The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Henry VIII 1509-1515 Essay

The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Henry VIII 1509-1515 There are many differing views of Henry VIII, some people see him as a scholar and others as a jovial and merry king. Each of these opinions views different characteristics of Henry VIII that contributed to his strengths and weaknesses. Henry, when he succeeded the throne had several problems that he had to address. There was also much expectation of him as his father had been viewed as a miser and a repressor and people saw the need for dramatic change. Ian Dawson says that at the change of monarch there was a sense of breaking free from imprisonment so much was the relief of Henry VIII s succession. One of the most obvious strengths†¦show more content†¦This shows how much his allegiance was valued on the continent. Also helping his foreign policy was after much debate of who he would marry the marriage of his brothers widow Catherine of Aragon and himself. This helped secure ties with the Spanish. His sister Mary was married to the king of France in 1514. Henry had no intention of giving the nobles back power so another strength he had was that he was an all-powerful figure. Prof. Ronald Hutton says he managed the nobility by honouring and flattering them. Henry went through Parliament to get reforms when he wanted them. By doing this he increased power of democracy as well as for himself. The early years of Henrys reign saw great rivalry amongst the noblemen to secure Henrys favour and to try to regain power, which Henry VII had taken away. They saw the opportunity of manipulating the new king into restoring what they had had. Henry was a dominating person which helped him fit into a kingly image, he was much taller than was average at the time and was muscular too giving the idea of him being strong. He was always trying to impress people, particularly foreign ambassadors, chiefly by his lavish court and rich life style. Dawson says he would play the part of a warrior hero. He did this by war and leading his troops to battle in France. Also he was seen as a scholar and an intellectual that was a side ofShow MoreRelatedIn the context of the years 1485 to 1603 to what extent was the government of England dysfunctional in the mid-Tudor period?3559 Words   |  15 Pagesthought that the years between 1547 and 1558 were ones of crisis. With the succession of a child and the first woman within England, people have assumed that the years between Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were an unproductive interlude. The mid Tudor period is seen as negative years within the Tudor Dynasty. It is regarded that Henry VIII an d Elizabeth I’s reputations were a factor in why historians such as A.F Pollard and S T Bindoff supported the ‘Mid Tudor Crisis’ . The ‘two little Tudors’, referring