Thomas Cromwell: Servant to Henry VIII

by David Loades

Thomas Cromwell was a self-made lawyer, who served first Cardinal Wolsey and then Henry VIII. His time with Wolsey was an apprenticeship that served him well in his work for the king, after the Cardinal’s fall from power in 1529. Cromwell’s time in office from 1530 until his execution in 1540 was one of the most crucial periods in English history.

This biography explores how he tried to manage his relationship with Henry VIII and why he failed. It also shows how he manipulated the politics of the court that eventually destroyed him. The rise and fall of the Boleyns, the dominance of the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the executions of Thomas More and John Fisher all play their part in Thomas Cromwell’s life. Eventually he overreached himself in his patronage of evangelical preachers, and in arranging Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves, which played a crucial part in his fall and death in July 1540.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Tudor Period

352 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2013

About the author

David Michael Loades was a British historian who specialised in the Tudor era. After military service in the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1955, Loades studied at the University of Cambridge. In the 1960s and 1970s he taught at the universities of St. Andrews and Durham. From 1980 until 1996 Loades was Professor of History at the University of Wales; after taking emeritus status, Loades served as Honorary Research Professor at the University of Sheffield from 1996 until 2008.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 4 out of 5]

”Master Cromwell...you are now entered into the service of a most noble, wise and liberal prince… you shall in your counsel given unto his grace ever tell him what he ought to do, but never what he is able to do...for if a lion knew his strength, hard were it for any man to rule him.”
---Sir Thomas More


Thomas Cromwell by Hans Holbein

Thomas Cromwell has been dead for 478 years, yet his name still evokes a smidgen of fear in my belly. He became so powerful at one point that people discussed very quietly the two-headed beast (Henry VIII and Cromwell) running England. Right up until the point that Cromwell is hauled away to the Tower, he was the most influential advisor to the king.

Cromwell’s problem was he got mixed up in the business of the wives of the king, and when he was able to do exactly what Henry wanted, which was usually to clear the way for the next one, he was fine, but once he showed some resistance to one wife being booted for another, then he was subjecting himself to the wrath of one of the most petulant, self-indulgent kings to ever wear an English crown.

And believe me that is saying something.

The fascination that people have with Henry VIII and his wives never seems to wane. I’ve never been a fan of the Tudors. I feel my lip curl up in a grimace, or maybe the beginnings of a snarl, every time I run across some reference to the bloated pisspot.

I can only say that because Cromwell is dead. His large ears are long stilled.

Is that a pounding I hear at yonder door?
Just the wind.

I do though have a fascination with the enigmatic, hyper intelligent, ruthless Thomas Cromwell. He rose as high as a self-made man of low birth can rise. His first boss, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, valued his counsel and his adaptability to situations. Wolsey fell out of favor with Henry VIII when he failed to achieve the annulment of the king’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Anne Boleyn, that mischievous, ambitious, cock-tease, convinced Henry that Wolsey was dragging his feet in the process. She was not a patient woman, but then maybe she was starting to run out of excuses to keep Henry from plucking her rose before she had a crown nestled down on her auburn tresses.


Anne Boleyn

I’m sure Cromwell took note of the downfall of Wolsey, so it is interesting that he too became a victim of kingly, pettish, spousal dissatisfaction.

Is that the sound of mail-clad fingers tapping at my window?
For the love of all that is holy, it is but an errant branch from a maple tree.

With the major religious schism that Henry caused, along with his dissolution of the monasteries and nunneries, he made many enemies domestically and abroad. As he lopped off the heads of wives, it also became more difficult to find an alliance with a foreign power. Kings were known for using their daughters unmercifully as political pawns, but even the most hard hearted father would have a difficult time subjected his daughter to that ulcerated, fickle headed, imbecile in England.

My Scottish Terrier has just raced to the drawbridge. I can only hope she can hold them off long enough for me to finish and post this review. There will be some bloody ankles, I’ll wager, before they can reach my chamber door.

Cromwell survived the beheading of Anne Boleyn, despite the fact that she was instrumental in his rise to high office. David Loades said it was her head or his, but I think it was more a matter of both their heads rolling together, so it was only practical to save the one that could be saved, his own. A wagon tethered can be quickly untethered, as Cromwell later learned with his own “supporters” when his time came. Next was Jane Seymour, whom Henry married one day after Anne’s head rolled across the stone pavers of the Tower. Seymour gave Henry a son.

Hallelujah! God be praised. Peace can now reign upon the land.
Not quite.

Seymour died in childbirth and became the only one of his wives to receive a queen’s funeral. As much as I hate to attribute any human qualities to Henry, I do believe he truly mourned the death of Jane. She never had a chance to displease him, and she did give him that much cherished son, sickly and fragile though he be, who would hopefully secure the throne of England in Tudor hands. After all, there were still plenty of Plantagenets lurking about. Usurpers, who Henry’s father was, as he took the throne by conquest from the last Plantagenet king, Richard III, never rested easy in their hold on power.

