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Thomas Wolsey

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Thomas Wolsey

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Also known as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Thomas, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Woolsey, Cardinal Wolsey

English political figure, archbishop of York and cardinal-priest of Santa Cecilia (1473-1530)

AI overview

Thomas Wolsey was a powerful English clergyman who rose to prominence in the early 16th century, serving as Archbishop of York and as a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He matters as a significant historical figure who wielded considerable political influence during the reign of King Henry VIII, shaping major decisions in English governance and foreign policy.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Person · Open Library

Born
1475?
Died
1530
Works
2

Top works

  • The memoirs of that great favourite, Carinal Woolsey
  • The York Provinciale

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type
Person
Gender
Male
Origin
Germany

via MusicBrainz · CC0

Quotes

  • Master Kingston, I see the matter against me now it is framed; but if I had served God as diligently as I have done the King He would not have given me over in my gray hairs.
  • I am come to leave my bones among you.

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

Key facts

Monarch
Henry VIII
Preceded by
William Warham
Succeeded by
Thomas More
Church
Roman Catholic
Appointed
15 September 1514
Term ended
29 November 1530
Predecessor
Christopher Bainbridge
Successor
Edward Lee
Other post
Cardinal-Priest of S. Cecilia (1515–1530)
Previous posts
Bishop of Lincoln (1514) Administrator of Bath and Wells (1518–1523) Administrator of Durham (1523–1530) Administrator of Winchester (1529–1530)
Ordination
10 March 1498, by Augustine Church, Titular Bishop of Lydda
Consecration
26 March 1514, by William Warham
Created cardinal
10 September 1515, by Leo X
Born
c. March 1473 , Ipswich , Suffolk, England
Died
( 1530-11-29 ) 29 November 1530 (aged 57), Leicester , Leicestershire, England
Buried
Leicester Abbey
Parents
Robert Wolsey (father) Joan Daundy (mother)
Children
Thomas Wynter , Dorothy

via Wikipedia infobox

~37 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Thomas Wolsey (/ˈwʊlzi/ WUUL-zee; c. March 1473 – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figure in virtually all matters of state. He also held important ecclesiastical appointments. These included the Archbishop of York—the second most important role in the English church—and that of papal legate. His appointment as a cardinal by Pope Leo X in 1515 gave him precedence over all other English clergy.

The highest political position Wolsey attained was Lord Chancellor, the king's chief adviser (formally, as his successor and disciple Thomas Cromwell was not). In that position, he enjoyed great freedom and was often depicted as the alter rex ("other king"). After failing to negotiate an annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Wolsey fell out of favour and was stripped of his government titles. He retreated to York to fulfil his ecclesiastical duties as archbishop, a position he nominally held but had neglected during his years in government. He was recalled to London to answer to charges of treason—charges Henry commonly used against ministers who fell out of his favour—but died from natural causes on the way.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Thomas Wolsey” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (10)