Thomas Cromwell

by Robert Hutchinson

The son of a brewer, Thomas Cromwell rose from obscurity to become the confidant of the King and one of the most influ ential men in British history. Cromwell drafted the law that allowed Henry VIII to divorce his first wife and marry Anne Boleyn, setting into motion the brutal Pro testant Reformation. Over the course of his career, Cromwell amassed a fortune through bribery and theft, and created many enemies along the way. His fall was spectacular—beheaded out side the Tower of London, his boiled head was placed on a spike above the London Bridge.

Rich in incident and colorful detail, this is narrative history at its finest.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Tudor Period, Biography Memoir, British Literature, Renaissance

270 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Aviva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm surprised by the reviews of this book on this site. While I find the scholarship in this book to be admirable, I am perplexed by the author's open condemnation of his subject. His "editorial comments" and asides about Cromwell's supposed poor character, low birth, avarice, etc. are wholly unnecessary -- if Cromwell was indeed that bad, the facts should speak for themselves. Additionally, Cromwell, like all of us, was a product of his time and I'm not convinced he was truly any worse than the other ministers who served Henry VIII. Hutchinson has so far not proven he was, which is, perhaps, why he resorts to insisting so repeatedly.

Look at Norfolk, and how utterly contemptible his actions were. He and the Boleyns were entirely behind the proposal that the king marry Ann. Why? In order to gain more power and wealth for themselves. Norfolk, a devout Catholic, supported going against Rome purely for personal gain. So who in this picture is of good character? Who isn't motivated by greed, self-interest, a quest for power?

Cromwell, in addition, did everything he could to satisfy his master's demands and he was quite successful at it -- so successful, in fact, that against all odds, he rose to the very top of the king's inner circle.

I am far more interested in portraits that are three-dimensional and nuanced. This book tries very hard to tar Cromwell and it diminishes my enjoyment of it. I will finish this book but not likely read another by this author, as he is nowhere as disinterested as I would expect of a historian.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had recently read Hutchinson's 'The Last Days of Henry VIII' and liked it, so was quite happy to give this a try. 'Thomas Cromwell-The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII's most Notorious Minister', published 2007, is a very enjoyable read and a well researched biography on the career of Cromwell.
T.C. escaped the wreckage of Thomas Wolsey in 1529, to climb up the greasy Tudor ministerial pole.
Having risen to Lord Privy Seal, and finally Earl of Essex, his fall came, charged with treason in 1540.
Therefore the book covers a sizeable chunk of Henry's reign, from the 'Great Matter' pertaining Catherine of Aragon, the tenure of Anne Boleyn, the foundation of the English Reformation, the Dissolution of Monastic houses, the Boleyn trial, the Pilgrimage of Grace, the tenure of Jane Seymour, the introduction of the English bible and the very short tenure of Anne of Cleves. All the above came about in the 1530's and Cromwell was involved in all these events, as a humble Member of Parliament, then into the King's Council to Chancellor to Chief Secretary. His was the rags to riches rise to power not known before or since. It also highlights the adage of absolute power and corruption.
Hutchinson is an expert on the Reformation and Tudor history. His book is packed with primary source material. There are close on fifty pages of notes alone. Perhaps not bed-time reading material, but a great study of this period.

[Rhiannon D'Averc · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know, this book is very, very informative. If you want any facts - any facts at all - about Cromwell's life, you can find them here. In that sense, this book is very good.

However, I have two gripes regarding the layout, and the tone. There were far too many notes at the back, meaning you had to constantly flick backwards and forwards - to the extent that I ended up using two bookmarks, one for the main book and one for the notes. It would have benefitted from some of this detail being part of the main text instead, or having the notes at the bottom of each page.

The tone, as I have mentioned, was also a huge problem for me. If you're writing a biography about someone, do it about someone you like or admire - not someone you clearly despise. Some of his judgements were harsh and utterly unwarranted in a factual book.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of England's most important 'fixers', Thomas Cromwell's rehabilitation with the history-loving community has been significant - Hilary Mantel's fictional creation, on the page & screen, has helped no end in this reinterpretation - & has confounded many 'black & white' advocates for his eternal damnation as a 'lowly-born upstart' with megalomaniac fervour & thoroughness. The truth is more nuanced - charcoal-grey perhaps! - & Hutchinson's negative verdict is laced with a grudging admission that Cromwell was very much a man of his times, when England was a hot-bed of religious conflict, political imbalances & financial uncertainty...not to mention royal unpredictability! That Cromwell was able to survive & prosper for so long was a 'credit' to his cunning & politicking, and Henry VIII owed him his due rewards for dealing with such forces without ruining either his monarch or his country.
This is a fine, if short, assessment of, a 'most notorious minister' & a man who rose from nowhere to become the first 'lowly born' arbiter of England's emergence as a powerful nation, with some progressive notions of nationhood, sovereignty & religious freedom.

