'Cardinal Wolsey: For King & Country' by Phil Roberts

This is a vivid and passionate study on a man who changed the course of Tudor England forever. 

Thomas Wolsey was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal, born in 1471 in Ipswich. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner and by 1514 he had become the controlling figure in virtually all matters of state.

The highest political position Wolsey attained was Lord Chancellor.  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.  He was recalled to London and escorted to the Tower of London to answer to charges of treason.- charges Henry commonly used against ministers who fell out of his favour - on his way, Thomas became very frail and sadly, on 29th November 1530 he died at Leicester Abbey.

Reunited: The Great Bibles of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell - For the first time in almost 500 years, the personal Bibles of King Henry VIII and his chief advisor, Thomas Cromwell, are being brought together in an exhibition at the National Library of Wales from 21st June 2025 – 22nd November 2025.