Royalty always appreciate having someone firm and capable to handle the more unpleasant tasks of ruling. Certainly England's King Henry VIII found such a man in Thomas Cromwell.

By the time he arrived in Henry's court, Cromwell had already built a substantial level of experience in dealing with thorny issues, of the financial and political variety. From his childhood he learned how to deal with bullies. His father, for example, was a vicious alcoholic who beat his wife and child, as well as members of the community. He regularly was hauled into court for his violent behavior. Walter Cromwell was a brewer, smith, and fuller; dirty jobs, but potentially profitable. His alcoholism insured he would never become stable and successful. Walter's ancestor, Ralph, had strived to make a good name for the family, serving as lord treasurer in his county. By the mid fifteenth century, the family had descended into the ranks of small tradesmen and skilled laborers.

Perhaps a bit of Ralph revealed itself in young Thomas, who was apparently determined to build a better life elsewhere. Tired of defending himself against his own father, Thomas is said to have fled home and traveled to Italy, where he served as a soldier. After escaping one particularly deadly battle, he made his way to Florence, where somehow he was befriended by the banker Frescobaldi. It was here that Thomas attained his knowledge of financial matters.

Over the next few years he appears briefly in English and Belgium records. He married Elizabeth Wykes, daughter of a well-to-do shearman, and Thomas ran the family business as a partner. In 1520, he appears in the English record again, and was apparently introduced to the powerful Cardinal Wolsey by a member of the Dorset family.

Over the next decade he received ever-increasing levels of responsibility with regard to financial matters of the wealthy. The nobility depended upon people like Thomas Cromwell, as the costs of living at court and maintaining a high lifestyle were very expensive and becoming ever more so. Typically, gentlemen did not wish to sully their minds and hands with financial details or anything related to money. Not only was Thomas good with money, he knew well how to play the diplomatic game. In these two ways he became very useful to Henry VIII.

While he worked in service to others, Thomas was of course looking out for his own interests and the securing of personal power. He was also keen to see the new church thrive, and so worked with Wolsey during the years of the English Reformation that concerned Henry's "great problem." Indeed, he was included in Foxe's Book of Martyrs as one who died for the Protestant faith. Thomas was quite serious about strengthening the Church of England, and is considered Henry's most obvious agent in that task.

Also as a way of forwarding his religious ideas, Thomas lobbied vigorously in favor of Henry's marriage with a Protestant princess; specifically, Anne of Cleves. When Henry's marriage to Anne proved disastrous, the king blamed Thomas, and from that point on the latter's star was in decline. In 1531 he was admitted to the king's Privy Council and in 1534 he was made secretary. He was also master of the jewel-house, clerk of the Hanaper, and master of the Wards in 1531, as well as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

By considering the dates it is easy to determine that while Thomas Cromwell eventually did hold a great deal of power and influence, it was a long and slow climb to the top. He is often incorrectly attributed with bringing about the English Reformation on his own, and with controlling the king himself. A stronger candidate for the latter would have been Cardinal Wolsey. Not even Wolsey was safe from arrest, though.

Gradually, Thomas fell out of royal favor, even as he was bestowed with further honors, including his creation as Earl of Essex and lord great chamberlain. Not even these exalted titles could protect him from the ax. Henry had him arrested in 1540, and without any official charges or any conviction, he was beheaded on Tower Hill.