Edexcel – Unit 1 - Access to History 2

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 3 – A1 Protest, Crisis and Rebellion in England,1536–88One possible way of structuring an answer to this question would be:Plan• Introduction: list the factors you are going to discuss and provide a briefanswer to the question• The factionalism of Henry’s court in the 1530s• The Privy Council• The issue of succession• ConclusionExaminer’s Exemplar Answer 1Henry VIII, who was the second son of Henry VII,came to the throne in 1509, after the death of hisolder brother Arthur. Henry VII had done much toincrease the power of the monarchy by abolishinglivery and implementing financial reforms. Buthow far did the last decade of Henry VIII’s rulewitness a decline in royal authority? Historianshave debated this issue (1).One way in which Henry’s power declined was hishealth. Historians used to argue that Henry VIIIhad a sexually transmitted disease. However, nowhistorians think that he had diabetes. Either way,as an old man, he was very sick. Even as a youngman he was very fat. He once said to anambassador ‘Look at this, the fattest thigh inEngland.’ One example of Henry’s physical declineis his hunting. As a young man he had enjoyedgoing hunting. As an old man, he was so unfitthat his servants used to drive animals out of thewoods to Henry’s porch where he would be sittingin waiting for them. Because Henry was so unfitwhen he was old, he could not assert his authorityover his kingdom (2).Another way in which Henry’s power declined wasthat he failed to produce a male heir until he wasvery old. Then, when he did produce a male heir,the child was only young when Henry started toget ill. This meant that Henry was afraid that hewould die and leave his kingdom to a baby.Henry’s inability to produce a male heir when hewas younger is one sign that he was losing hispower. Though, of course, Henry blamed his wivesfor the lack of a male heir (3).(1) This introduction sets outthe background to Henry’sreign, and poses the questionrather than answering it.(2) This paragraph correctlyasserts that Henry’s healthdeclined in his final years.However, until the finalsentence, the candidate focuseson Henry’s personal physicalpower rather than his authorityas king of England. In this way,they miss the focus of thequestion.(3) Again, this paragraph makesa point that is of somerelevance, but fails to provideexamples or explanation thatlinks this to his authority asking.Thomas Cromwell was one of Henry’s mosttrusted advisors. He was a bureaucrat and wasvery loyal to Henry. When he was young,© Hodder Education 2011