Chapter 1 - Consolidation of Power Flashcards
How did Richard III gain the throne?
- Edward IV died - young son Edward V = king
- Richard - uncle - ‘helps’ rule
- Usurps the throne because - Ed IV backed out of an arranged marriage so claims his son is illegitimate
- Edward V put in tower (princes in the tower)
- Richard = King Richard III
Who had better claims to the throne than Henry?
- Richard III
- Elizabeth of York
- Earl of Warwick
- De la Poles (Suffolk, Lincoln, Richard)
What was Henry’s claim through his mother?
- Descendent of Edward III through Lancaster line
- Was from illegitimate child of a third marriage - out of wedlock
- Was through the mother - lines never run through women
What was Henry’s claim through his father?
- Son of Henry V’s wife and second husband
Who did Henry have as allies in Britain?
- Lord Thomas Stanley - step father
- Sir William Stanley - step uncle
- Earl of Oxford - mate
When was the Battle of Bosworth?
- 22nd August 1485
How was Richard prepared for the Battle of Bosworth?
- 15,000 men
- Refused to flee during the battle
Who was the Earl of Northumberland?
- Led Richard’s rear guard - about 7000 men
- Didn’t join the battle - ‘couldn’t cross the marsh’
What was Henry’s army like?
- 5000 men
- Led by Oxford - crushed Richard’s vanguard to drop morale of Richard’s army
How did the Stanleys help in the battle?
- Had 6000 men between them
- Joined the battle as the standard fell to help Henry
- William later crowned him
- Had only wanted to back a winner - only William properly joined the battle
How did Henry consolidate his power publicly?
(4 things)
- Pre-dated reign to day before Bosworth - anyone who had fought for Richard = traitor
- Publicly rewarded supporters - knighthoods etc
- 30th Oct - coronation - before 1st parliament (7th Nov) to show he was king from hereditary right not just bc parliament said so
- Detained the Earl of Warwick
How did he consolidate his reign in politics?
(3 ways)
- Key council appointments - Sir William Stanley = Lord Chamberlain, Sir Reginald Bray = Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Acts of Attainder - declared landowners guilty of rebelling against a monarch - to Yorkists who fought at Bosworth - property forfeit to crown - inc revenue
- Tonnage & Poundage - revenue from imports and exports
How did he ensure his dynsaty?
- Jan 1486 - married Elizabeth of York - merges houses - inc claim
- Sep 1486 - have son - Arthur - heir secured
Who was Margaret of Burgundy and why was she so bothered?
- Sister to Edward IV & Richard III
- Opposed Henry’s Lancastrian rule
When was the Lovell rebellion?
- 1486
Who was involved in the Lovell threat?
- Viscount Lovell - Richard III supporter - tried o raise support in Yorkshire
- Stafford - tried to raise forces in Midlands
How was the Lovell threat stopped?
- Lovell escaped King’s forces - fled to Burgundy
- Humphrey Stafford - executed
- Thomas Stafford - pardoned
- Low support - easily dealt with
When was the Lambert Simnel threat?
- 1486 - 7
Who was involved in the Simnel rebellion?
- Lambert Simnel - fake Earl of Warwick - crowned king in Ireland in 1487
- Earl of Lincoln - John de la Pole - York claimant
How did Henry deal with the threat?
- Displayed the real Warwick in London
- Lincoln fled to Burgundy and joins Lovell
- Reinstates Northumberland - neutralises Richard’s power base and stops the Howard family
What was the battle of Stoke field and how did it occur?
- 1487
- Lincoln persuades Margaret to send mercenaries - land in Cumberland - try to gain support in Yorkshire - people reluctant
- Henry goes to battle - led by Oxford - Lincoln killed
- Mild treatment of rebels and bonds of good behaviour introduced
When was the Perkin Warbeck threat?
- 1491-9
What did Warbeck do?
- Claimed to be Richard Duke of York
Where did Warbeck go and when?
- 1491 - impersonating in Ireland
- 1492 - France - court of Charles VIII
- 1493 - Burgundy - nobility training
- 1495 - attempts to land in Kent - Fiasco
- William Stanley revealed as traitor and helping
- 1496 - Scotland - James IV - border raid on Eng for Warbeck - James married Henry’s daughter - no support anymore
How is Warbeck eventually dealt with?
- 1497 - eventually captured but allowed to stay at court
- Tries to escape
- Captured and executed with Warwick who is accused of trying to escape with him
What was the Suffolk threat?
- Suffolk and Richard - de la Poles - better claimants to the throne
What happened to Suffolk?
- 1498 - fled to Flanders
- 1501 - returns but flees again to emperor Maximilian - as long as Margaret was against Henry he was safe
- 1506 Treaty of Windsor - better relations - Maximilian gave up Suffolk - was imprisoned
- Later killed by Henry VIII
What happened to Richard?
- Was in exile
- Died in French forces in Pavia 1525
