Abstract Ferdinand of Aragon is represented both directly and indirectly in the text. Ferdinand of Aragon is one of the few characters whom Machiavelli openly compliments. However, as the research demonstrates, Ferdinand of Aragon is indirectly mentioned in several instances that contradict the praises openly bestowed upon him. Ferdinand of Aragon is often referred to as Ferdinand the Catholic. The research supports the thesis that when Machiavelli speaks of Ferdinand of Aragon, he his actually expressing his political views about he Catholic Church as a whole. Furthermore, the research demonstrates how Machiavelli uses Ferdinand of Aragon and passages about other prominent figures in the Catholic Church to express ideals regarding the separation of church and state that will eventually lay the ground work for many modern political ideas.
From the Paper "Prior to the time of Machiavelli, Italy had lived in a period of stability and peace. To many the Catholic Church symbolized this peace. The Catholic Church was the governing force in the area. During the time of Machiavelli, many people began to see the corruption and greed the enveloped the supposedly pious leaders of the time. During the time of Machiavelli, the people began to view the Church as a symbol of greed and corrupt power. However, at that time the Church held so much power that it was dangerous to speak out against the Church. To do so could be dangerous and the person ran the risk of persecution or excommunication.
Many writers of the time wished to express their opinions and the opinions of those who disagreed with the Church. Dante's Inferno is a classic example of this technique. In this work the characters on the road to Hell embodied principles, rather than the actual persons represented. The ideals were hidden metaphorically in the characteristics and lives of the characters. Machiavelli used this technique also and Ferdinand of Aragon is one of the primary examples of the use of metaphor to describe the Catholic Church."
Abstract Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII and the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, was born in 1485. This paper examines her life and role in history, including her days as an educated princess in Spain, her marriage to Henry, and his subsequent divorce from her after she failed to provide him with an heir.
From the Paper "In July of 1533, Henry ordered Catherine to Buckden in Huntingdonshire,
where she remained until her death. He also ordered that she should not be treated as a queen, but as a "dowger princess". Catherine loved Henry until the end, and refused to believe that the marriage was over. Just before she died, she wrote a letter to Henry, addressing him as ?"My most dear lord, king and husband"...and signing the letter "I make this vow, that mine eyes desire you above all things"? (Mattingly, pg. 308). Catherine of Aragon was destined to marry a king and until her death she continued to believe she was still Henry's queen."
Abstract This paper explains that Euskera was once spoken in Aragon and West Catalonia as far back as the 7th century and, in the 9th and 10th centuries, through mass migration, it reached south of Alava. The author points out that the decline of this language was partly due to decisions made concerning the supremacy of Spanish during the Bourbon period of the 18th Century, which stigmatized Euskera as being only suitable for farmers and peasants whereas Spanish was used exclusively in education and instruction. The paper concludes that Euskera, the Basque language, is almost without monolingual speakers but whether it is doomed extinction is debatable. The paper includes some long quotations.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
An Historical Overlook of Euskera
Spanish and French Attitudes Concerning the Basque Language
Protecting Euskera
Conclusion
From the Paper "Industrialization also played its part during the 19th century. The need for workers resulted in mass immigration and saw the arrival of so many monolingual Spanish speakers that their numbers far outweighed those of the Basque speakers. The fact that the Spanish speakers moved into several areas where the language had already been lost and the fact that the Franco government prohibited the use of Euskera, both helped to ensured that the language would become endangered."
Abstract In this article, the writer first looks at the immediate circumstances in which Henry VIII first conceived the idea of divorce from Catherine. The paper then points out that there were also other surrounding factors that must be taken into consideration when considering whether Henry VIII's break with Rome really was driven by Henry's sole desire for divorce. The paper points out that some scholars say the role of Cardinal Wolsey, the king's advisor, was crucial in so far as he supposedly suggested the plan to the King himself; some point to the influence of Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon on his decisions; still others believe that the broader force of anti-clericalism ultimately played an important part since it helped transform a mere issue of divorce into one of a conflict between Church and State. The paper concludes that despite all these important factors, the chief factor for the break with Rome can be found with Henry himself and in his undoubted passion for Anne whose role in shoring up Henry's affection towards her and determination for the cause was far from unimportant in a desire that resulted in England rejecting the authority of the papacy.
