The Rise of Wolsey
How Thomas Wolsey rose to become the leading minister of Henry VIII: his roles and wealth, his reforms of justice and finance, and the failure of the Amicable Grant.
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The rise of Wolsey 📜
Thomas Wolsey rose from humble beginnings to become the most powerful minister of Henry VIII. He was talented and hardworking, and he made himself useful to the king by taking on the daily burden of government.
Words for a minister 🔑
Learn these four terms before you judge the rise of Wolsey.
Successes and failures 🆚
Wolsey achieved a great deal, but he also failed at times.
Grade 9 thinking 💡
To reach the top grades, weigh the reforms of Wolsey against his failures, then judge how successful he really was as a minister.
Match the role to its meaning 🔗
- Cardinal
- Lord Chancellor
- Archbishop of York
- papal legate
- a senior churchman just below the Pope
- the chief minister and head of justice
- the leading bishop of the north of England
- the representative of the Pope in England
Match the reform to its effect 🧩
- Court of Star Chamber
- Eltham Ordinances
- the subsidy
- enclosure enquiries
- gave fairer, cheaper justice to ordinary people
- reformed and cut the cost of the royal household
- a fairer tax based on ability to pay
- investigated landowners who fenced off shared land
Why did Wolsey rise? ❓
What best explains why Wolsey rose to power?
- He was talented and made himself useful to Henry by running daily government.
- He was born into the most powerful noble family.
- He won famous victories as an army general.
The reforms of Wolsey ✅
Select the TWO reforms introduced by Wolsey.
- Fairer justice through the Court of Star Chamber.
- Reform of the royal household through the Eltham Ordinances.
- Closing all the monasteries.
- Building the first royal navy.
Order the rise and fall 🪜
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Summarise the ministry 📝
Wolsey rose because he was useful to _____. He became a _____ and Lord Chancellor. He gave fairer justice through the _____ and reformed the household with the Eltham _____. In 1525 the Amicable _____ was refused.
Count the years 🔢
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Spot the reforms 🖍️
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Role, reform or failure? 🧭
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Assess Wolsey ✍️
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