MINISTERS
THOMAS WOLSEY
THOMAS CROMWELL
CHARACTER
LIFE
hardworking and lowborn
often manipulative
ambitious
rose through Church ranks to become Cardinal in 1515
Made Papal Legate in 1518
Made Lord Chancellor in 1515 after impressing HVIII with his organisational skills in France invasion
drew up Eltham Ordinances in 1526 to reduce power of HVIII's minions - wanted influence for himself
CHARACTER
LIFE
lowborn - son of a blacksmith
calculated and intelligent
Protestant, reformist leanings
MP from 1529 - attacked church moral abuses
1533 - became Chancellor of the Exchequer - financial control
1535 - Vicar general - religious control over reformation
1540 - executed
training as lawyer gave him great administrative skill
CONCLUSIONS
HVIII used ministers such as Wolsey, More and Cromwell in order to minimise the work that he had to do - didn't like to work long hours like HVII
HVIII's reliance on ministers allowed Tudor New Men to gain influence in his court, leading to a more reformist leaning atmosphere by 1529