Challenges To Henry VII

Question 1

How was Henry’s claim weak?

Answer 1

Henry’s claim to the throne came through his mother, Margaret Beaufort, who never would’ve been considered a real heir.

Question 2

How did Henry’s exilement impact his position of power?

Answer 2

Henry spent 14 years in exile in France and so his revolution was aided by the french who were unpopular in England at the time. Henry was immediately aligning himself with a historic enemy.

Question 3

How did England’s population effect the economy?

Answer 3

The population was shrinking (between 750k and 3mil by 1485) and many were moving to wool producing areas such as Yorkshire and East Anglia. Having less people especially workers in the city lead to less tax and investment into the economy and as such lower crown income.

Question 4

How did Henry’s own characteristics impact his position of power?

Answer 4

He was inexperienced in military - an important trait of a ‘good’ king at the time.

Question 5

How did Henry’s upbringing impact his position of power?

Answer 5

Henry had a detached upbringing at Pembroke Castle in Wales as well as his years of exile in France. This meant that he had few allies in England even within his own family.

Counter SK: Arguable strength - had few personal enemies.

Question 6

How did Henry handle the issue of rewarding his Lancastrian allies despite having limited resources?

Answer 6

Henry rewarded his supporters by creating the ’Knights of the Garter’. This rewarded 37 Lancastrians with prestige and status thus cementing their future loyalty and costed no money.

Question 7

How did Henry unite the Yorkists and Lancastrians?

Answer 7

In 1486 Henry married Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV. This united the 2 houses as a family and encouraged Yorkist loyalty to Henry’s regime.

Henry also created a new seal, the Tudor Rose, which was acted as a symbol of the joining of the houses.

Question 8

How did Henry punish the Yorkists?

Answer 8

He backdated his reign to the day before the battle so he was no longer the usurper but the usurped and could treat all his enemies as traitors.
- He locked the Earl of Warwick in the Tower of London but he lived in comfort
- The Earl of Surrey was kept in prison until 1489 once Henry was satisfied with his loyalty
- The Earl of Northumberland was kept in prison until 1485 when he was given control of the north and the chance to prove his loyalty

Question 9

How was the Lovell Conspiracy of 1486 a threat?

Answer 9

• Prominent Yorkists Francis Lord Lovell and Humphrey Stafford conspired against Henry
• When Henry found out Lovell fled to Flanders under the protection of Margaret of Burgundy
• The Stafford brothers led a rebellion in Worcester

Question 10

How was the Lovell Conspiracy or 1486 not a threat?

Answer 10

• Once Henry found out Lovell fled to Flanders
• Once Henry advanced towards Worcester the Stafford brothers fled to Culham Abbey
• Henry executed Humphrey
• The Conspiracy did not stop the royal progress

Question 11

Why did the Yorkshire Rebellion of 1489 take place?

Answer 11

• In 1489 a parliamentary tax was authorised for to fund Henry’s military expedition to Brittany
• Most northern counties did not have to pay the tax as they were expected to fight the Scotts off if necessary
• Yorkshire had also suffered from bad harvests this year
• Yorkshire were the most northernly county to pay the tax

Question 12

How was the Yorkshire Rebellion of 1489 a threat?

Answer 12

• It took 8000 troops to defeat the rebels
• Henry appointed the Earl of Surrey as his representative in the North
• Revealed that Henry still lacked support in the North
• Henry did not get any more of the tax after the rebellion
• Henry spent a considerable time in the North to improve relations. The North was historically more loyal to Richard III and more lawless than the south

Question 13

How was the Yorkshire Rebellion of 1489 not a threat?

Answer 13

• The rebellion was crushed before it reached York
• Henry was able to spend time in the North afterwards to improve relations

Question 14

How was Lambert Simnel a threat? (1486-1487)

Answer 14

• Simnel pretended to be Edward, Earl of Warwick, the leading Yorkist claimant
• Margaret of Burgundy supported him by sending 2000 mercenaries
• Simnel was crowned as Edward in a Dublin cathedral

Question 15

How was Lambert Simnel a not threat?
(1486-1487)

Answer 15

• Henry paraded the real Earl of Warwick through the streets making Simnel void of any legitimacy
• Simnel’s 8000 men were easily defeated by Henry’s 12,000
• Simnel was able to be forgiven and given a job as the King’s falconer

Question 16

Why did the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 happen?

Answer 16

• Henry ordered a loan or £120,000 to be repaid as general tax to pay for military offensive against Scotland

Question 17

How was the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 a threat?

Answer 17

• 15,000 rebels led by An Gof and Thomas Flammank marched to London
• The situation was serious enough for the queen and the royal children to be moved to the Tower of London for safety
• Historian, John Guy, considers it the “most important revolt” in Henry’s reign

Question 18

How was the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 not a threat?

Answer 18

• The rebellion only reached London
• The rebels hesitated, torn between confrontation and negotiation and their cause was lost
• Gof and Flammank were hung drawn and quartered, heads put on spikes on London Bridge and body parts displayed on disloyal towns

Question 19

How was Perkin Warbeck a threat?

Answer 19

• He impersonated Richard IV who was already dead so Henry had no indisputable evidence against him
• Warbeck received support of Charles VIII at French Court
• Had support of Margaret of Burgundy
• Gained support of Roman Emperor, Maximilian
• Henry had to enforce a trade ban with Burgundy for harbouring Warbeck. Antwerp in Burgundy was the most important trade centre in Europe; maintaining good relations was vital for the economy
• Warbeck was welcomed in Scotland and was able to marry James VI’s cousin. James provided Warbeck with 1500 troops

Question 20

How was Perkin Warbeck not a threat?

Answer 20

• His french support ended with the Treaty of Etaples in 1492 that brought peace between England and France
• Warbeck landed at Deal on 1495 but was defeated easily without an army
• Maximilian was unable to support Warbeck financially
• Better relations between Henry and James meant Warbeck lost support
• His attempt to revolt in 1497 was unsuccessful and he was executed 2 years later

Although foreign support prolonged his threat Warbeck was ultimately just an expensive nuisance

Question 21

How was Edmund de La Pole (Earl of Suffolk) a threat in 1499-1515?

Answer 21

• Suffolk had a genuine claim to the throne being Richard III’s nephew
• He asked for support from Burgundy and Maximilian
• Henry paid Maximilian £10,000 to get Edmund, Maximilian took the money and did nothing
• Maximilian’s son (Archduke of Burgundy) used Henry’s insecurities about Suffolk to force trade concessions from England
• Henry suspended trade with Burgundy again in January 1505

Question 22

How was Edmund de La Pole (Earl of Suffolk) not a threat in 1499-1515?

Answer 22

• A freak storm blew Philip of Burgundy onto England’s coast
• After extracting £158,000 from Henry Philip surrendered Suffolk at Calais on 16 March 1506
• Henry 8th executed him in 1515