Through assessing and evaluating the rule of Henry VIII, it can be seen that he does not justify for the title ‘Henry the Great’, to a significant extent. Henry’s intimate and brutal ruling, poor connection with the people, his lack of involvement in the government and although young, was not concerned with running the country, all proves to show that he is not worthy of the title ‘Henry the Great’. Nonetheless, the outcome of Henry VIII’s religious and political reforms of England proves to make him worthy of being ‘great’. Henry VIII’s intimate and brutal rule and his perception of being both physically and socially above everyone else, hence concludes him contemptible of the title ‘Henry the Great’. Henry’s rule was very intimate and brutal, …show more content…
Through King Henry’s government, he was not overly involved, and believed it could be left to trusted and loyal men once they knew the king’s intentions and would implement them. An excerpt from The Tudor Chronicles, by Susan Doran demonstrates the way that Cardinal Thomas Wolsey made an impact towards politics and his role within the government. His undisputed rule and Wolsey’s ‘governmental and political skills led to the advancement in the Church and the state’. As he was his ‘most trusted minister’, he gave much power and influence to him and Henry delegated his state business and mundane tasks to Wolsey. This not only shows that Henry’s government was very much dependent on the ministers and sub-leaders but also that he was a very lethargic king in the way that he gave near-complete control to Thomas Wolsey, thus proving him to not be worthy of a ‘great’ king in the governmental realm. Henry always began his rule by seeking advisors or ministers, ‘Office of Lord Chancellor (the king’s head of government)’ on most matters and would end it with absolute control, execution or redundant acts or proceedings. Through the pre-determined interpretation and the heavy reliance on Henry’s trusted ministers, thus proving him of an unworthy king to be considered …show more content…
Henry VIII exuded a charismatic and athleticism and a diverse appetite for art, music and sport but after proceeding as King, he began his rule seeking advisers on most matters and would end it with absolute control. A drawing representing ‘Henry, jousting during a tournament held in 1511…’ supports the following. King Henry VIII was ‘more interested in jousting rather than running the country’ and did not care about the important issue at hand – governing England, thus proving himself unworthy of being considered ‘great’. However the primary source written by a Venetian diplomat, Pasqualigo admires Henry’s qualities and demonstrates his young and healthy figure, ‘…draws the bow with greater strength than any man in England, and jousts marvellously. Believe me he is in every respect a most accomplished Prince’. Young Henry, although was heavily involved in sideline interests, stepped away from the role of a King and threw all his responsibilities and roles away. Although in his younger years, his personality and youth brought great vigour to the court, Henry did not successfully fill the role of the King of England and therefore not being worthy of a ‘great’ king in his earlier
When we look at Henry as a king we have to look in the context of
The father and son relationship is one of the most important aspects through the youth of a young man. In Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, he portrays the concept of having "two fathers". King Henry is Hal’s natural father, and Falstaff is Hal’s moral father. Hal must weigh the pros and cons of each father to decide which model he will emulate. Falstaff, who is actually Hal’s close friend, attempts to pull Hal into the life of crime, but he refuses.
Henry V is not a simple one as it has many aspects. By looking into
Henry II was known as one of England’s greatest kings. Along with being king of England, he was also Count of Anjou, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Duke of Normandy, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland, and controlled little bits of Western France and Scotland. He was most famous for his legal administrative systems, his long disputes with the Church, and his dramatic turmoil with his family. One of his greatest quotes was, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”
To be a good king you have to manage your money well and keep your country in order like stop rebellions happening, Henry succeeded with this at the start of his reign but as time passed greed and the control took over. He spent a lot of money on wars against France and a lot of money was spent on his banquets
Though King Richard II and King Henry V are both highly theatrical figures in their public performance as kings, both monarchs exemplify different “fictions of kingship.” In the two plays, Shakespeare effectively conveys divergent means by which a king can be a bad and tyrannical leader and by which a king can be a good and just leader. King Richard II proves to be an unsuccessful ruler, because he is too preoccupied with his own wants and desires and shows no redeeming qualities of suitable king. Contrarily, King Henry V proves to be a successful ruler, for his motives and actions are driven by politics and the overall well being of the common folk. While both monarchs are men of words, they use their rhetoric for profoundly different purposes. In contrasting the two men, it can be seen with clarity the distinguishing characteristics that separate the two kings from one another.
Kamps, Ivo. "Possible Pasts: Historiography and Legitimation in Henry VIII." College English 58: 2 (February 1996): 192-216.
More so, Henry’s spineless personality set up the primal foundations for his lack of factional control creating a ‘battleground for factional disputes’11 as discussed by Starkey. In strong parallel to Henry, his father, Henry VII is described by Starkey to have had a ‘strong devotion to affairs’12, who worked hard to….. Ironically as soon as young Henry VIII came to the throne, his initially act was to ‘sent his father’s most trusted ministers to the block’13, enhancing Starkey’s argument that Henry was in fact feeble and lacking
Henry VIII is approached as one of the most dependable kings in English history. The king was determined to have his name carried on with male heir. This led him to doing something that no one ever had dared to do during the 1400s and 1500s. After establishing that his first wife Catherine of Aragon was not able to bare him a son, he wanted to divorce. Henry asked Pope Clement to divorce him and his wife but the pope refused. By the king being so determined to continue the tradition it persuade him to do something. King Henry VIII hopelessness to divorce his first wife drove him to becoming head of The Church of England. This paper will examine his early life, the purpose of the church
Despite Henry’s brutal actions such as killing two of his wives, it is true that he achieved many accomplishments in various areas such as religion, politics, and military. He started the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536 which gradually made England wealthy. The Mary Rose which was the first English gunship was built between 1509 and 1511 and earned the title “Father of English Navy” because of his great success in France invasion. Moreover, because Henry didn’t like nobles having great power, he increased the power of Parliament and of course for himself. Even though he achieved several accomplishments, these accomplishments don’t be recognized as much because of his many brutal actions that he did to his wives and citizens in
Through the conduit of Henry’s speeches and diction, Shakespeare depicts the monarch as a benevolent leader. Before the English invasion of Westmoreland, Henry articulates his passion for the English cause
When his father died in 1509, Henry Tudor VIII became King Henry VIII (“Young Henry VIII”). When Henry took the throne, he gave most of the responsibility to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. He did this because as a 17 year old boy, he felt he wasn’t ready for all of that responsibility at once (Sommerville). Even though he was king, he had no desire to know the everyday problems of England. One of Henry’s biggest accomplishments as king was implementing a naval fleet.
Henry VIII, a man known throughout history for his multitude of marriages and disregard for women, his separation from the RCC which sparked the beginning of the Reformation, and his favor for public executions. Although his negative actions are what he is most commonly known for, it is not all that defines who Henry VIII was. Henry VIII, King of England from 21 April 1509 to his death, January 28, 1547, was married to six women over his lifetime and he ruled for 37 years. Even though Henry VIII caused some prosperity in England during his rule, that does not make him a good leader. The methods for his progression, whether is be good or bad, as a leader were unethical, immoral and above all in complete ignorance for the wishes of his people.
Initially, Henry seemed like a good person, who was responsible, intelligent, and a worthy king. He has a less than
Out of all evil comes good. Should Henry V be considered a good king? Henry the V is a good leader, and king, and this is shown through his courage, loyalty, and unity. Henry went from an insecure child to an full grown male fit to be the king he was always meant to become. “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, or close the wall up with our English dead! In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness, and humility, but when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger. Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage, then lend the eye a terrible aspect, let it pry through the portage of the head like the brass cannon, let the brow o’erwhelm