Henry VIII: British Society in the Sixteenth Century

Fifty-six years, six wives, eight children, and a horrible disease that consumed his life. Sound like a horrible ruler to you? Henry VIII was one of the most influential and greatest rulers ever known in Britain, or the world alike. His royal court was the center of attention for all Renaissance culture, and his kingdom prospered and grew, in ways never dreamed of before. He introduced the Protestant religion into Britain, and even forced it with the act of supremacy, which declared the crown as head of church and state. He was educated to become a clergyman, but when all other qualified rulers died in his family, the crown was passed to him. His father, Henry VII, and mother, Elizabeth of York, never intend

Diplomacy was another subject greatly touched by Henry VIII. The main targets for Henry were France, Scotland, and Ireland. The relations with these countries were for the most part, improved by Henry. In Henry's time, the memories of the Wars of the Roses were still fresh. The Wars of the Roses were a series of English civil wars between the noble houses of York and London. The name came from the different color roses of the houses, white for London, red for York. No on in England wanted another civil war and neither did Henry. One of the reasons for the Wars of the Roses was France. With a long and vacillating history of diplomacy with France, the two noble houses opposed each other on what decision to make on France. York wished to invade France, and go to war, and London wished to remain neutral, and go to peace talks. On this topic the houses feuded, and eventually took arms against each other, with London finally securing the victory, and re-uniting Britain. Henry took a new approach to diplomacy with France, he had none. He let the French come to him, and they did. French nobles and rulers alike came and had talks with Henry, and there was peace between the nations, for the first time in a very long era. In all the years of Henry's rule, there were no wars or discontent in a major way between the two nations, a great accomplishment for both the parties involved. Scotland was also of interest to Henry, with its hostile nobles, warring clans, and un-chivalrist, un-technological Highlanders. To England, Scotland was an antediluvian nation that would benefit from British rule. Henry believed this, but left Scotland to be ruled by itself. Some were against Henry's decisions, but noble and peasant alike, none wished another British and Scottish conflict. So Henry left the Scots to themselves, and there was relative peace between the two nations. The Scots did well on their own, yet some believed they would do better under British rule, including Henry himself, but none would challenge Henry's authority, and wage a war over the control of the Scots. Ireland was a whole other topic of discussion for Henry. Ireland had long been under uncivil British rule. They were oppressed, suffered, and treated as if they were a group of dairy cows. Henry did not wish to give the Irish back their own rule, and done not want to be as horribly oppressive as other rulers were. He allowed them free reign of their military, taking away the restraints on Ireland and their right to defend themselves. He allowed persons of wealth to hold title and land in Ireland, and loosened the taxes the Irish had to pay to Britain. The Irish were very happy with this, and for the most part it worked out for the better for England as well. Henry VIII was very good with diplomacy, and England saw itself prosper from it vastly.

With the creation of new titles, mainly those being purchased, rather than being hereditarily transferred, Nobles sprouted out of Britain, at a rate never seen before. Unlike Scotland in this time, the Nobles were relatively peaceful, and got along rather well. One guess as to why this was was that Henry could not stand his own Nobleman acting like savages and fighting with each other. With the implementation of Manorial Lordships, and the abolition of Serfdoms, Nobles were faced with a new problem, who to build their castles? Castle building before Henry was left to serfs, and not paid for at all by the Baron himself. It was expected of the serfs to perform the building for their Lord. With Serfdoms abolished, Nobles had to go in search both in their kingdoms, and throughout Britain, for a skilled architect, as well as dozens of skilled workers, materials, and the hundreds of manual laborers needed to construct the massive castle. From thus forth, the stereotypical stone castle was left mostly to those of vast wealth and title. Most nobles, were not wealthy enough to afford a castle, would bu

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Approximate Word count = 2885
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)