[Avis Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read it, but the author's hatred for his subject gets in the way so much that I gave up on it. Hutchinson should have just told the facts and let the readers make up their own minds. The writing comes across like one of those state-approved texts issued under the communist regimes of Stalin or Mao that told the reader, every inch of the way, what you were supposed to think about a person to prevent thoughtcrime. Man, is this ever annoying. The author seems convinced his readers are so stupid that they cannot be trusted to do their own thinking.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best Tudor time period biographies I have read and the one to read if you want to know more about Thomas Cromwell. The book is not dry at all, an easy read which is a bonus as far as non-fiction biographies go, The book goes into great detail about Cromwell's early life before Henry VIII and describes his determined rise to power and his downfall at the hands of the hateful Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. I learned a lot about Cromwell and even sympathized with him as I read about his motives and his never mentioned kind acts of charity to the poor. From his childhood to his botched execution Hutchinson guides the reader through the life and death of one of Henry VIII's most talked about and disliked minister's.

[Becky Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

After watching Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, I needed a non-fiction refresher.

[Peter Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really this is a book that does what it says on the tin. It is a good basic historical biography of Thomas Cromwell. It’s not overly ambitious and it doesn’t try to speculate beyond the limitations of the known facts. It also not reasonably assigns him credit where its due for things such as acts of loyalty, promotion of religious reformation, defence of the monarch of the day, modernising government, while equally also reporting; his own personal corruption, grudge bearing, scheming, personal aggrandisement etc, etc.

Several reviews criticise this book for what they see as its mixed messages and for not taking one clear position or another, I think rather that the book should be praised for presenting us with both the saint and the sinner, a mixture that is not uncommon in many humans.

Other reviews critique the text for being somehow lacking in substance or detail. Well I am sure there are probably many 600 plus page tomes on Thomas Cromwell out there that probably eke out the available documents with more scholarly pondering. However I just wanted something half that size that was: reliable, informative and readable to give me a decent sense of the real Cromwell, and to act as a counter balance to the entertaining fiction of Wolf Hall, and this did the job.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dry and difficult to get through. I agree with some of the others that the author doesn't seem to have much affection or even respect for his subject (and why would you write a book about a person you dislike so?). But very thorough. And I didn't know exactly what Cromwell did for Henry VIII before reading this; so many of my other books (both fiction and non-fiction) imply he was Henry's evil genius and/or doer of dirty deeds and certainly don't cover the nitty-gritty.

I did notice as well that he subscribes to some of the traditional views of the other people--Anne of Cleves was a plain-to-ugly person with bad BO and possibly low intelligence; Katheryn Howard was a bubbling bimbo, etc. Sort of bothered me.

[Stefan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Hutchinson’s biography of Thomas Cromwell was balanced, accurate and highly readable. Hutchinson does a superb job at placing Cromwell within the context of his time. I learned a lot about Thomas Cromwell as a person (his upbringing, long political career and swift downfall) and his considerable impact on English society and government. Hutchinson emphasized that Cromwell played a large role in the dissolution of the monasteries and the violent centralization of power, which gave Henry VIII unprecedented wealth and power. Robert Hutchinson does not demonize Cromwell, but nor does he ignore that Cromwell was a ruthless manipulator who lacked any form of moral decency.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book clearly Outlined the historical facts of Cromwell's life. In fact I think I might have learned the same amount of information just by reading the timeline at the back of the book. Like a previous reviewer I felt the author to be very biased and judgmental which gave the book a very distasteful tone for me. I also was looking for more of a glimpse into his personal life and motivations but maybe he records of that do not exist.

[Hélène · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.
I'm sure this book would be great as a reference. However, it is not an enjoyable read. The author clearly dislikes Cromwell. So that makes me ask: why write a book about him?
I wanted to learn more about Cromwell just because of his major influence on Henry VIII. But this book was boring, the layout uninviting and the disrespect from the author just finished it off for me.

Probably not reading anything by this author again.

