Henry VIII
Search results
Thomas Cromwell was a powerful English statesman and lawyer who served as chief minister to King Henry VIII from 1534 to 1540. He played a key role in the English Reformation, the annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and the downfall of Anne Boleyn.
4 days ago · Thomas Cromwell (born c. 1485, Putney, near London—died July 28, 1540, probably London) was the principal adviser (1532–40) to England’s Henry VIII, chiefly responsible for establishing the Reformation in England, for the dissolution of the monasteries, and for strengthening the royal administration.
Jan 31, 2015 · Learn about Thomas Cromwell, the lawyer and statesman who reformed the English church and served Henry VIII. Find out how he rose from humble origins, became Wolsey's successor, and met his tragic end.
May 22, 2020 · Learn about the life and achievements of Thomas Cromwell, the chief minister to Henry VIII of England who masterminded the English Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Find out how he rose from a humble background to become a powerful adviser and reformer, and why he was executed in 1540 CE.
- Mark Cartwright
- Sarah Roller
- He was the son of a Putney blacksmith. Cromwell was born around 1485 (the precise date is uncertain), the son of a successful blacksmith and merchant, Walter Cromwell.
- He originally set himself up as a merchant. On his return to England, somewhere around 1512, Cromwell set himself up as a merchant in London. Years of building contacts and learning from merchants on the continent had given him a good head for business.
- He rose to prominence under Cardinal Wolsey. First serving as an adviser to Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset, Cromwell’s brilliance was noted by Cardinal Wolsey, at that point Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor and trusted adviser.
- His talent was noticed by the King. Wolsey fell from favour in 1529, when he was unable to obtain Henry a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. This failure meant Henry VIII began to reappraise Wolsey’s position, in turn noticing exactly how much wealth and power the cardinal had accumulated for himself during his service.
May 2, 2024 · Thomas Cromwell enjoyed a meteoric rise from the son of a Putney blacksmith to the chief minister of Henry VIII. A man of exceptional ability and with an enormous capacity for hard work, he dominated England’s political and religious life for a decade.
People also ask
Why was Cromwell important to Henry VIII?
Why did Richard change his name to Cromwell?
Was Thomas Cromwell a papist?
What did Thomas Cromwell do?
Learn about the life and career of Thomas Cromwell, an English statesman who helped Henry VIII break with Rome and dissolve the monasteries. Find out how he rose and fell from grace, and why he was executed in 1540.
