Buckingham’s Rebellion

Question 1

What was Buckingham’s motive for Buckingham’s rebellion?

Answer 1

• Buckingham was the most high-profile rebel but didn’t come into the conspiracy until later
• his motives for joining are open to question as it was unlikely he had ambitions for the crown or was unhappy with R3’s usurpation or the disappearance of the princes
• it has been suggested that Buckingham was not seeking to gain anything, but rather feared losing everything - the duke may have been convinced the rebels had enough weight to overthrow R3

Question 2

What was the original aim of Buckingham’s rebellion?

Answer 2

• may have been to put Edward V back on the throne, as in July 1483 there was a failed attempt to free the princes from the tower
• this may have been the reason R3 decided to get rid of them to let it be known they were dead to deny the rebels their aim
• Elizabeth Woodville + supporters of Ed4 would’ve backed such rebellion + Margaret Beaufort might have hoped aiding it would lead to Henry Tudor being allowed to return from exile + regain his earldom of Richmond
• HOWEVER - by the time the rebellion took place it was widely believed the princes were dead + the only viable option to replace R3 was henry Tudor

Question 3

How did support for the rebellion grow?

Answer 3

• needed Yorkist support = marriage deal made between Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville for Henry Tudor to marry Elizabeth of York
• this gained the Tudors the support of disaffected Yorkists + Elizabeth Woodville would still have her bloodline on the throne
• duke Francis II of Brittany was keen to remove R3 + provided Tudor money for 7 ships + 515 men (he was annoyed because his daughter Anne was pledged to marry Ed5)

Question 4

When did Buckingham join the rebellion + what were the plans?

Answer 4

• at a later stage (after the marriage deal)
• the plan was that Buckingham would raise a rebellion on his lands in south wales (Brecon) + then advance into the welsh marches —> uprisings would simultaneously take place in southern England
• Henry Tudor would sail from Brittany + land in England to claim the crown

Question 5

What other factors caused Yorkists to join the rebellion?

Answer 5

• the way R3 seized the throne - through a brutal display of force
• there was also outrage at how he had overthrown a legitimate king who had done nothing wrong + only few believed the pre-contract story that Ed4 marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was illegitimate

Question 6

Where did the rebellion start?

Answer 6

• risings first surfaced in late summer of 1483 mostly in east Anglia (Norfolk, Suffolk) + the south east (Essex, Kent, Sussex etc) = all areas with links to the Woodvilles
• John Howard (created Duke of Norfolk by R3) was sent to investigate these disturbances
• in august R3 appointed Buckingham to look further into the matter

Question 7

People in the rebellion

Answer 7

• in the south-east many of the discontented rebels were connected to the Woodville or loyal servants to Edward IV
• the rebellion was gentry led in this region, not led by nobility
• in Salisbury + Newbury the most prominent rebels were former servants of Edward IV = e.g. Sir John Cheyne + Sir William Berkeley
• also discontent in the south-west largely directed by Dorset

Question 8

When did Henry Tudor join the rebellion?

Answer 8

• the original aim of the rebellion appears to have been to free Edward V from the tower + make him king, which accounts for the large number of rebels who were former servants of Edward IV
• however by august/september it was believed Edward V + his brother were dead - even possible R3 leaked the news to attempt to undercut the rebellion
• this allowed Henry Tudor to emerge who had been living in exile in Brittany since 1471
• Margaret Beaufort had been negotiating with Edward IV for her son to be allowed to return + regain his earldom but following the deaths of his sons she changed her sights to Henry becoming king

Question 10

Limitations of the rebellion?

Answer 10

• there was hope the Stanley’s would join the rebellion to play a key role in dominating the north-west England BUT they remained loyal to R3 despite Margaret being married to Lord Stanley (reveals the limits of her influence)

Question 11

When did the rebellion start going wrong?

Answer 11

• the rebellion took place in October but was not tightly coordinated
• rebels in Kent went too early + R3 seemed to have received intelligence that it was going to happen
• R3 made preparations = John Howard was sent to defend London + R3 raised troops in the midlands
• Buckingham raised an army in wales but struggled to cross the river Severn due to heavy rain + severe flooding

Question 12

How did the rebellion end?

Answer 12

• Howard dealt with the rebels in the south-east + R3 went straight for Buckingham in Salisbury
• Buckingham’s army broke apart before any fight could take place
• Buckingham was captured + executed without trial on 2nd November 1483
• Henry Tudor only made it to the English coast at the end of October with one of only two ships due to storms but the rebellion had already failed
• some of his men landed + proclaimed him king in Cornwall on 3rd November but Henry sailed back to Brittany as he was being hunted down

Question 13

Why did the rebellion fail?

Answer 13

• lacked coordination = no single leader coordinated events since Buckingham was a late addition, the roles of Margaret + Elizabeth were limited, Henry Tudor was in Brittany + didn’t arrive until the rebellion failed
• buckinghams involvement possibly hindered the rebellion = reason Stanley stayed out of rebellion due to Buckingham having considerable lands in wales + welsh marches next to lord Stanley so didn’t want to consolidate Buckingham’s position
• Buckingham was disliked in wales + the marches = there was a rebellion by his tenant farmers + he failed to raise a large enough force to oppose R3 = army fragmented before a battle could be fought
• key nobles failed to support the rebellion e.g. Lord Stanley + earl of Shrewsbury
• lacked any popular support = aristocratic + gentry in composition + its purpose was narrowly dynastic therefore popular grievances were not voiced + didn’t engage with the commonweal
• R3 acted quickly + decisively to end Buckingham + Howard was effective in the southeast

Question 14

Positives for R3 after the rebellion?

Answer 14

• rebellion had been crushed + R3 had been proven decisive in taking on the rebels
• parliament met Jan-Feb 1484 + he consolidated his position = act of attainder was legitimised by parliament naming a total of 103 rebels = land forfeited + was a vital source of patronage for R3 to grant out to supporters + exert control over rebelled regions
• parliament officially legitimised R3 title to the throne = giving parliamentary assent to the 1483 titulus regius that criticised Ed4
• R3 was willing to rehabilitate rebels who sought pardons = implemented a system of bonds + recognisances to hold over potential opponents to ensure loyalty
• Elizabeth Woodville + her five daughters agreed to leave sanctuary

Question 15

Was R3’s bonds + recognisances system work?

Answer 15

• 14 of those attained in the Parliament had made their peace with R3 within fives months;by the end of the reign it was 28
• accepting him as king = policy clearly working
• might have been proven successful he had more time

Question 16

Negatives for R3 following the rebellion (support for Tudor)?

Answer 16

• potential claimant in Henry Tudor for opponents to back = Christmas Day 1483 Henry made a solemn promise to the group of exiles that his first act on gaining the crown would be to marry Elizabeth of York + the exiles swore an oath of loyalty to him as if he were king
• therefore, officially Henry Tudor had become the leader of the Yorkist rebels loyal to Ed4 + Ed5
• Henry Tudor was joined by prominent Yorkist exiles e.g. Dorset + Edward Woodville = 500 exiles joined Tudor in Brittany after the rebellion