How successful was Henry VIII's Foreign policy under Cardinal Wolsey? Cardinal Wolsey was a trusted servant to King Henry VIII. He was appointed Lord Chancellor on Christmas Eve 1515; this in effect gave him great power over the king's government in areas such as foreign policy, religion, and politics. Foreign policy at this time was built upon the need for dynastic security; this would ensure that Henry cemented himself as ruler of England. Henry became further …
showed first 75 words of 1207 total

showed last 75 words of 1207 total
…however there is no way to prove this and after all Henry was the king, what he said, goes. Overall it was Henry's sheer lust for Anne which led him to shrive for an annulment with Catherine, Henry placed this greed for the annulment higher than anything and in unsuccessfully pursuing this, sacrificed his relations with the pope and Europe. When considering the years 1525-40, under Wolsey (1525-9) Henry VIII's foreign policy was largely unsuccessful.