Thomas Wolsey, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Thomas Wolsey

English political figure and cardinal

Date of Birth: 01-Jan-0001

Place of Birth: Ipswich, England, United Kingdom

Date of Death: 29-Nov-1530

Profession: judge, politician, Catholic priest, cleric

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Thomas Wolsey (c.
March 1473 – 29 November 1530) was an English archbishop, statesman and a cardinal of the Catholic Church.
When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the King's almoner.
Wolsey's affairs prospered, and by 1514 he had become the controlling figure in virtually all matters of state.
He also held important ecclesiastical appointments.
These included the Archbishopric of York – the second most important role in the English church – and acting as Papal legate.
His appointment as a cardinal by Pope Leo X in 1515 gave him precedence over all other English clergy. The highest political position Wolsey attained was Lord Chancellor, the King's chief adviser (formally, as his successor and disciple Thomas Cromwell was not).
In that position, he enjoyed great freedom and was often depicted as an alter rex (other king).
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 fulfill his ecclesiastical duties as Archbishop of York, a position he nominally held, but had neglected during his years in government.
He was recalled to London to answer to charges of treason—a common charge used by Henry against ministers who simply fell out of favour, and did not necessarily commit actual treason—but died on the way from natural causes.