Cornish

Question 1

When did the rebellion take place?

Answer 1

Between May and June 1497

Question 2

Who were the leaders?

Answer 2

The original leader was a blacksmith named Michael an Gof

Later leaders were Thomas Flamank, and then Lord Audley, a discontented Somerset minor noble

Question 3

How many rebels marched to London and how?

Answer 3

5000

They weren’t stopped

Question 4

What happened to the rebels?

Answer 4

They were defeated at Blackheath

Question 5

What were the consequences?

Answer 5

All leaders were executed

Henry levied large fines on the country

Question 6

What was the main cause of the rebellion and why?

Answer 6

The raising of a subsidy to resist the expected invasion by Scotland

The Cornish refused to contribute to the defence of the northern part of the kingdom to suppress an invasion which offered little threat to them

Question 7

What were the subsidiary causes?

Answer 7

Henry issued new regulations on tin mining and suspended the privileges of the Stannaries (the local court and Parliament)

Question 8

How many rebels reached the outskirts of London?

Answer 8

15,000

Question 9

Give 7 reasons for why the rebellion failed:

Answer 9

Didn’t garner support outside West Country

Didn’t intend to overthrow the King.

Their army was not professional or well-equipped

Cornish were too different to attract support in the South of England

The Cornish had no cavalry, artillery, or even good weapons and armour to face a professional army

They had no support from any nobles with resources

There was no sympathy for the rebel cause among Londoners

Question 10

What did Henry VII do as punishment?

Answer 10

Raised £15,000 in fines from Cornwall and the counties along the rebel route

Question 11

What did Parliament do and what was the consequence of the tax?

Answer 11

Voted £120,000 in the form of one subsidy and a double portion of fifteenth and tenths taxation

The burden fell more heavily on Cornwall and was three times the amount demanded by Henry in any earlier year

Question 12

What happened in May 1497?

Answer 12

Encouraged by Flamank, an orderly army of commons marched north to Wells in Somerset, where they acquired as their only leader of any significance the impoverished Lord Audley, a local lawyer

Question 13

What happened on 16th June 1497 and who did they surprise?

Answer 13

15,000 strong, the rebels reached the outskirts of London and encamped on Blackheath

Henry VII

Question 14

Why did the rebels raise no support?

Answer 14

Devon was traditionally hostile to the Cornish, Kent failed to rise in support, and the Londoners refused to open their gates to them

Question 15

What was Henry VII’s response?

Answer 15

Marched hastily south with an army of about 8000 men, gathering more men on the way until he had 25,000

Question 16

What did Henry VII do?

Answer 16

Played for time and waited in Wallingford and sent for reinforcements

Question 17

When did support collapse?

Answer 17

On hearing of Henry’s response

Question 18

What happened on 14th June 1497?

Answer 18

The two sides met at Blackheath

1000 rebels were killed in the battle and the rest quickly fled

Question 19

Why were the rebels easily defeated?

Answer 19

The royal army of 25,000 outnumbered the rebels and the cavalry and archers made short work of the rebels

Question 20

What was worrying and what was the reason for this?

Answer 20

The rebels were able to march as far as Kent before facing opposition

Henry had directed his attention to Scotland and Warbeck

Question 21

What had the rebellion shown Henry?

Answer 21

He couldn’t afford a serious campaign against Scotland which affected the way he handled pretenders since the people were not prepared to finance a major war in defence of the dynasty

Question 22

What did Audley do?

Answer 22

Bought in support from other gentry who were angry at Henry for excluding them

Question 23

What did the rebels do?

Answer 23

Encapsulated all social classes and showed skill and determination

Question 24

What did the decision to march on London give Henry VII the chance to do?

Answer 24

The chance to claim that the rebels sought to overthrow him and cause insurrection

Question 25

What happened when the rebels reached Somerset and what did it show?

Answer 25

They were joined by a wide cross-section of the local population

A united opposition to Tudor policies

Question 26

What did the rebels do hearing on Henry’s advance?

Answer 26

Retreated to Cornwall, showing that their intention had never been to challenge the Henry VII

Question 27

What did Flamank do?

Answer 27

Persuaded rebels to raise support in Kent

Question 28

What was Henry VII’s mistake?

Answer 28

The success of the rebels’ tactics caught him exposed and unaware in London having dispatched the bulk of his forces to the north

He expected that the rebels would be easily dealt with by local families