6 Henry VI: 'Under-Mighty Monarch'

6 Henry VI: 'Under-Mighty Monarch'

1. For the first 16 years of his reign Henry was a minor, thus did not have a say on what must be done

   • When he reached his majority in 1437 he came under the influence of favourites such as Duke of Somerset + Duke of Suffolk
     • The effective running of government remained in the hands of noble ministers
       • Leading to tension + rivalry at court between powerful + ambitious nobles - which the king seemed unable to manage + control

2. Unchecked political rivalry could turn into personal animosity

   • In 1447 - Henry's uncle Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester was brought down by his rival at court, Somerset's uncle Cardinal Henry Beaufort - Henry did nothing to help his uncle, who died in mysterious circumstances before who could be tried for treason

3. Henry seemed incapable of judging people + situations:

   • He mistook Cardinal Beaufort's offer to lend substantial sums of money as friendship not means to control him
     • By 1444 - He had lent the Crown various sums = in excess of £200,000 - only part of which had been repaid
   • He misunderstood the seriousness of the rivalry between York + Somerset
     • His failure to heal the rift + pacify the 2 warring dukes contributed to the outbreak of civil war
   • He mishandled the war in France by resuming it in 1449 - resulted in the loss of Normandy + the fall of Suffolk (the Crown's chief adviser) who took some of the blame for the failure

4. His wife Margaret was too a factor in promoting the impression of an 'under-mighty monarch'

   • She was a formidable woman + her strong will + domineering personality made him appear even weaker + indecisive
   • As the marriage went on such came to exercise a greater degree of influence over her husband
     • Some nobles (like York + Norfolk) resented her meddling in affairs of state + her close relationship + promotion of in 1448 (partly a rewarded for arranging her marriage)
   • Due to her increasing influence at court, Henry sought advice from an ever-decreasing circle of nobles
   • The excluded became increasingly resentful, but she brushed them aside
   • Her political skill came to the fore during Henry's mental incapacity