[Alyssa Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Cromwell was King Henry VIII's closest confidant and advisor and served as his chief minister, yet in six short years; Henry had him executed on counts of treason and heresy. Robert Hutchinson's Thomas Cromwell: The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII's Most Notorious Minister examines Cromwell's life and the path it took to become just a son of a brewer to a chief minister sitting in the King's inner circle.
​It is clear from the beginning that Robert Hutchinson did not like Thomas Cromwell, and it shows heavily in his writing. Instead of allowing the sources to tell the story, Hutchinson attempts to invoke every negative emotion in the reader against Cromwell. For example, on page three, Hutchinson writes, "' Scruples' was a word unaccountably missing from his vocabulary," and uses strongly biased adjectives to describe Cromwell. Hutchinson singles him out, saying his rise to fame was "paved with bad intentions," but then contradicts himself by saying "he was a product of his time." There was no concise argument; if he is arguing anything, it is that Thomas Cromwell was the "most hated person in England."
​The monograph touches on Thomas Cromwell's early life and the socioeconomic status of his parents. Also discussed are Cromwell's not-so-docile early adult years. His life changed and started to advance once he married Elizabeth Wykes and began creating a network of people from all walks of life. The commission that changed his life was to travel to see Pope Leo X to acquire two indulgences for John Robinson. From that point on, he was able to climb the social ranks and eventually met Cardinal Wolsey, securing him a position in parliament as Cardinal's legal adviser. Cromwell was unafraid to advise against the crown's wishes and even argued that an attack on France was "logistically too dangerous."
​Hutchinson drags out the case of Cardinal Wolsey and his accusation of treason after failing to secure Henry VIII's marriage annulment from Catherine of Aragon. The section reads like a dramatic tragedy inserting many long quotes and possible feelings of those involved. With Wolsey gone, Cromwell continued to climb the ladder, and after advising Henry VIII for a while, he was officially made "Chief Minister and head of national security" in April 1534. Hutchinson lets his bias take away from this pivotal moment by inserting an unnecessary comment stating, "In his podgy hands, he now tightly held all the reins of England's government."
​Thomas Cromwell continued advising and enforcing the Oath of Secession. Meanwhile, Queen Anne Boleyn was still not in favor of the people and showed arrogance, bitterness, and malice. Boleyn threatened to behead Cromwell, but he paid the threat no mind. After Anne Boleyn birthed another stillborn, Henry grew tired of her rigidness and decided she also needed to go; He assigned Cromwell to this task. He was conscious of what happened to Wolsey when he failed to rid Henry of his first wife, so he knew he needed to compile evidence on her that would lead to execution. Hutchinson claims Cromwell tortured a man named Mark Smeaton into a false confession that Anne was having an affair, eventually leading to her execution on May 2, 1536.
​In the following chapter, Hutchinson goes into excruciating detail about Cromwell's "greed" and "indulgences," converting a large portion of Cromwell's possessions into current currency, which does not seem to add much to the book. His bias is prevalent again with another unnecessary interjection stating, "Cromwell was as guilty of corruption as sin itself." After the death of Jane Seymour, Henry was again in search of a queen. Cromwell sought to gain an alliance with the German League of Schmalkalden; therefore, he reported to the King with news of an attractive woman available for marriage. Henry requested a painting of her to confirm her looks and agreed, and Cromwell was relieved. Unfortunately, when Anne of Cleves finally arrived, Henry was more than disappointed in her appearance and demanded Cromwell figure out a way to cancel the wedding, but he was too late. Hutchinson again goes into unnecessary commentary and rhetorical questions about why the King did not consummate his marriage with Anne. Enemies of Cromwell thought that would be the end of Cromwell's favor with the King but were surprised when he was made Earl of Essex shortly after. The Duke of Norfolk and a few others began accusing Cromwell of conspiracy to rebel against the King. With tensions already high and paranoia taking over Henry's mind, it did not take much convincing to arrest Cromwell for treason and heresy. Cromwell attempted to write to the King for mercy but to no avail; he faced execution on July 28, 1540. Hutchinson's writing gives the impression that he appreciated the botched execution and the irony that he was placed near Anne Boleyn.
​The book was not terrible, but it could have been better with more care and research. The notes at the back of the book are all over the place and could make their own separate chapter with all the commentary. The monograph was extremely biased; it is better suited for casual readers who want drama and exaggeration than for a college-level course. Had I not already had previous knowledge of the topic, the book would seem like it would further my knowledge about Cromwell, but instead, I felt as if Hutchinson told me how I should feel about Cromwell.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

He was truly Henry VIII's most notorious and in my opinion, his most loyal servant. He was beset by enemies who were jealous that he became so powerful and wealthy, inspite of his low birth. The book discussed many facets of Cromwell's life and I felt the information was a balance of good and bad. I really enjoyed it.

[Jennifer]

*Reading in September with Lyn and Aly*

[RKanimalkingdom]

DNF page 70

By this point I'm seriously considering watching a documentary before taking on books because I have no idea what I've read in 70 pages.

