On This Day in Tudor History

On November 15, 1515, Thomas Wolsey was made a cardinal in 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 and was extremely powerful within the church

Wolsey would become the King's chief advisor, enjoying great freedom and often depicted as an alter rex (other king). Within the church, he became Archbishop of

York , the second most important seat in England, and then was made a cardinal in 1515, giving him precedence over even the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Wolsey always aspired to be pope, but was passed over. His downfall was his inability to help Henry divorce Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. The Boleyns—Anne in particular—are usually credited with his political and personal demise.

His main legacy is from his interest in architecture, in particular his spectacular home, Hampton Court Palace (pictured), which still stands today.