D1: Perkin Warbeck

Question 1

What international dimension did Warbeck’s challenge have, from when to when? What did the foreign backers aim to do by supporting Warbeck?

Answer 1

Warbeck’s challenge, like Simnel’s, involved significant international support.
- From 1491 to his capture in 1497, he received backing from various foreign rulers who aimed to pressure Henry VII.

Question 2

Who were some of Warbeck’s foreign supporters?

Answer 2

Warbeck’s foreign supporters included Charles VIII of France, Margaret of Burgundy, her stepson Philip of Burgundy, and Maximilian, Holy Roman Emperor.

Question 3

How did James IV of Scotland respond to Warbeck and what did that indicate to Henry?

Answer 3

James IV of Scotland was willing to offer Warbeck support, indicating his interest in challenging Henry VII’s rule.

Question 4

What was the attitude of Irish nobles towards Warbeck’s rebellion?

Answer 4

Unlike their support for Simnel in 1487, the Irish nobles were less eager to become involved in Warbeck’s rebellion, despite multiple attempts by Warbeck to gain their support.

Question 5

1. Who was Warbeck and what was his claim?

Answer 5

1. Warbeck was a young man from Flanders, around 19 years old, who claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, one of the Princes in the Tower. He made this claim after traveling to Ireland and learning English by age 17.

Question 6

2. How was Warbeck received when he appeared in Ireland in late 1491? What about Kildare?

Answer 6

2. Warbeck received a mixed reception in Ireland; while people in Cork were eager to support him, the Earl of Kildare was hesitant to get directly involved.

Question 7

2. What actions did Warbeck and the Earl of Desmond take to seek support?

Answer 7

2. Warbeck and the Earl of Desmond reached out to other European powers to gain more assistance in their cause.

Question 8

Who did Warbeck work with to gain foreign European support?

Answer 8

Earl of Desmond

Question 9

3. What happened when Warbeck was invited to France by Charles VIII? When was this?

Answer 9

3. In 1492, Warbeck was treated like a real prince in France. However, Henry VII responded swiftly with an invasion of France and the Treaty of Étaples, making Warbeck unwelcome there.

Question 10

3. How did Henry respond when Warbeck was welcomed in France, what did he do?

Answer 10

Henry responded swiftly with an invasion of France and the Treaty of Étaples, making Warbeck unwelcome there.

Question 11

4. Where did Warbeck go after leaving France, and how was he received?

Answer 11

4. Warbeck moved to Burgundy, where he was accepted by Margaret of Burgundy, who recognized him as her nephew.

Question 12

What did M of Burgundy aim to do by supporting Warbeck?

Answer 12

aimed to remove Henry VII to restore the Yorkist line.

Question 13

5. What signs indicated that Warbeck was gathering support in England? What did he attempt to do now?

Answer 13

5. Warbeck had agents from Burgundy recruiting supporters in England.
   - Sir William Stanley was implicated in a plot against Henry VII (in communication w warbeck).
   - He also attempted to land at Deal in Kent with 300 soldiers but failed (no local support) and fled.

Question 14

6. What was Warbeck’s next move after failing at Deal? What happened there and when and what did it lead to? How many men? What was the result?

Answer 14

6. After Deal, Warbeck went to Scotland, where James IV supported him.
   - In September 1496, Warbeck invaded England with 1,400 men but could not garner significant support and retreated.

Question 15

6. How did Henry VII respond to Warbeck’s invasion in 1497? what did that lead to?

Answer 15

6. In 1497, Henry had to raise taxation to fund an army against Warbeck, leading to the Cornish Rebellion due to the demand for additional taxes.
   - 15,000 rebels supported.

Question 16

7. What happened to Scotlands support?

Answer 16

James VI got tired of supporting Warbeck.

Question 17

7. What happened when Warbeck returned to Ireland and Cornwall in July and September 1497? How many attracted? What group of people?

Answer 17

7. Warbeck failed to gain support in Ireland and attempted to land in Cornwall near Lands End in September 1497, hoping to incite a rebellion, attracting 3,000 to 8,000 men but lacking gentry or nobility support.

Question 18

8. What was the outcome of Warbeck’s attempt to take Exeter, who defended Exeter and who was responsible for W’s subsequent capture after he moved to where?

