1/2.Henry vii-consoldation Of Power

Question 1

Why did Henry choose to invade when he did?

Answer 1

-an unsuccessful rebellion on Richard left Richard III Weak and Henry decided to invade

Question 2

who supported henry before bosworth?

Answer 2

• Henry living in Paris had built a following there

- financial support from French King Charles

Question 3

Battle of bosworth date+ details

Answer 3

• actually 22nd August 1485 but Henry redated it 21st
• had 5 thousand strong army
• Thomas Stanley with 4,000 men were reluctant to support Richard only because his son was taken by Richard
• Thomas Stanley changed side and attached Richard

Question 4

Henry’s accession -struggles

Answer 4

• due to mutual destruction of Yorkists and Lancastrians the status of monarchy had suffered
• Henry’s seizure could be seen as another example of instability and right of conquest was not enough to guarantee loyalty
• de la pole brothers had a claim to the throne as valid as henry’
• Margaret of burgundy was powerful in the Netherlands and France and an important trading partner with England. And showed support for Yorkists against Henry
• nobels who had wealth and power made them potential rivals = uneven control the crown had over all kingdom
• poor finances of the crown (made worse by wars)

Question 5

Henry accession- strengths

Answer 5

• disputes between Lanks + Yorks was that through mutual destruction meant many nobles died and their lands were returned to the crown
• gentry + farmers were tired of distrust in political power and were ready to support a recovery of royal power
• Henry was an adult and proved to be a good leader these were admirable qualities =less opposition
• only child = no family rivalry for crown and years in excite meant few enemies in high places

Question 6

what were Henry Vii objectives?

Answer 6

• establish secure right to the throne
• strengthen royal government =better control of nobility
• strengthen monarchy and kingdom for future by ensuring strong financial foundation

Question 7

Establishing right to the throne

give 4

Answer 7

• speedy coronation used as a safety measure to legitimise him but also to stop rebellion as coronation meant approval from church and god meaning rebellion =sin
• made sure coronation took place a week before parliament met so no one can say parliament helped him become king
• ensure coronation took place before his marriage so no one can say he gained throne through his wife
• Elizabeth daughter to Edward and a yorkist =reconciliation and uniting Yorks +lanks
• prince Arthur born = future for Tudor dynasty and therefore greater sense of permanence.
• summoned parliament in nov 1485 to embark on royal precession = demonstrate royal power to subjects
• dated when he won the ground as the 21st when it was really the 22nd therefore anyone who fought against him at bosworth could be treated as traitors and imprisoned.
• nobels with suspicious loyalty had titles taken from them

Question 8

date of Henry’s coronation?

Answer 8

30 October 1485

Question 9

Date Henry married Elizabeth of York?

Answer 9

January 1486

Question 10

Date prince Arthur was born?

Answer 10

September 1486

Question 11

Explain Henry’s claim to the throne

Answer 11

-Henry didn’t have a strong claim to the throne as his claim lay with his mother (a female) and weakened by his grandfathers parents not being married when he was born (bastard)

Question 12

henry’s character

Answer 12

• moulded by his upbringing as he was astute and clear thinking
• respected

Question 13

how did henry deal with nobility?

Answer 13

1. attainders- sieze titles and possessions off locals
2. attacks on retaining- fine people who had extensive personal staff
3. financial controls- demand financial bonds from nobles meaning they would be in debt to the crown
   - henry used policies to reduce the crowns reliance in the nobles and limit their power, by reducing their land, wealth and support henry sou;d maintain control
   - either buy their support of force it

Question 14

problem with nobles?

Answer 14

• hard to win support from nobles
• they had a lot of power
• relationship with nobles was critical to survival as king as they had to maintain law + order in their areas

Question 15

what were attainders and what were they used for?

