The Fall of Thomas Cromwell: The Act of Attainder of 1540
On June 29, 1540, the Parliament of England passed an Act of Attainder against Thomas Cromwell, marking the dramatic downfall of one of the most powerful figures of the Tudor era. Once the trusted chief minister of Henry VIII, Cromwell had helped reshape England through the break with Rome, the English Reformation, and the dissolution of the monasteries.
Cromwell’s enemies at court accused him of heresy, corruption, and promoting religious ideas that angered the king. His political position collapsed after the failed marriage alliance between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves, which damaged Cromwell’s reputation with the king. The Act of Attainder condemned him without a normal trial, leading to his imprisonment and eventual execution on July 28, 1540.
The fall of Thomas Cromwell remains one of the most famous examples of Tudor political intrigue, showing how quickly power could disappear in the court of Henry VIII.