his ‘fathers money’. “the crown was vastly stronger than it had been in 1485, but it was no nearer to being absolute” it was safe to say Henry VIII wasn’t walking in to a weak state, his father might not of fully perfected England but then what country is exactly ‘absolute’ even to this modern day. He did everything a king should do and the things that are frowned upon had to be done for the benefit of England.
by
t-f-c1212hotmailcom (student)
