Thomas Cromwell and government reform: rise and Elton's thesis

Cromwell

• Obscurity to power
• -After Wolsey's death only Cromwell could sort out Henry's legal matter - got Henry's attention
• -Recruited to the court
• -1533 - major influence over the King
• -Informal rise to power
• -Problem solver - realistic solution to the Great matter - break
• -Shrewd politician
• -Principe secretary to the King - direct service, this means he controlled whoever else had the power to the King
• -Built up his procession meaning 100's of people dependent
• -July 1536 - Baron Cromwell & Lord Privy Seal
• Thomas Cromwell Introduction:
• -presented as an ambitious go getter who gained, Henry's favour by offering to make him the richest in the world.
• -By despoiling the Churches in the dissolution of the monasteries
• -Relied on a ruthless system of repression that rested on spiers and resulted in hundred of innocent victims being executed
• -Very important period in development of Government
• -Elton believed Cromwell was a very able politician who began a revolution of Government

Cromwell

• Eltons Thesis:
• -Elton believed Cromwell was an able politician bringing 'revolution'
• -Elton said he brought in a series of reforms at Gov level moving it form a more mediveal practice to a modern form of Government
• -Elton belived Cromwell reforms one of the 3 major reforms
• -Modern Governements are based on theses rules and procedures
• -Cromwell introduced Bureaucratic Model:
• --departments recieved money from pre-specified sources, paid at money for reasons sacked
• -Each department rigoursly audited
• --Set up by admister the lands and rights that have come to the crown
• --2 most famous departments (augmentations and Fruits and tenneths) to look after Henry's income from the church
• --legal status to afjust over disputes given title court
• --Elton belived the reforms took away the medieval forms of Governem
• Cromwell's rise to prominence:
• -Very little known about early life in Putiny
• -Cromwell left England to travel the continent
• -joined the French Army and fought in Battle Gangain, Italy
• -Settled in Iataly and entered households of Cloth merchants. Cromwell journeyed to the Netherlands
• -Developed many businesses contracts living among English merchants
• -In 1515 returned to England & married Elizabeth Williams
• -1520 established Londons merchant community as business agent. Legal work money lendering - catching Wolseys attnetion
• -1523 Cromwell entered the Hoc - a year later appointed Wolseys legal advisor
• -1525-1529 - Cromwell rose to be one of the most senior & trusted advisors
• -When Cromwell saw Wolsey fell it showed that he neither became desprate and incactive
• -Wanted to advance his own claims & brings attention to the King and new leading figure in COurt
• -He wished to be in position to defend the intrests of his former minister

Slide 3

• Serving the King:
• -The Spring 1533 shows the major influence Cromwell had began to had began to have strong influence over the King
• -Cromwell did not secure his promotion by successive appointment to a series of statemetn offices
• -He had a selection of minor offices which brought modest incomes
• -Cromwells rise must have been of informal means
• -Agruably he won the King over as he was really good at solving problems
• -Cromwell gave a realistic approach to Henry's divorce