#10 Vulnerability of Henry's position 1485

Question 1

What were the 6 countries Henry had to worry about?

Answer 1

1. Brittany
2. France
3. Scotland
4. Spain
5. Burgundy
6. Italy

Question 2

What evidence was there that Brittany was a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 2

Supporting the Duchy against a French invasion might antagoinse the French

If the French took Brittany, all the islands of the Channel coast would be in the hands of England’s traditional enemy

Question 3

What evidence was there that Brittany was not a threat?

Answer 3

Had provided Henry with refuge whn he had fled England in 1471

Question 4

Overall, was Brittany a threat to England?

Answer 4

Not a threat in itself, as too weak and had supported Henry anyway.

However, if it was invaded by the French and called on England for support, could cause a major threat to English national security, both in the conflict and with French rule on England’s doorstep

Question 5

What evidence was there that France was a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 5

Threat of invasion if invaded Brittany - would control Channel coast

Had financed Henry in 1485 to aid his claim - risk of antagonising

Had largest and most professional standing army in Europe

Traditional enemy of England from 100 years war

Auld Alliance - meant England would be invaded from North by Scotland if antagonised French

Question 6

What evidence was there that France was not a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 6

Had given Henry financial aid in his invasion 1485

Did not see England as very important - not a threat and Spain causing more trouble

Question 7

Overall was France a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 7

Largest potential threat England faced, given its strength, alliance with Scotland, proximity and history of English hatred.

However England not its priority, and on relatively friendly terms, so unlikely to launch a full-scale invasion

Question 8

What evidence was there that Scotland was a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 8

Auld Alliance - England risked being attacked on two flanks

Common border rades - forced England to keep expensive military bases (border garrisons) at Barwick and Carlisle

Question 9

What evidence was there that Scotland was not a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 9

Much smaller population

Much smaller income

Question 10

Overall was Scotland a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 10

A continuous nuisance, with border rades expensive and irksome for England, and also more serious threat of provoking French invasion.

Overall an overhanging but not terrible threat

Question 11

What evidence was there that Spain was a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 11

They were the new power in Europe after Isabella of Castile had wed Ferdinand of Aragon to create MEGA SPAIN hungry for land

Question 12

What evidence was there that Spain was not a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 12

Had other priorities:

• Driving Moors out of Granada (achieved in 1492)
• Secure northern border with France by retaking land
• Secure claims of Ferdinand in Naples

Might even have seen England as a useful ally against France

Question 13

Overall was Spain a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 13

No - more interested in making an alliance than starting any kind of conflict

(England was just not that important…)

Question 14

What evidence was there that Burgundy was a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 14

Duke of Burgundy married to Margaret of York

• Housed Yorkist claimants and supporters
• Cloth trade with Burgundy made action against this more difficult

Question 15

What evidence was there that Burgundy was not a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 15

Both sides keen to keep lucrative cloth trade going - most important area for trade for England

Question 16

Overall was Brittany a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 16

Country itself was not very interested or able to cause harm to Henry - in fact more friendly because of trade - however aiding Yorkist threat was very dangerous for Henry.

On the one hand cloth trade meant Hnery could not take much action against this threat, on the other it prevented whole of Burgundy taking action against him

Question 17

What evidence was there that the Holy Roman Empire was a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 17

Frederick III and Maximilian had strengthened power of emperor

Could potentially support Yorkist claimants (and did)

Question 18

What evidence was there that the Holy Roman Empire was not a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 18

Had acquired Burgundy in 1477 ^{(Max’s marriage to Mary of Burgundy)} , so more likely to be friendly to England because of lucrative cloth trade

Emperor did not have that much power as Empire composed of a number of different states

Had claims to lands in Italy, centre of major conflict of period, so more interested in that than England

Question 19

Overall was the Holy Roman Empire a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 19

Not very interested in England ^{(besides Burgundian cloth trade)} as weak and preoccupied with Italy.

However some potential to cause quite major trouble with Pretenders

One to watch out for

Question 20

What evidence was there that Italy was not a threat to England in 1485?

Answer 20

A collection of states in 1485 ^{(Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, Papal States…)} - Rulers of France, Spain, and HRE all had claims to land there

Outbreak of Italian wars in 1494 diverted European attention away from Northern Europe to Mediterranean and made Henry’s position less vulnerable