Answer 15

• special laws passed by parliament that allowed someone to be declared guilty of treason without having a trial
• used to seize titles from nobles suspected of disloyalty
• henry often revered attainders if he thought he could restore loyalty in the victim
• first used against those who fought against henry at battle of Bosworth

Question 16

national government in 15th cent

Answer 16

-parliament existed but had a minor role in politics, mainly used to pass laws for the king
-parliament met infrequently and was used sparingly
most of the time the king ruled directly though decrees
-henry believed the only use for parliament was to served the interests of the monarch

Question 17

what were attacks on retaining and how were they used?

Answer 17

• retainers were used to put pressure on tenants who were slow paying their rent or other things the land owner wanted
• new laws passed in 1485 and 1504 against illegal retaining (noblemen keeping large numbers of men as personal staff that would also be used as gangs of enforcers)
• lords and commons had to swear they would not rein illegally
• act in 1504 required nobles to obtain a special licence from kind before they could retain
• penalty of $5 a month per illegal retainer

Question 18

how were financial controls (bonds) and how were they used?

Answer 18

• henry demanding financial bonds from nobles or their families, putting the noble in debt to the crown.-nobles would be in debt to henry and therefore remain loyal in the future
• forced nobles to behave otherwise they would b fined
• in his last decade 2/3 of nobles were held under bonds

Question 19

give an extreme example of financial controls (bonds)

Answer 19

-lord burgavenny convicted in 1507 for retaining 471 men
-fined 70,000
-henry gernously agreed to allow him to pay 5,000 over 10 years
- conditions were that he should not set food on his family land
henry was able to raise money from someone he did not trust and stay in kings favour

Question 20

what council established financial controls?

Answer 20

council learned in law (act as royal debt collector)

Question 21

what was the job of JP’s?

Answer 21

• they were ‘justices of the peace’
• appointed annually from local landowners
• responsible for public order and making sure laws were implemented and dispensing justice to criminals

Question 22

How did Henry improve administration of finances?

Answer 22

• built a lot of money that was carefully accounted for
• delt with admin in private rooms (privy chamber) miser
• court audit to monitor government spending to get money owed for lordships
• avoided a foreign policy that would result in a costly war

Question 23

how did Polydore Vergil describe henry’s actions? (quote)

Answer 23

‘they were not suffering on the account of their own sins, but on the account of the greed of their monarch’ NEGATIVE

Question 24

what happened to henry’s methods of getting money after the death of Arthur and Elizabeth? (three)

Answer 24

• he became obsessed with accumulating money
• he feared succession was no longer secure
• implemented more aggressive and much more hated ways of accumulating money

Question 25

sources of royal income? (give 4)

Answer 25

• crown lands
• feudal dues
• bonds and recognisances

Question 26

describe crown lands + how henry gained money from it?

Answer 26

• henry inherited land held by yorks+lancs
• henry was less inclined to grant lands to friends like his predecessor and preferred to hold on to them
• as a result he was able to maximise his influence through income from land (rent)

Question 27

what is the act of resumption + year?

Answer 27

• 1486
• henry reclaimed all land that had been granted away during war of the roses
• sometimes he didn’t act as a potential threat of losing their land, for some was enough to ensure loyalty.

Question 28

describe feudal dues + how henry gained money from it?

Answer 28

• traditional rights held by crown to demand money (believing the king was owner of land and its tenants)
• he used them to ensure good behavior and the income from feudal dues shot up in henrys rein to 6,000 a year

Question 29

describe 2 types of payment in feudal dues

Answer 29

1. relief- paid by heir when received inheritance

2. marriage- king can arrange marriages to daughters of tenants for profit

Question 30

describe loans + how henry gained money from it?

Answer 30

• king could ask for financial help in particular emergencies
• organised by the royal council
• an irregular source of income and was only raised when the king needed funds
• war in Brittany
• $48,000 raised

Question 31

Why did Henry flee to Britannia as a child?

Answer 31

-king Edward IV was threatened so Henry fled to Brittany in fear of persecution

Question 32

How did Henry react to surprising situations

Answer 32

• arbitrarily
• no present plan
• reactivity

Question 33

What was Margaret of burgundy’s relation to the usurped Richard?

Answer 33

-she was his sister