1 - Henry VII's consolidation of power

Question 1

When was the battle of Bosworth?

Answer 1

22nd August 1485

Question 2

Why was Henry’s position unstable?

Answer 2

• he had no real claim to the throne
• he had many enemies and other claimants

Question 3

What was Henry’s claim? Why was it weak?

Answer 3

On his mother’s side, John of Gaunt was Edward III’s 3rd son. However, his great grandfather, John Beaufort was the bastard child of John of Gaunt, and it came from his mother’s side.

Question 4

What did Henry do following his victory to increase popularity?

Answer 4

He went to Lancaster to meet the mayor. He was instantly liked due to Richard III being a tyrant.

Question 5

How was Henry’s upbringing useful to his leadership?

Answer 5

He was politically trained and had learnt to hide hid feelings as a fugitive.

Question 6

How was Henry’s upbringing not useful to his leadership?

Answer 6

He was not accustomed with English territory.

Question 7

Lord Lovell and the Staffords - what happened?

Answer 7

• Easter 1486
• Viscount Lovell has been a key supporter of Richard III
• Lovell tried to raise a rebellion in the North Riding of Yorkshire where Richard had been very supported
• Stafford tried to raise forces in the Midlands

Question 8

Lord Lovell and the Staffords - foreign support

Answer 8

None, but encouraged further rebellions promoted by Margaret of Burgundy

Question 9

Lord Lovell and the Staffords - internal support

Answer 9

Very little, it failed due to lack of enthusiasm
Defeat at battle of Stoke Field June 1487

Question 10

Lord Lovell and the Staffords - Quality of leadership

Answer 10

Weak, Stafford was captured and executed

Question 11

Lord Lovell and the Staffords - how was it overcome?

Answer 11

Stafford was captured and executed but Lovell escaped. Overall lack of support

Question 12

Lambert Simnel and the Earl of Lincoln - what happened?

Answer 12

• Lambert Simnel pretended to be Earl of Warwick, who Henry had imprisoned
• crowned King Edward of Ireland in May 1487
• John de la Pole put together the conspiracy
• Henry exhibited Warwick
• Lincoln fled and joined Margaret of Burgundy’s court

Question 13

Lambert Simnel and the Earl of Lincoln - foreign support

Answer 13

Margaret provided mercenaries to invade England and supported Simnel’s claim

Question 14

Lambert Simnel and the Earl of Lincoln - support within England

Answer 14

• Had to flee England to find support
• Was unable to add sufficient support after landing in England

Question 15

Lambert Simnel and the Earl of Lincoln - Quality of Leadership

Answer 15

• figureheads and funds
• easily crushed at Stoke

Question 16

Lambert Simnel and the Earl of Lincoln - how was it overcome?

Answer 16

• Henry revealed the real Earl of Warwick
• lack of support at stoke
• Earl of Lincoln killed

Question 17

Perkin Warbeck - what happened?

Answer 17

• Warbeck was a cloth trader from Flanders
• impersonated Richard Duke of York in 1491 Ireland
• fled to France’s court in 1491
• 1495 tried to invade England but failed
• encouraged Stanley to betray Henry
• 1496 small Scottish force tried to invade England and quickly retreated
• tried to restart Cornish rebellion 1497
• killed in 1499

Question 18

Perkin Warbeck - foreign support

Answer 18

• Charles VIII of France 1491
• Margaret of Burgundy 1492
• James IV of Scotland 1495-97

Question 19

Perkin Warbeck - support within England

Answer 19

Generally weak, heavily reliant on other countries to provide money and support

Question 20

Perkin Warbeck - quality of leadership

Answer 20

Warbeck struggled to keep consistent support and was often having to move around.

Question 21

Perkin Warbeck - why was Henry able to overcome the threat?

Answer 21

After he attempted to restart the Cornish rebellion in 1497, he was forced to surrender to the king.
- Henry allowed him in court until he tried to abscond
- he was then confined to the tower, tried to escape, and executed

Question 22

Edmund and Richard de la Pole - What happened?

Answer 22

They were younger brothers of the Earl of Lincoln so therefore threatening to Henry

Question 23

Edmund and Richard de la Pole - foreign support

Answer 23

Edmund:
- Flanders in 1498
- Maximilian in 1501
- Treaty of Windsor in 1506 restored relations and Maximilian gave up Edmund as long as he wasn’t executed

Question 24

Edmund and Richard de la Pole - English support

Answer 24

Very little, had to travel to gain support

Question 25

Edmund and Richard de la Pole - quality of leadership

Answer 25

Weak, constantly changing countries

Question 26

Edmund and Richard de la Pole - how did Henry overcome it?

Answer 26

Imprisoned Edmund in the tower in 1506 and executed him in 1513 for treason.

Question 27

How did Henry resolve the problem of legitimacy as a monarch?

Answer 27

• coronation 30th October 1485
  this was before his marriage to Elizabeth so showed that he claimed the throne in his own right
• predated his reign to 21st August 1485 anyone who fought at Bosworth was a traitor

Question 28

How did Henry resolve the problem of preventing further civil war with the nobles?

Answer 28

• marries Elizabeth of York 18th January 1486
  ties Yorkists and Lancastrians together
• uses a system of loyalty to reward
  gave people positions for loyalty
  Jasper Tudor couldn’t have anymore children so his could not inherit the title

Question 29

How did Henry resolve the problem of being usurped?

Answer 29

• developed the Yeoman of the Guard in 1485
  allowed him to be protected from physical threats and seem unattainable
• told Yorkists to accept him for forgiveness
  gave them an ultimatum and obvious choice

Question 30

How did Henry resolve the problem of having a successor?

Answer 30

• Arthur 1486, Margaret 1488, Henry 1491, Mary 1496
  gave him 4 potential heirs, 2 of which were male but Arthur died in 1502 which weakened the quality of his heirs