How Successful Was Henrys Foreign Policy Between 1509 1547

950 Words4 Pages
It has long been debated whether Henry was successful in his acts in foreign policy. He had many policy’s which were masterminded on many occasions by either Oliver Cromwell or Thomas Wolsey which differed from divorce to war mongering. His main aims were honour and glory, aggressive against the French, peacemaker, securing his dynasty, to go down in history, collecting his pension and maintaining links with the Netherlands. These are very different aims put forth in different periods of time during Henry VIII’s long and illustrious rein. Henry had a very aggressive policy on France throughout his rein until he eventually decided on trying to become the peacemaker of Europe. Henry wanted to regain the lost territory in northern France so he could be seen as a Great War lord with visions of honour and glory but also to challenge Henry V’s title of the last great English warrior. The first sign of this aim being put into place is the first French war from 1512-1514. However the first expedition on June 1512 was a disastrous failure as Ferdinand of Aragon didn’t hold up his end of the deal for an allied invasion. This shows Henrys naivety in foreign policy and the other European powers were using him to benefit themselves whilst sending him to his downfall. Despite this Henry personally lead an army of 25,000 across the channel and took Therouanne and tournai in northern France and winning memorable battles such as the battle of the spurs. However Thomas Wolsey was the one who very effectively organised the second attempt on besieging France and emphatically orcastrated the peace agreements between the two nations in 1514 so it could be argued that the foreign policy towards the French at the time was policy’s that of Wolsey not Henry. Also in later years in the second French war 1522-25 Henry was yet again let down by his allies Charles V
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