Usurpers are like everyone else beset by insecurities; most of us would fit that description, who believe that any minute some toothless crone from the back of a ruly crowd is going to yell the words…FRAUD.


Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein. She may not have the face that launched a thousand ships, but still, come on Henry, she’s not mugly!

So Cromwell was not resting easily with the future of the kingdom residing on the slender, shaking shoulders of Henry’s son, Edward, and pressed Henry to remarry. The Duke of Cleves was in dispute with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, with whom Henry was having issues, but then who didn’t he have issues with? So the Duke’s daughter, Anne, was a good strategic match on paper. Henry did dispatch the court painter, Hans Holbein, to get real likenesses of all the potential queens of England. Either Holbein was too flattering in his portrayal of Anne or Henry was just not mentally in the mood for the match from the beginning. You have all heard of love at first sight. Well, Henry experienced loathing at first sight. Months later, he swore the marriage was never consummated due to the inability of Henry to mask his repugnance long enough to get the English flag to rise.

He might have tried extinguishing the candles, lying back, and thinking of England.

Meanwhile, Henry became enamored with the 17 year old Catherine Howard, who seemed to have put the lead back in the royal poxy pencil.

Here we go again.

I cannot deny the battering at my door. I must hurry!

So…”Cromwell was quite prepared to act ruthlessly, even when political and religious issues were not involved, but he was always concerned to use the due process of the law.” David Loades talked about what is known of the statesman and how little is known of the man himself. Hilary Mantel explored the man more than the statesman in her excellent duo of books Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. We saw the charitable man (he fed 200 men and women every day at his house, an early soup kitchen) and the man interested in intellectual pursuits. I couldn’t help but like, nay love, the man whom Mantel shared with us. Can a man be so ruthless in his politics and so kind in his private life?

I’d like to think so.

Loades did an excellent job of separating the myth from what can be proven and painted a portrait of a man who was the consummate loyal official. Cromwell, in the course of the dissolution, made sure that Henry retained enough lands to make him rich enough to not have to go begging for money from the royal families and made sure that those same families were rewarded with enough land that they would have to support the crown in the future. He made Henry the first English king to be Royal Supreme.


Thomas Cromwell, a man of no illusions.

Cromwell’s head was rather sloppily parted from his body. The executioner must have been an incompetent fool, or maybe Cromwell whispered in his ear that he would be coming for him from the afterlife and that made his hands slippery with sweat, but either way it was a botched job. Henry was soon remorseful at his impetuous, foolish decision to execute Cromwell. ”It was not long before Henry was regretting his precipitate action in getting rid of him. Policy continued to be in the king’s hands, but government would never be the same.”

Unhand me, you loutish brutes! A pox on all your whoreson houses! Could someone please send books to The Tower?!?!

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[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent biography of the man who could be said at one time to have been the power behind the throne. Indeed the sub-title of the book could just as aptly have been 'Puppet of Henry VIII' or 'Victim of Henry VIII'.

Very little is known of his school days but after spending some time in Europe dealing in English cloth he returned to England and went into legal practice from where he engineered himself into Henry VII's circle and thereafter held a number of important roles. It was after Sir Thomas More resigned as Lord Chancellor that he came more into prominence and o 14 April 1532 he became Master of the King's Jewels, his first important role with Henry. Two months later he was also appointed as Master of the King's Wards, a role that carried with it a great deal of Royal patronage.

He very quickly became known as the 'Mr Fixit' of the court before he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in April 1533 but it should be noted that this was not then the prestigious position which it was subsequently to become for it was then 'rather an administrative post of the second rank'. In the same year his responsibilities increased with his appointment as Recorder of Bristol, as a steward pf Westminster Abbey and finally, because of his proven usefulness, Henry's Principal Secretary.

By then he had his fingers in a variety of pies, not least the running of the church and in 1535 he was appointed Viceregent in Spirituals. He played a part in the removal of Catherine of Aragon, the downfall of Anne Boleyn and Henry's subsequent marriages to Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves. indeed it was his part in the last named marriage that caused his own downfall.

By then he was heavily involved in the religious wars, the rewriting of the Bible, he was responsible for the new translation that became the Great Bible in 1540 but his views were said to be diverging from those of Henry. As such when an opportunity presented itself for Henry to charge him with treason (following the Cleves' marriage), the king took it. And even though Cromwell had been knighted in 1537 and made Earl of Essex in April 1540, his fall from grace began in June 1540. With charges such as 'being a damnable heretic' and said to have been sowing 'sedition and variance among your true and loving subjects' and despite having some supporters, he had built up enough enemies to have little support when it came to the crunch. Consequently he was 'despatched by the axe' on Tower Green on 28 July 1540.

