Henry's Ascent

In 1509 Henry VII died. One of his final wishes being that his son marry Catherine of Aragon. Henry VII still wanted England to be strengthened by an alliance with an imperial Spain, it was only the groom who had changed in his plans. Henry VII had perhaps not seen that with alliances come enemies and his son would be facing both France and the 'old enemy' Scotland on the battlefield.

Six weeks after he was named as King of England Henry married Catherine at Greenwich and was crowned at Westminster Abbey. Marriage to ones sister-in-law was not unheard of in these days but the Church was generally quick to show their disapproval. It is a sign of the political times that the Pope turned a blind eye to the marriage as an alliance between England and a Catholic Spain would in turn secure the dominance of the Papacy.

Henry was keen to retain the admiration of his subjects once crowned with a perfect example of this being the execution of two tax collectors who had kept his father's coffers full. Tax collectors were hated and feared by the people in the fifteenth and sixteenth century. Gratitude to those who served him well was far from one of Henry's strong points.