How far did Henry VIII persue new foreign policies during the period 1509-1514?

Authors Avatar

                                                   

How far did Henry VIII persue new foreign policies during the period 1509-1514?

        When accessing how far Henry VIII pursued new foreign policies in the period 1509-1514, it is important to take into account the idea of change and continuity. Henry VII established some very strong and clear foreign policies, however Henry VIII wanted to very much distance himself from his father’s work and ethos. It is essential to look at the policies that Henry VIII changed and the reasons behind this, but also whether he kept any of his father’s strategies. It is vital to remember that many factors contributed to the characters of both Henry VII and Henry VIII. I will continuously focus on the theme of their childhood and upbringing, and how these factors may have contributed to their behaviour in adulthood, and how well they were prepared for the role of a king.

        Henry VII was perceived as a miserly character, whose enigmatic and distant nature caused him to be disliked by many. He was, however, very independent and was “governed by none,” which ensured that everything was overlooked by him. Similarities between Henry VIII and his father were that they were both good at networking and highly intelligent. On the other hand, Henry VIII enjoyed spending his money on the nobility and lavishing himself with a hedonistic lifestyle.

In my opinion, this major difference stemmed from the fact that their upbringing was so different. Henry VII grew up and gained training as a king not only in a studious way, but he also had the chance to experience court politics and learn through gossip and observations. His mother was a great influence over him, and she fully supported her son’s political interests. Henry’s uncle, Jasper Tudor, was the only constant figure in his life, and always gave Henry stability, loyalty and a political role model. Henry VII fought for the crown, against the Yorkist king Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth. He had a fierce determination to become king, and become secure dynastically. Henry VIII on the other hand, was guarded against the exposure of having to take responsibility. His older brother Arthur was expected to be heir to the throne, and therefore Henry was untrained as king and left to enjoy his youth. I believe that this is very influential over the methods in which Henry VIII dealt with the decisions of a king, especially when concerning foreign policies.

Join now!

Henry VII believed that securing the throne was the most important contribution that he could make, as did Henry VIII. However the way in which they went about doing this differed. Henry VII always maintained a peace policy. He realised quite rightly that foreign relationships had to be secure, in order to decrease the chances of being attacked and overthrown. Henry VII used peace treaties to his advantage. He ensured that Britain became a “nuisance” to France, and so France was forced into having to sign the Treaty of Etaples, if they wanted to get rid of Henry and his ...

This is a preview of the whole essay