This is an enthralling biography of a complex character whose legacy was that for eight years his influence was supreme with Henry when 'the nation was absolutely controlled by him and he left the print of his individual genius stamped indelibly into the constitution of the country'.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Source: Free copy from Amberley in exchange for a review.

Summary:
Thomas Cromwell was born in 1485. There is little information known about Cromwell's early life, except in his own references made late in life. When Cromwell was in his mid-teens he left home, later settling in southern Italy and working in the household of a banker. He learned business and merchandising through an Italian merchant. Cromwell was intelligent and proficient in several languages.
Cromwell was practicing law in London in late 1512, and married by 1514. Three children were born, a son Gregory, with a date of birth as early as 1515, and two daughters, who later died in 1528.
David Loades remarks, "Gregory was later something of a disappointment to his father". I've pondered this remark. It is mentioned by the author that Thomas Cromwell's father was a difficult man "not an easy man to live with", could it have been Thomas was also a difficult man and father, considering his type-A personality? Personality traits, behavior patterns, are often passed down through generations.
Thomas Cromwell and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, began a "connection" probably because of Cromwell's legal knowledge. Cromwell's influence and rank expanded and in 1530 he was in Henry VIII's service. It was Cromwell who helped to end Henry's marriage to Katherine of Aragon. It was Cromwell who helped Henry marry Anne Boleyn. It was Cromwell who helped bring about Anne's death. Cromwell continued to help Henry achieve what he desired until he stepped out of the boundaries of Henry's limitations and patience. In 1540, Thomas Cromwell was executed.
Thomas Cromwell Servant to Henry VIII, covers the period of time when: Henry proclaimed himself "Supreme Head and Protector of the Church", his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and marriage to Anne Boleyn and then its dissolve, the negotiations of Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves, William Tyndale and the movement to create a readable and available New Testament Bible, the growing Protestant movement, and the termination of monasteries.

My Thoughts:
Before finishing the review I spent quite a bit of time reading further about Thomas Cromwell. I listened to a video of David Loades and Hilary Mantel (link is below). I read several blogs and websites with information on Thomas Cromwell. I was not seeking to discredit the book, but was seeking to gain additional knowledge through other resources.
When I first began reading Thomas Cromwell Servant to Henry VIII, I only knew a thimble full of information on him. I knew he was apart of Henry VIII"s council, that he was a primary instigator of bringing down Anne Boleyn, and that he was very much disliked by Anne Boleyn fans.
Whether we like Thomas Cromwell or not, his duty was to achieve Henry VIII's wishes. Henry VIII would not have had anyone in his council who did not achieve his gains. Their job was not to ask why, but carry out the desired mission.
After reading Thomas Cromwell Servant to Henry VIII, I've put together a list of personality traits of Cromwell.
1. Logical.
2. Analytic.
3. Observant.
4. Organized.
5. Intelligent.
6. Focused.
7. Determined.
8. Calculating.
Before he began a career in Henry VIII's council. There is a story told that Cromwell tempted the Pope with sweetmeats, and was able to gain a favor. This incident revealed to me Thomas Cromwell was an astute observer of people, and he capitalized on other people's weaknesses for his advancement and agenda. Cromwell was a logical and calculating person, he did not allow emotion to thwart his judgment. Anne Boleyn was emotionally charged and driven; in addition, she was not obedient at remaining silent. Cromwell knew this about her and used it for his gain.

Thomas Cromwell Servant to Henry VIII, was written to give a solid academic view of the real Thomas Cromwell, and not a historical fiction entertaining Thomas Cromwell. I feel David Loades has written an excellent biography on Thomas Cromwell.
David Loades has a strong knowledge of Tudor History. He studied under the tutelage of Geoffrey Elton.
Geoffrey Elton, was known for being a traditionalist in history, seeking at great lengths to be "objective" in the truth.

The last chapter in the book is chapter nine, Historiography, make sure you read this chapter, it's an engaging chapter on those who've previously studied and written on Thomas Cromwell.

[Helene Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review - A few minor errors, mainly when discussing the fall of Anne Boleyn. One minute she was accused with four men, the next with six; yet the historical record tells us five with two arrested but not prosecuted. Nevertheless, Loades writes clearly and concisely and the range of sources he uses is very good. His citations are also accurate and easy to read with an extensive bibliography, and a great range of images of people and places.

General Subject/s? - History / Politics / Tudors / Biography

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 16/20

[Brendan Sheehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great academic work providing a compelling argument that the Machiavellian depiction of Cromwell is not accurate. Further, I always thought he was more radical than Loades' argues persausively.

[Donna Pingry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly interesting in the beginning but lost my attention about half way through. Probably my fault.