We continue our series on famous British historical figures with a profile of Cardinal Wolsey, a key advisor of Henry VIII and founder of one of the largest Oxford colleges, Christ Church.
BIRTH & EARLY LIFE
Thomas Wolsey was born in Ipswich, Suffolk in 1475, and like his protege, Thomas Cromwell, came from a modest background. He was the son of a local butcher.
Despite this he gained a place at Oxford University and joined the priesthood, soon becoming chaplain to a senior official in Calais.
On the latter’s recommendation Wolsey got his big break, becoming Chaplain to King Henry VII.
EARLY CAREER

The King’s son, the future Henry VIII, was impressed by the energetic and competent Wolsey and retained him as Chaplain when he took the throne.
From there his career took off: he was appointed Bishop of Lincoln (1514), Archbishop of York (1514), Cardinal (1515), Lord Chancellor (1515) and Papal Legate (1518).
FORTUNE & POWER
All this secular and ecclesiastical power enabled the new Cardinal to amass a huge personal fortune, and to further the King’s dependence on his new favourite official.
He used both to further lasting judicial reforms and to patronise a range of building projects including the restoration of Hampton Court, which had been built for him, originally.
Arguably his biggest project, however, was a new Oxford college, preliminary called Cardinal’s College, but later renamed Christ Church. As we have seen this would become one of Oxford University’s most prestigious colleges.
FOREIGN POLICY
Henry relied on Wolsey’s diplomatic skills in his dealing with ongoing disputes with France, which included war (151214) and the Treaty of London (1518), the subsequent peace treaty negotiated by Wolsey.
The Treaty, the high point in Wolsey’s diplomatic career, was soon rendered obsolete by events.
War broke out between France and the Holy Roman Empire in 1521 and Wolsey committed English troops in favour of the Empire.
Not only did this isolate England diplomatically when peace returned to Europe, but the war’s expense had to be covered by sharp tax increases, causing resentment in the country.
The Cardinal’s already had many enemies, jealous of his achievements. His low born status and general overbearing nature meant that many were only too happy to see his star wane as the tax increases hot hard.
But it was an affair of the heart that was ultimately the cause of Wolsey’s downfall.
DOWNFALL

Henry had married Catherine of Aragon, from one of the Spanish royal families, in 1509.
It was very much a political union – Catherine had actually been married to Henry’s older brother before the latter died. Henry decided the union too important politically to disappear and so married Catherine himself.
However, by 1527 the union had turned sour. The King was desperate for an heir but Catherine had had no surviving sons (which alas, consistent with the times, was seen as her fault).
What’s more the King had become infatuated with one of his wife’s maids-of-honour, Anne Boleyn.
Henry asked Wolsey to obtain an annulment of his marriage from the Pope.
Despite two years of effort, he failed, providing the Cardinal’s enemies with an opportunity to bring him down.
TREASON CHARGES & DEATH
His fall from grace was confirmed when he was stripped of most of his titles. And then in 1530 he was arrested for treason (the King was persuaded by Wolsey’s enemies that he was conspiring with the French). He was summoned to appear before the King.
Unfortunately he fell ill on the journey back to London, and died at Abbey of St Mary de Pratis, Leicester on 29 November 1530, aged 57. It has long been speculated that Wolsey was murdered rather died of natural causes. Indeed it was all a little too convenient. However, there is no direct evidence of this, and so perhaps we should just accept that this giant of the Tudor dynasty did indeed die a mundane death in some Midlands Abbey.
Whatever the truth he left a huge legacy of legal reform and building projects including, of course, Christ Church college in Oxford.