Introduction

Historians have long argued over the subject of whether Henry or Wolsey 'directed' foreign policy between 1515 and 1529. The absence of any state records that would definitively affirm who decided policies and who implemented them makes speculation an endless (and, some might argue, a pointless) exercise. Nevertheless, the relationship between king and servant is worthy of examination if we are to unravel the complexities of Henry's foreign affairs.

Task

Divide your class into five groups. Each group examines one of the following subjects for the period 1515-29: Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, the Turks, France, or the Papacy. In each case, students should outline and explain:
(a) Henry's aims and strategies
(b) Wolsey's aims and strategies.

Remember that their aims and strategies may have changed as events unfolded.

 

1515-29	Henry's aims and strategies	Wolsey's aims and strategies
SPAIN
THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
THE TURKS
FRANCE
THE PAPACY