Outline:
Introduction
The Strength of Henry's Desire
The Influence of Anne Boleyn
The Place of Anti-clericalism
Conclusions
From the Paper "More fundamentally, it is questionable whether the Cardinal himself really did have intentions to become Pope. When Wolsey did obtain a position as a Cardinal in Rome, he frequently absented himself away from the place, even declining recommendations that he should go for his own benefit. Following accusations that his titular Church of St Cicilia was involved with embezzlement, he hardly exuded an air of concern about this as reflecting badly on his character and hence his potential candidacy. Nor did he make any serious attempt at cultivating a network of people on whom he could rely when it came to electing a Pope. Realistically, there was only one influential supporter, Campeggio, an acquaintance merely by virtue of him being a legate in England. Otherwise, Wolsey half-heartedly looked to minor figures that could not be expected to hold real clout. Even Silvestro Gigli, a diplomat, was treated rather indifferently in the role of go-between with Rome, so that Gigli was frequently moved to complain that Wolsey was not keeping him, and thus Rome, informed about developments in England."
Tags: Anne, Boleyn, Catherine, of, Aragon, marriage
Abstract Born on March 10, 1452, at Sos in Aragon, Ferdinand V was the son of John II of Aragon and Juana Enriquez of Castile. This paper shows that as Ferdinand the Catholic of Spain and the husband of Isabella I, heiress apparent to the Castilian crown, this dynamic monarch laid the foundations of Spanish unity and imperial power. The paper explores how Ferdinand was instrumental in the "discovery" of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and the introduction of Spanish power in the "New World" which altered the entire history of the Western hemisphere.
From the Paper "In Aragon, Ferdinand approached his problems connected with Catalonia in a more constitutional way. The Sentence of Guadalupe in 1486 offered a compromise solution to the difficult peasant question in Catalonia, where the municipalities were assured a degree of autonomy. In Catalonia, the king remained essentially what he had been in medieval times, namely a supreme lord but with strict limits on his powers. But in Castile, the Crown was in a position to exercise absolute power, while in Catalonia and throughout Aragon, power was limited by the traditional contractual relationship. This contrast was to be profoundly important for the later history of the two Crowns and lay at the root of the major rebellions, especially that of 1591, that the citizens of Aragon were to undertake against Castile."
Abstract This paper provides a brief explanation of the politics and personal relationship that led to the downfall of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, and mother of Elizabeth I. The author examines the king's intense desire for his wife, and his even greater desire for a male heir to the throne.
From the Paper "On Friday, May 19, 1536 , Anne Boleyn, former Queen of England, was executed for high treason and adultery, her head severed from her body by an expert swordsman, the only concession given her by her ex-husband King Henry VIII. How, in so short a time, had the woman that Henry had defied the religious tradition of England for, divorcing his wife and changing the history of religion in his country, whom he pursued relentlessly for years, fallen so far, so quickly? To understand one must examine Henry's desperate need for a male heir, understand the politics of the time, and the personality of Anne Boleyn herself."
Abstract The overall strategic objectives of Henry's policy are looked at noting an emphasis on a defensive policy, securing his throne and succession, and increasing the power of the country. The paper also describes how he used marriages, treaties and alliances to establish the Tudors following the insecurity of the Wars of the Roses.
