Wolf Hall: how did the real Thomas Cromwell die? | HELLO!
At the same time, his two political rivals, the Duke of Norfolk and Stephen Gardiner, were scheming to place the Duke's niece, Catherine Howard, on the throne as the next Queen.
Cromwell was swift to help end the marriage. Even though the union with Anne of Cleves is often cited as a key factor in Cromwell's eventual fall from grace, Henry seemed to pardon his adviser, elevating him to the position of Earl of Essex in the same year that the marriage was annulled.
The Duke of Norfolk was one of Cromwell's adversaries, keen on causing his downfall. In June 1540, Thomas was arrested on various charges, such as advocating for religious reform, backing Anabaptists, engaging in corrupt activities, seeking personal benefits, and conspiring to marry Mary, the daughter of King Henry. The King ordered Thomas's execution without a trial, and he was beheaded in July 1540, coinciding with the day the King wed Catherine Howard.
There are differing accounts regarding his execution. Some reports suggest that the executioner had difficulty carrying out the act, while others assert that the beheading was done quickly. The Tudor historian Edward Hall described the event, stating that Thomas endured a painful fate, writing: "The blow of the axe, delivered by a rough and clumsy hand, who performed the task in a very unskillful manner," implying that the execution did not go as planned.
It's well-known that Henry felt a strong sense of regret over Cromwell's execution, allegedly within just six months after Cromwell's death. He blamed his advisors for making "false accusations" that contributed to the downfall of his former aide. Subsequently, he referred to Cromwell as "the most loyal servant he had ever known."
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Henry passed away at the age of 55 in 1947 due to a number of health problems, including gout, boils, obesity, and a painful leg ulcer. There’s also speculation that he may have succumbed to scurvy, or potentially suffered from McLeod syndrome, which could account for the high rate of complications in his wives' pregnancies.
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