Was Thomas Cromwell, chief courtier of Henry VIII and architect of the English Protestant Reformation, a villain or a victim? Does he resemble more the pragmatic striver of Hilary Mantel’s bestselling trilogy of Wolf Hall novels or the sinister nemesis of the martyr Sir Thomas More in Robert Bolt’s play and film A Man for All Seasons?

Like his famous distant relative Oliver, Thomas Cromwell provokes strong opinions. Scholars may disagree about his motives and character, but it is clear he was determined to carry out his political agenda in the face of enemies of all stripes. Cromwell sought to consolidate royal power in both England and Ireland by establishing the new Church of England, dissolving the monasteries, and suppressing Irish rebels, and he succeeded until he incurred the enmity of the most dangerous resident of the court: the king himself.

Historian Jennifer Paxton explores the true story behind the intrigues of Henry VIII’s court, where religion, politics, bureaucracy, and sex were entangled in a dangerous mix that led Cromwell to follow his enemy More to the scaffold.

Paxton is director of the university honors program, associate dean of undergraduate studies, and an associate professor in the department of history at the Catholic University of America.

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