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Foreign Policy of Henry VIII - Coggle Diagram
Foreign Policy of Henry VIII
1509–1518: Early Ambitions and Initial Successes
Henry VIII sought to distance himself from his father’s peaceful and isolationist legacy, aiming instead to be a “warrior king”
Conflict with France
In 1512, Henry launched an unsuccessful expedition to Guienne, where he was betrayed by his father-in-law, Ferdinand of Aragon
However, the 1513 campaign was more successful
This included the Battle of the Spurs and the capture of the towns of Therouanne and Tournai
While Henry was in France, the Scots invaded northern England. In September 1513, the Battle of Flodden resulted in a total English victory and the death of King James IV,
The Treaty of London (1518) orchestrated by Thomas Wolsey established a period of “universal peace”
1518–1527: Diplomacy, Rivalry, and the Habsburg-Valois Wars
In 1521, Henry signed the Treaty of Bruges, a secret alliance with Charles V to declare war on France. However, the subsequent Second French War (1522–1525) was a failure
Field of Cloth of Gold (1520) was a lavish and expensive meeting between Henry and Francis I designed to display their grandeur which achieved no diplomatic goal
1527–1539: The “Great Matter” and Reformation Isolation
Foreign policy was dominated by Henry’s quest for an annulment from Catherine of Aragon
England became diplomatically isolated after the annulment was refused and was further alienated by Henry’s excommunication in 1538
The 1538 Truce of Nice between Charles V and Francis I raised fears of a joint Catholic crusade against England
Thomas Cromwell arranged a marriage between Henry and Anne of Cleves in 1540 to secure a Protestant alliance with German princes
1540–1547: Renewed Conflict and the Final Years
In 1542, the English won a major victory at the Battle of Solway Moss, followed by the death of James V
This was followed by a failed attempt to secure a marriage between his son, Edward, and Mary, Queen of Scots, via the Treaty of Greenwich
Henry allied again with Charles V and personally led an invasion of France in 1544, successfully capturing Boulogne
. The Treaty of Ardres (1546) allowed England to keep Boulogne temporarily and renewed the French pension
In 1541, Henry was declared King of Ireland
These wars were immensely costly, totalling approximately £2 million. To fund them, Henry was forced to sell off monastic lands and debase the coinage