Consolidation of Power Flashcards
Henry VII's character and aims, establishing the Tudor dynasty
When was the Battle of Bosworth and who was is fought between?
- 22nd August 1485
- Henry Tudor (Lancaster) vs. Richard III (York)
Who were the key individuals?
- Henry Tudor
- Richard III
- Lord Thomas Stanley
- Sir William Stanley
- Rhys ap Thomas
What were the key events of the battle?
- Henry gained Welsh support
- Henry’s army of 5000 men met Richard III’s royal army
- the Stanleys were reluctant to support Richard
- the two sides fought, and the Duke of Norfolk (Yorkist) was killed
- Henry asked the Stanleys to join him
- Richard III attacks Henry
- William Stanley takes action
- Richard III killed
- Henry becomes king
What is the overall significance of the Battle of Bosworth?
- Henry could be challenged in the future as he usurped the throne from Richard, so could get usurped himself
- Yorkists could challenge his authority as they may not view him as the rightful king
- Henry gained the support of the Stanleys
What are the 7 characteristics of Henry VII?
- fearful that he would be usurped, especially as he had many enemies
- careful with money (spent to benefit himself or the country)
- “preferred peace to war”
- kept power to himself to act as insurance
- ill experienced in government, but governed effectively
- level headed
- stranger to England due to his exile to Brittany
- no reliable, trusted nobles that he was close to
What was Henry’s main aim at the start of his reign?
- to consolidate his power
What were Henry’s immediate actions after the Battle of Bosworth? (1/2)
- dated his reign from 21st August 1485 to ensure the Yorkists would be traitors
- shows his authority as can and will punish those against him
- publicly rewarded many supporters
- gain popularity
- detaining Elizabeth of York and Earl of Warwick, each who could be greater claimants
- to ensure Henry’s security
- appointed Sir William Stanley as Chamberlain of the Household, and made Sir Reginald Bray Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- gain popularity with powerful people
What were Henry’s immediate actions after the Battle of Bosworth? (2/2)
- coronation to take place before his first Parliament
- right to throne based on hereditary not just because of Parliament, therefore strengthen his claim
- Acts of Attainder against Yorkists in Battle where their property was forfeit to the Crown, increasing royal income
- enhanced more when Henry granted tonnage and poundage for life
- land = money = power
- Jan 1486 Henry married Elizabeth of York, able to ensure his assumption of the Crown was not due to his wife’s claim
- also able to exploit union of the houses
- less chance of future conflict
- also able to exploit union of the houses
- September 1489 Prince Arthur born, securing the Tudor dynasty with an heir
- certainty
Who was Edward, Earl of Warwick?
- last male member of House of Plantagenet
- nephew of Richard III and Edward IV
- became Earl of Warwick in 1478
- after Battle of Bosworth, was brought to London and imprisoned in the Tower
- due to threat of his claim
- remained a prisoner for the rest of his life
Who was Sir William Stanley?
- fought on Yorkist side in 1459
- Richard III rewarded him with land
- switched to support Henry in 1485
- helped Henry secure Battle of Bosworth victory
- Henry made him Lord Chamberlain and Chamberlain of the Exchequer
- 1495 convicted of treason and executed for his support of pretender Perkin Warbeck
What is parliamentary sanction?
- official confirmation/ratification of a law given by Parliament as the acclaimed body of the State
What are Acts of Attainder?
- declared the landowner guilty of rebelling against a monarch
- the noble would lose his title, lands and sometimes his ilfe
- heirs were disinherited
What is tonnage and poundage?
- the right to raise revenue for the whole reign from imports and exports
Why was Henry’s position extremely insecure?
- many Yorkists still regarded him as a usurper, despite his marriage to Elizabeth
- several potential Yorkist claimants
- appearance of pretenders to the throne who pretended to be either Edward V or Richard (princes in the Tower)
- Henry fearful of Margaret of Burgundy’s influence (Edward IV and Richard III sister)
- had access to funds enabling her to encourage Yorkist claimants
What were the key events in Henry’s consolidation of power in the years 1485 - 1499?
- 1485
- Henry wins Battle of Bosworth and is crowned king
- 1486
- Lovell rebellion
- Prince Arthur born
- 1487
- Lambert Simnel conspiracy
- Battle of Stoke field
- 1495
- Warbeck in Kent
When was the Lovell rebellion?
1486
What were the events of the rebellion by Viscount Lovell and the Staffords?
- Viscount Lovell (key Richard III supporter) and Stafford tried to raise a rebellion in North Riding of Yorkshire, heartland of Richard III support
- at the same time, Stafford tried to raise forces against Henry in the Midlands
- Lovell escaped from the king’s forces
- Stafford captured and executed
What is the significance of the Lovell and Stafford uprising?
- little enthusiasm at this stage for a Yorkist rising
- easily suppressed
- first (although minor) rising against Henry
When was the Lambert Simnel conspiracy and rebellion of the Earl of Lincoln?
1487
What were the causes of the Lambert Simnel/Earl of Lincoln rebellion?
-leading Yorkists realised a change in strategy was needed to be successful against Henry
- needed a figurehead who could claim to be a Yorkist prince
- needed financial support to generate significant military threat
Who was their figurehead?
- Lambert Simnel
- being passed off as the Earl of Warwick, who had been imprisoned by Henry
Who was the conspiracy put together by?
