Module overview
This module will provide you with an overview of the key events in the reign of Henry VIII including the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the dissolution of the monasteries and war with France in 1513 and 1544. You will have the opportunity to think about what he was like as a king by comparing him with his contemporaries Francis I of France and Charles V of Spain and how he interacted with the leading figures at court such as Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell and Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk.
This will be set in context through an evaluation of how Henry VIII has been viewed since his death. You will consider Shakespeare's play Henry VIII or All is True as well as a range of representations of the king in art and film in the 19th to 21st centuries.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- how Henry VIII's reputation has been viewed from the late 16th century to the 21st century
- a range of primary evidence of Henry VIII's reign
- the key events which shaped the reign of Henry VIII
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Analyse written and visual sources
- Work independently
- Create a convincing argument and present it in writing
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- analyse the significant events in Henry VIII's reign
- evaluate how Henry VIII's reputation has been perceived over time
- explain the significance of a range of primary sources, both written and visual
Syllabus
An indicative list of seminar topics is as follows: Henry VIII: Court and culture
The king’s chief ministers: Wolsey and Cromwell War and foreign policy
Competing with Francis I and the Field of the Cloth of Gold The break with Rome
The dissolution of the monasteries
Political unrest: The Pilgrimage of Grace and beyond Henry VIII: His final years and his legacy Shakespeare's Henry VIII or All is True
Henry VIII's posthumous image: Paintings, literature and film
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods will include:
- lectures
- seminars
Learning activities will include:
- independent study, reading and research in preparation for each seminar
- in-depth study of textual and visual primary sources
- participation in small group and whole seminar discussions
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 12 |
| Seminar | 12 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 36 |
| Completion of assessment task | 54 |
| Wider reading or practice | 36 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
A. Fox and J. Guy (1986). Reassessing the Henrician Age: Humanism, Politics and Reform, 1500-1550. Oxford: Blackwell.
R. Strong (1967). Holbein and Henry VIII. Routledge & K. Paul for the Paul Mellon Foundation for British Art.
A. F. Pollard (1905). Henry VIII. London: Longmans.
G. R. Elton (1977). Reform and Reformation: England 1509-1558. London: Arnold.
C. Lloyd and S. Thurley (1990). Henry VIII: Images of a Tudor King. Oxford: Phaidon Press in association with the Historic Royal Palaces Agency.
D. R. Starkey (1985). The Reign of Henry VIII: Personalities and Politics. London: George Philip.
G. Bernard (2005). The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church. New Haven: Yale University Press.
J. J. Scarisbrick (1968). Henry VIII. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode.
J. Guy (1990). Tudor England. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 40% |
| Essay | 60% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Resubmit assessments | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 40% |
| Essay | 60% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External