How Successful Were Wolseys Domestic Policies - 1400 Words

How successful were Wolsey’s domestic policies? Law One area that Wolsey did try to reform was England’s legal system. England mainly used common law at that time however civil law was seen as more modern and was favored in southern Europe. Civil law was used in the King’s council when it acted as a court of law. As Lord Chancellor Wolsey had oversight over the legal system in England. The law awakened Wolsey’s intellectual interest. He was a judge in the Chancery Court and handled disputes over wills, contracts and property. He had successfully reformed the Star Chamber where he was determined to get rid of corruption. He made it much fairer, cheaper and more efficient and was not afraid to take on the powerful. He had the Earl of†¦show more content†¦This was because most of the people that were responsible for the enclosures were rich landowners and were also MP’s. Also in 1523 money was needed for war against France so he needed parliaments support and he made a deal with Parliament to drop the investigation in return for a Parliamentary subsidy. In 1526 Wolsey tried to reintroduce his policy after the disruption caused by the amicable grant but declarations ordering the removal of enclosures were ignored by landowners. Overall I think that Wolsey was mostly unsuccessful although he did order the rebuilding of houses and the returning of land to arable farming but the landowners just ignored this and continued with the enclosures. He was also forced to accept all existing enclosures which meant that he had failed. Finances The problem that Wolsey faces was that the parliament taxes which was fifteenths and tenths did not produce enough income for what Henry VIII wanted like war. It was expected that the king would be able to finance his living from his own income, but provision was made for additional money for war and its cost this was called fifteenths and tenths. This parliamentary tax grant was for special occasions like war. These were fixed rates that were paid by towns and boroughs but it was not enough for what Henry wanted. Wolsey was frequently under pressure to increase the crown’s income. Wolsey had found a solution to the problem when he introduced a new parliamentary tax called the Subsidy.Show MoreRelatedDomestic Policy Under Cardinal Thomas Wolsey Was a Failure How Far Do You Agree with This Statement?2564 Words   |  11 Pages‘Domestic policy under Wolsey was a failure’. How far do you agree with this assessment? Wolsey was Henry VIII’s chief minister for 15 years and it’s fair to say that historians have, in general, been disappointed with his lack of achievement in the area of domestic affairs. Most argue that he devoted far too much of his time to foreign policy in order to establish, and then further boost his own personal power and increase his income, implying that more of his time should have been allocated toRead MoreBritain s Political And Religious Structure During The Tudor Era1657 Words   |  7 Pages(including Thomas Cromwell) had different impacts on Britain and the monarch, and the influence of them will be assessed in this essay. Thomas Wolsey was born in 1475, and rose his way the top. Before being made a cardinal, he became a priest and a successful politician, and he was the almoner (in charge of distributing funds to the poor) when Henry came to the throne in 1509. Wolsey held several important positions. He was the Bishop of Lincoln, Canon of Windsor and also Prince Bishop of Durham. OneRead MoreHow Did England Change During The Reign Of Henry Viii4123 Words   |  17 PagesHow did England change during the reign of Henry VIII? The reign of the Tudors control over England lasted a total of 118 years, starting with Henry VII in 1485 and finishing with the death of Elizabeth I in 1603 who had no heir to the throne [1]. A lot of the change, to make or become different[2], accounted for during this period was due to Henry VIII and his hard headed approach to politics and religion and his passion to be remembered as a warrior and famous king. Henry VIII is famous for having