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The Foreign Policy of Wolsey

The aims, successes and later difficulties of the foreign policy Wolsey ran for Henry VIII: the Treaty of London, the Field of the Cloth of Gold, and the troubles of the 1520s.

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What you'll cover

The foreign policy of Wolsey 📜

As chief minister, Wolsey ran the foreign policy of Henry VIII. He aimed to make England important in Europe, to keep the balance of power, and to win glory for the king. His early triumphs were later followed by difficulties.

Words for policy abroad 🔑

Learn these four terms before you judge the foreign policy.

Successes and failures 🆚

The foreign policy of Wolsey had clear high points and later setbacks.

Grade 9 thinking 💡

To reach the top grades, weigh the early successes of the foreign policy against the later failures, then judge how successful Wolsey really was abroad.

Match the event to its meaning 🔗

  • Treaty of London
  • Field of the Cloth of Gold
  • Holy Roman Empire
  • Amicable Grant
  • a wide peace treaty arranged in 1518
  • a lavish summit with France in 1520
  • the realm ruled by Charles V
  • a forced tax to fund war that failed

Match the aim to its meaning 🧩

  • glory for Henry
  • balance of power
  • peacemaker
  • importance in Europe
  • raising the fame of the king
  • keeping no single country too strong
  • arranging peace among rival states
  • making England count among the great powers

An aim abroad ❓

What was an aim of the foreign policy of Wolsey?

  • To make England important in Europe.
  • To conquer and rule all of France permanently.
  • To cut England off from Europe entirely.

The successes abroad ✅

Select the TWO successes of the foreign policy of Wolsey.

  • The Treaty of London in 1518.
  • The Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520.
  • Closing the monasteries.
  • The permanent conquest of France.

Order the events abroad 🪜

An interactive activity.

Summarise the policy 📝

Wolsey aimed to make England important in _____. In 1518 he arranged the Treaty of _____. In 1520 the Field of the Cloth of _____ showed English wealth. Later he was caught between France and the _____, and the Amicable _____ was refused.

Europe London Gold Empire Grant France Pope Cromwell monasteries glory

Count the years 🔢

An interactive activity.

Spot the successes 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Aim, success or failure? 🧭

An interactive activity.

Assess the foreign policy ✍️

An interactive activity.