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
Degree Program
History
Format
Identifier
DP0029031
Language
English
Release Date
12-15-2024
Access Status
Thesis
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Rodriguez, Jeremy M., "Henry VIII & Rulership: A Contemporary Perspective of His Reign, 1509-1537" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024. 65.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2024/65
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