One of the most canny advisors to Elizabethan monarch Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey provides a sharp object lesson in How Not to Overplay Your Hand. In brief, Wolsey was born the son of a butcher, but his canny rise in power as a churchman and politician allowed him to become a chief advisor to Henry VIII. Unfortunately, Wolsey made an enemy of a powerful woman: Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII essentially wanted Anne for himself, so in order to make that happen, Wolsey put the kibosh on Anne's marriage to a man she loved. In order to marry Anne, Henry would have to get a divorce, but Wolsey promised he could get the Pope to sign off on the divorce idea, and Henry would be free to marry again.
Spoiler: Didn't happen. In the end, Wolsey over-reached, over-promised, but under-delivered. As a result, he lost favor with Henry fast, and Anne was absolutely making sure to inflame Henry's anger against the cardinal. Ultimately, Wolsey lost his offices, his prestige, and ultimately died in ignominy. |