Keywords

Henry VIII, rulership, political history, annulment crisis, Pilgrimage of Grace

Abstract

Henry VIII is one of the most infamous monarchs in English history, known by both medievalist and modernists. Historians have spent decades toiling over if Henry was a “good” monarch, attempting to either argue his strength or his weakness as a monarch. Instead of focusing on what he may or may not be in terms of his morality and effectiveness, this thesis looks at Henry’s reign by considering the political landscape he was born into. It considers the political culture in late medieval and early modern England to assess his rulership in the context of contemporary political thought. Using works written by political thinkers such as Erasmus, Aegidius Romanus, and John Fortescue, this thesis creates a framework of prevailing political expectations based off these works to evaluate Henry’s rulership. Utilizing as case studies the annulment crisis, analyzing power relations with Thomas Cromwell, the dissolution of the monasteries, and the Pilgrimage of Grace, the framework will be used to construct a better understanding of Henry’s reign. In doing so, it reframes Henry’s rulership into one of necessity for political stability, arguing that Henry VIII measures up to the expectations of a late medieval and early modern English monarch.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Larson, Peter

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

History

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029031

Language

English

Release Date

12-15-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Subjects

Kings and rulers--Historiography; Monarchy--Historiography; Kings and rulers--Research; Politics and government--Historiography; Kings and rulers--Influence

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