[J Mcshane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I simply could not get past the first couple of chapters. Having just read Eric Ives biography of Anne Boleyn I was expecting at least some semblance of a balanced, rigorous kind of history - but no. The excessive use of histrionic and pejorative adjectives for Cromwell made it clear this writer hates his subject. His sloppy use of pronouns made it difficult to discern who he was speaking about a great deal of the time, having mentioned several people in the previous sentence and then saying "....he...." Which "he" the author meant could equally have referred to three different people. I didn't want to spend my time trying to work it out while nursing the headache I was getting. It felt like I was being shouted at by an overwrought Miss Havisham in need of her smelling salts for the best part of the first 2 chapters. The author would have been better to fictionalise his vitriol for Cromwell for the bodice ripper market. An appalling book, although at some points it was so bad I laughed out loud.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's fascinating to see how people can take the same set of facts and come to radically different conclusions.

While Hilary Mantel took the life of Thomas Cromwell and produced a work of startling sympathy, earlier, Hutchison wrote a biography on the same man using the same facts and events and presents us with someone truly horrible. However, despite all the name calling, I hesitate to call the book biased because he does get everything right about facts and dates, etc. - he just wants to keep reminding us that the results of Cromwell's actions had a real human cost in lives, which is true.

I highly recommend reading this in conjecture with one of the more recent, post-Mantel sympathetic biographies of Cromwell. Taken together creates a quite a balanced portrait.

[Cartoisb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hutchinson’s Thomas Cromwell is well-written and provides a good introduction to the Tudor period but I would not describe it as a high quality biography. The book is largely a high-level narrative history of Henry VIII and Tudor politics during this period with the primary focus being on Cromwell. The examination of Cromwell’s life is relatively superficial and there is little analysis of his historical significance. While the events themselves are entertaining to read about and the author’s writing style is clear, the book would have been more engaging and informative if it had more substance and analysis, a more consistent theme and/or a more interesting narrative style.

[Jacob Stelling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an absolutely captivating read and was a brilliant, narrative way of presenting the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, the most powerful man in England save for the king who started his day chairing a meeting of Parliament and then a Privy Council meeting and who ended it in the Tower of London, stripped of all of his wealth, property and titles.

Overall, an engaging and interesting read!

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a good writer and I found I was really engaging with the subject when I was reading this, I found it accessible and enjoyable to read. There is a great amount of detail and research that has gone into this autobiography and a fair amount of footnotes to work through.

As others have said, he does have a rather one sided opinion of Cromwell, so this is worth bearing in mind. Still a good read though, I will be checking out more from this author.

[Henning Hj · Rating 3 out of 5]

The epilogue lifted the book from two to three stars.
This is an interesting story of power and the backstabbing intrigues of Henry VIII's court. However, the author seems more concerned with character assassinations and superfluous details from historical sources than what would have been more than enough without the literary spicing.
However, the epilogue made the book worthwhile. If Hutchinson had written the entire book like that, it would be 4.5 stars from me.

[Mike Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a detailed biography of the critical years of Thomas Cromwell as right hand man to Henry VIII. Both Cromwell and Henry VIII come off looking pretty evil. The writing is pretty engaging for a serious history book. Details are well documented in the footnotes, however, the overall impact seems somewhat slanted. Without some background in the period and the issues (such as what passed for religious orthodoxy), it might be hard to appreciate all the nuance.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent if somewhat high-level account of the career of Thomas Cromwell, from his lowly beginnings to being one of the most powerful men in England, and then his abrupt fall to condemned traitor and execution. I would have liked a bit more detail about specific events in several places. And also for Hutchinson to have been a bit less "that crazy harridan" in his comments about Anne Boleyn.

[Tony Styles · Rating 4 out of 5]

His lust for power led to his downfall…

An informative read pockmarked with omnipresent quotations. I’d liked to have read more about the end of Sir Thomas More but in this area of Cromwell’s ‘reign’ information is surprisingly sparse. Other than that I found it a good read but putdown-able, hence 4 stars.

[Carol Yannarella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by PBS Series Wolf Hall & The Mirror and the Light (both adapted from books by Hilary Mantel), I sought to learn more about Thomas Cromwell. The information was good but the writing was more like a textbook. I was expecting a little more "entertainment" with my "learning" so I was a bit disappointed.

[Lisa Bristow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Useful for some information but didn't enjoy the writing. The author wrote with not one jot of objectivity about Cromwell, even going so far as to talk about his "pudgy hands" as a youth. Were they? If they were was it relevant? I grimaced my way through it.

[Jonathan Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book.

[Pauline Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good on depth biography about Thomas Cromwell

[A.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decently put together biography but I found my attention occasionally wandering, mainly as it’s not my most beloved historical period.