Today in 1514 Thomas Wolsey was appointed Archbishop of York after he was elected in August. He was rising quickly and by 1515 he was a Cardinal, which made him the highest-ranking church official in England, even higher than the archbishop of Canterbury.
He began to rise in the secular world, as Henry VIII recognized his skills, and was looking for someone to help him with the burdens of government. He became Lord Chancellor, and the King’s chief advisor. He was often seen as another king, and had more power than many nobility were happy with, considering he was born the son of a butcher in Ipswich. That he was able to rise as high as he was is a testament to his brains. He failed to negotiate the marriage annulment of Henry VIII, and fell out of favor. He went back to York to fulfill his duties as Archbishop there, and was recalled to London to answer charges of treason. He died en route of natural causes, so was never tried or convicted.
That’s your Tudor Minute for today. Remember you can dive deeper into life in 16th century England through the Renaissance English History Podcast at englandcast.com.
Suggested link:
Episode 9: A Tale of Two Thomases Part I (Wolsey & More)
From my shop:
Celebrate Elizabeth I’s birthday month with stuff from the Celebrations of Elizabeth I Collection.
Featuring: Elizabeth I Signature High Neck Pullover Hoodie
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Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast,  the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop. She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 20 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history.