From the Paper "Henry VII came to the throne of an island off the coast of Europe which had little strategic or diplomatic significance at the time of his accession. England had recently passed through a long period of civil war which had left much uncertainty as to the future direction of the country. Although we can now recognize that the wars were almost over, and would essentially end at the Battle of Stoke in 1487, there was little to indicate to contemporaries that Henry VII would not lose his throne as his three predecessors had all done. Henry's overriding tasks were to consolidate his own position on the throne and then to ensure the succession. He was well aware that this would have to be a two-pronged strategy, strengthening his internal position, i.e. within the country itself, and also externally, ensuring that no foreign power was willing to aid any of the remaining Yorkist pretenders. Henry knew that no rebellion against the throne had succeeded without foreign assistance; if he were to make the throne safe for himself and his descendants he had to forge alliances abroad and nullify the threat particularly from France."
From the Paper "Garrett Mattingly, in Catherine of Aragon, aims to create a more complex and significant portrait of Catherine and her life than previously drawn by others:
[I]t was borne in upon me that the Queen Catherine
. . . was a different person, more cultured and thoughtful, more forceful and decisive, than the one I had read about elsewhere. . . . (i).
Catherine has been portrayed as a woman whose significance was measured almost entirely by her relationship with men, with Henry, with the Pope, with the need of others for her to bear a son, or as a rival to Ann Boleyn for Henry's affections. She is often seen as a person who had little to contribute aside from child-bearing, aside from her marriage, aside from her role as symbolic leader."
An examination of the Chancellor of England's (More) refusal to support the King's request for an annulment of the marriage to Catherine of Aragon and his remarriage to Boleyn in context of 16th century spiritual and political conflict.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 10 sources, 1994, $ 95.95
From the Paper "The purpose of this research is to examine why Thomas More, chancellor of England at the time of Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn, refused to support Henry's request for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and remarriage to Boleyn. The plan of the research will be to set forth the essential elements of the conflict, including the issues that confronted the major players, and then to discuss, with reference to the text of contemporaneous documents of church and state, More's position as articulated in them and in More's public and private correspondence.
The essential elements of the conflict over More's refusal to support the annulment can be seen in the wide context of conflicting spiritual and political priorities that dominated Europe during the Renaissance, and in the narrower context of...:
Abstract Sir Thomas More, also known as Saint Thomas More (because of sanctification by the Catholic Church), is probably best known for his confrontation with King Henry VIII, for which he lost his life. He was a statesman as well as a political and social philosopher. The paper shows that his most famous work is "Utopia", a book in which he created his version of a perfect society and gave his name to such conceptions ever after as "utopias." The paper analyzes the 1966 film "A Man for All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann) which recounts the story of More's refusal to change the law to allow King Henry VIII to divorce. The paper shows that the essence of the film is true to history, but there are elements in the film which are not.
From the Paper "Contemporary evidence shows that More was a docile servant to Wolsey, while the film shows More railing against the Cardinal. More depended on Wolsey for position and advancement and so was careful not to give offense until after Wolsey fell from disgrace because he failed to gain papal approval for Henry's divorce. While More did later write with ironic wit about those who had flattered Wolsey, Marius says it is clear that More offered just as much flattery as the others (Marius, "A Man for All Seasons" 72)."
Abstract This paper examines the life of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey (1475-1530) who was the Lord Chancellor to King Henry VIII. It provides a brief outline of his life from his childhood, education, rise in the church and finally to his position under the King. It looks at how Wolsey was treated as a trusted and capable, if ambitious, man who carried out the King's will but often did so in ways that he devised himself and not infrequently, developed strategies of his own that were sanctioned by the King. It analyzes whether Wolsey's eventual disgrace and fall and Henry's willingness to treat him as a scapegoat merit the term pawn and how Wolsey's status as his own man, rather than a pawn of the King, must be judged in terms of what he wished to accomplish rather than by current standards.