John de la Pole, the Earl of Lincoln
- also a potential Yorkist claimant
What was Henry VII’s response to the conspiracy?
- the real Earl of Warwick was exhibited in London
What were the immediate consequences of the conspiracy?
- Lincoln fled from Henry VII’s court and joined Lord Lovell at the court of Margaret of Burgundy in the Netherlands
- both persuaded Margaret to support Simnel’s claim and so pay for a force of mercenaries to invade England
- however, Henry had plenty of notice of the planned rebellion and so was able to prepare
- both persuaded Margaret to support Simnel’s claim and so pay for a force of mercenaries to invade England
How did Henry VII prepare for the rebellion?
- reinstated Earl of Northumberland to power in the north
- neutralised Richard III’s old base of power
- ensured the traditional Yorkist Howard family had no intention to join the conspiracy, as Northumberland was one of their descendants
- reinforced coastal defences in East Anglia
What did the rebels actually do?
- landed on northwest coast of England (in Cumberland)
- crossed Pennines in order to increase support from Richard III’s old heartland in North Riding of Yorkshire
What was support for the rebels like?
- Yorkist gentry reluctant to commit fully until they were sure who would win
When was the Battle of Stoke Field?
1487
What were the events of the Battle of Stoke Field?
- Henry gathered group of advisors in the south and Midlands
- included close relatives and former Yorkists who’d been victims of Richard III
- the two armies met at East Stoke, near Newark
- but Henry feared he would be double crossed, like Richard was at Bosworth
- Henry’s army led effectively by Earl of Oxford
- Earl of Lincoln killed in battle
- as he’d been unable to add sufficient supporters to the army of mercenaries
What is the significance of Henry’s victory at the Battle of Stoke Field?
- this battle brought a proper end to the War of the Roses
- Henry’s position became safer, though not completely secure
- mild in his treatment of the rebels
- won over some Yorkists who’d opposed him
- began to develop policy of using bonds of good behaviour
- ensure landowners were well-behaved, as might face financial ruin otherwise
Who was Perkin Warbeck?
- cloth trader from Tournai
- claimed to be Richard, Duke of York over period of 8 years
- was able to attract support from foreign rulers
- made him a more serious threat to Henry
- demonstrated the fragility of Henry’s rule considered to be by other rulers
When and where did Warbeck first impersonate Richard, Duke of York?
- 1491
- in Ireland
- was forced to flee from France, so went to court of Margaret of Burgundy
- trained as a potential Yorkist prince
- began to draw English courtiers into his conspiracies
When was Warbeck’s first attempt to land in England?
1495
Why did Warbeck’s first attempt prove to be a fiasco?
- Henry had been informed of what Warbeck was going to do by Sir Robert Clifford (one of his royal agents)
- Warbeck was quickly defeated
What were the consequences of Warbeck’s first attempt failing?
- Warbeck fled to the court of James IV of Scotland
If it hadn’t failed, why would there have been serious implications for Henry?
- Warbeck had Sir William Stanley, who was in the heart of Henry’s government, as an accomplice
- Lord Chamberlain was also a potential traitor
- but also Henry’s step-uncle and headed the royal household
- especially important as a household government was the political model of the time
- but also Henry’s step-uncle and headed the royal household
When was the second attempt made on Warbeck’s behalf?
- 1496
What were the events of the second Warbeck invasion?
- small Scottish force crossed the border
- but quickly retreated
- Warbeck’s interests were soon sacrificed when James gave in to Henry’s offer of marriage to his daughter, Margaret
When and why did Warbeck make his final attempt on the English throne?
- tried to exploit the uncertainties created by the Cornish Rebellion in 1497
What were the consequences of this third invasion?
- Warbeck’s forces were crushed
- Warbeck eventually surrendered to Henry
- Henry was initially lenient, allowing Warbeck to stay at court
- however, confined him to the Tower after an attempt to escape
- after allegedly trying to escape with the Earl of Warwick, Warbeck was accused of treason
- both were tried and executed in 1499
Why was it convenient for Henry that Warbeck’s attempts led to the execution of the Earl of Warwick as well?
- most obvious Yorkist claimant to the throne
- was accused of plotting with Warbeck against Henry and beheaded
- removes a serious threat to Henry
What was the significance of Edmund de la Pole (Earl of Suffolk) and Richard de la Pole (‘The White Rose’)?
- final piece of dynastic security concerned them
- they were the younger brothers of the Earl of Lincoln
What were the events from 1498 to 1525 concerning the Earl of Suffolk and ‘The White Rose’?
- 1498, Suffolk had fled to Flanders
- was persuaded to return after short exile
- 1501, fled again, but to the court of Emperor Maximilian
- as long as Margaret of Burgundy was opposed to Henry VII, Suffolk was safe
- 1506 Treaty of Windsor
- friendly relations restored
- Maximilian agreed to give up Suffolk, who was then imprisoned in the Tower of London
- Henry took no further action against him
- however, Henry VIII had him executed for treason in 1513
- 1525, Richard de la Pole eventually killed whilst fighting for the French at Battle of Pavia
What was Henry also concerned about, having consolidated his power in the short-term?
- concerned about long-term dynastic stability
- wanted Tudors to have legitimate claim to throne
What were his aims for long-term consolidation?
- ensure succession
- ensure law and order through control of nobility
- improve Crown finances
- stabilise dynasty by securing recognition from other powers
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