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The Rise of Cromwell

How Thomas Cromwell rose from serving Wolsey to become the Chief Minister of Henry VIII between 1529 and 1534, by solving the problem of the annulment.

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The rise of Cromwell 📜

Thomas Cromwell rose quickly between 1529 and 1534. He had served Wolsey, then entered royal service, won a seat in Parliament, and joined the Royal Council. By solving the problem of the annulment, he became the Chief Minister of Henry VIII.

Words for a rising minister 🔑

Learn these four terms before you judge the rise of Cromwell.

Ability and opportunity 🆚

Cromwell rose through both his own talent and a lucky opening.

Grade 9 thinking 💡

To reach the top grades, weigh the ability of Cromwell against the opportunity the annulment gave him, then judge which mattered more to his rise.

Match the step to what it was 🔗

  • served Wolsey
  • became an MP
  • joined the Royal Council
  • became Chief Minister
  • worked as a lawyer and adviser to Wolsey
  • won a seat in Parliament
  • joined the chief advisers of the king
  • became the most powerful minister

Match the term to its meaning 🧩

  • annulment
  • break with Rome
  • Parliament
  • influence
  • a ruling that a marriage was never valid
  • ending the authority of the Pope in England
  • the body that makes the laws
  • the power to shape the decisions of the king

Why did Cromwell rise? ❓

What best explains why Cromwell rose to power so quickly?

  • He was a skilled minister who solved the problem of the annulment.
  • He was born a duke with great lands.
  • He was a famous army commander.

Steps to power ✅

Select the TWO steps that took Cromwell to power.

  • He won a seat in Parliament.
  • He joined the Royal Council.
  • He became a monk.
  • He was crowned king.

Order the rise 🪜

An interactive activity.

Summarise the rise 📝

Cromwell first served _____. He then won a seat in _____ and joined the Royal _____. By solving the _____, he became the Chief _____ of Henry.

Wolsey Parliament Council annulment Minister Rome Pope monastery king army

Count the years 🔢

An interactive activity.

Spot the steps in his rise 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Early career, annulment or rise? 🧭

An interactive activity.

Assess the rise ✍️

An interactive activity.