From the Paper "Wolsey was the son of a prosperous grazier and his brilliance secured him a place at Magdalene College Oxford. He was ordained in 1498 and began his relatively slow climb to eminence by serving various influential men until, in 1507, he became chaplain to Henry VII and, in 1509, was appointed almoner and counselor to Henry VIII. From that point on Wolsey's rise proceeded at great speed--in both the ecclesiastical and secular realms. In 1514 he was appointed archbishop of York and in 1515 he was elevated to cardinal and to Lord Chancellor. Wolsey always coveted the position of archbishop of Canterbury, who was usually the effective head of the English church since the only other archbishopric in England, York, took in only the impoverished northern reaches. Gaining the cardinal's hat helped him achieve greater prominence in the church but it was not until, in 1518, Wolsey achieved the unusual status of papal legate (legatus a latere), or papal viceroy, that the cardinal became "as supreme over the English Church as Henry's favor made him over the English state" (Bindoff 83)."
Abstract This is a historiography paper that judges the opinions of scholars on the topic of Henry VIII's first divorce from the 1500s to the present. It traces the evolution of religious arguments, feminist criticism, trends in objectivity or subjectivity and the central issues emphasized. Documents used include those written by King Henry VIII himself in justification of his actions, Protestants writing to defent their church and beliefs against hte catholic counter-reformation, a 19th century female scholar more sensitive to Catherine's position and a variety of modern scholars emphasizing the diversity of scholarship available in the present day.
From the Paper "Authors in the nineteenth century placed greater importance on Henry's desire to have a male heir. Mrs. Hope describes Henry's despair at having Catherine bear him three sons, only for them to die soon after birth . She believes that he knew his only hope for a son lay in divorcing Catherine and marrying a younger wife, even though it would lead to a quarrel with her nephew the Emperor. Hope also finds proof of Henry's desire when, at the birth of Princess Elizabeth in 1533, he expressed disappointment. Writing from a Catholic point of view, it is easier for Hope to reconcile herself with Henry's choices being driven by political ends, then to suggest the King was disappointed with his faith. J.A. Founde agrees that the problem of succession was of utmost importance at the time to Henry. He points out that in the previous century a disputed succession had led to a civil war, and that during Henry's reign people were aware that if the King should die without an heir the war of the Roses might be renewed."
Abstract This paper examines the play "A Man for All Seasons" and focuses on integrity and how integrity plays a major role in the play including using the characters Sir Thomas More, King Henry VIII and Richard Rich as examples.
From the Paper " A Man for All Seasons is a book written about the life and times of King Henry VIII of England. The story revolves around the King's decision to seek approval from the Pope first to marry his brother's widow Catherine of Aragon and later ..."
Tags: play, man for all seasons, integrity, thomas more, sir, saint, catholicism, church of england, cromwell, Henry Viii, Catherine or Aragon, treason, perjury
Abstract This paper discusses the steps leading up to Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church and papal domination. The paper focuses on Henry's marriage to Catherine and his relationship with Ann Boleyn as motivating factors for his departure from the Roman Church.
From the Paper "In the early sixteenth century, Europe was the stage for many grand social and political changes all of which altered the way in which man viewed himself and the world around him. No event, however, was more influential in the life of the individual than the ..."
Tags: Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, Cardinal Wolsey, Pope, Protestant Reformation, Rome
Abstract This paper offers a brief biography of King Henry VIII, of England. It includes aspects of Henry's youth, his education and physical prowess. It also explores his battles with the Roman Catholic Church and France, his marriages, and his later declining years.
From the Paper "To better understand the life of England's King Henry VIII one of the most famous and infamous of monarchs in history the times into which he was born must be understood. Like his father Henry VII, Henry VIII reigned during the transition from Medieval England to Renaissance England. The advent of the printing press, the rise of skepticism, the move toward secularism and unprecedented scientific experiment were responsible for rapidly changing ideas. They were also the cause of some of the greatest conflicts ..."
Tags: Anglican church, Katherine of Aragon, Spain, Holy Roman Empire, Renaissance, Kingship, Henry VII, heirs