Answer 18

8. Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon (given job of defending Exeter), defended Exeter against Warbeck’s rebels, successfully driving them out.
   - Warbeck & co. later moved to Taunton, where he was trapped and captured by Henry’s supporter, Giles Daubeney.

Question 19

9. What was Henry’s initial approach towards Warbeck after his capture? But then what happened?

Answer 19

9. Initially, Henry treated Warbeck relatively well and did not formally imprison him.
   - However, after Warbeck attempted to escape in June 1498, he was arrested and placed in the Tower.

Question 20

9. What were the circumstances of Warbeck’s trial and execution? Who was alongside Warbeck there and what happened?

Answer 20

9. Placed in the Tower, involved in plot w Earl of Warwick (Ed Plan) or framed - tried for treason.
   - 1499: Warwick hanged and Warbeck beheaded

Question 21

What was the significance of the deaths of Warbeck and Warwick and when?

Answer 21

in 1499 marked the completion of Henry’s triumph over the pretenders to the throne.

Question 22

How did these deaths impact Henry’s relationship with Spain?

Answer 22

The executions reassured Spain = main foreign ally,
- concerned about forming a marriage alliance with the son of a king facing challenges to his dynasty.
- think of cath of aragon

Question 23

When did Warbeck emerge as a threat to Henry VII?

Answer 23

Warbeck emerged as a threat in late 1491, six years after Henry VII had taken the throne.

Question 24

How did Henry’s position on the throne become more secure over time? What two contributed to this?

Answer 24

• the longer he remained on throne = stronger he became
• surviving a previous challenge from Lambert Simnel
• the Yorkist threat was likely to diminish = former supporters of Richard and Edward accepted his rule or passed away.

Question 25

Why was Sir William Stanleys part in supporting Warbeck a threat?

Answer 25

he was Chamberlain of the Kings Household and had personal daily access to Hen.
- Spoke to Sir Robert Clifford, who may have been a spy for Hen to go abroad and speak to Warbeck.
- He informed Hen of Stanleys doings and communication w Warbeck.

Question 26

What factors, such as Henry’s rivals, contributed to the decline of the Yorkist threat during Warbeck’s challenge? Who were they?

Answer 26

Key factors included the death of Henry’s rival, John de la Pole, and the Earl of Warwick’s imprisonment in the Tower of London, leaving the Yorkist faction without a capable leader to challenge Henry.

Question 27

How did Henry strengthen his own position against the Yorkists?

Answer 27

• by building a dynasty that represented both Yorkist and Lancastrian claims
• the birth of his children enhancing his legitimacy and alliances

Question 28

What significant foreign alliance did Henry achieve in 1489?

Answer 28

In 1489, Henry formed a significant alliance with Spain through the Treaty of Medina del Campo, which acknowledged his right to be king.
- Neither would support each others enemies.
- Marriage alliance bet infant son Arthur and Cath of Aragon = threatened by Warbeck.

Question 29

How did Henry’s resources compare to Warbeck’s and (briefly what did this enable)?

Answer 29

Henry had more resources and power than Warbeck, which contributed to his ability to maintain control.

Question 30

What challenges did Warbeck face in sustaining foreign support?

Answer 30

unable to sustain this support and failed to garner significant domestic support during his attempts to invade in 1495, 1496, and 1497.

Question 31

How did Henry maintain awareness of Warbeck’s movements?

Answer 31

By the early 1490s, Henry had established a network of spies that kept him informed about Warbeck’s activities.

Question 32

What preparations did Henry make to counter Warbeck’s landing attempts? when?

Answer 32

When Warbeck attempted to land in Kent in 1495, Henry had troops and defenses ready for him.

Question 33

How did Henry coordinate his military responses against Warbeck?

Answer 33

Henry effectively coordinated military responses, such as sending reinforcements to aid the Earl of Devon when Warbeck challenged the town of Exeter, ultimately driving Warbeck towards Taunton.

Question 34

What strategies did Henry employ to manage loyalty among his supporters?

Answer 34

Henry used a combination of punishments and rewards; loyal supporters like Edward Courtenay were well rewarded, which helped him secure loyalty in key regions.

Question 35

How did Henry deal with suspected plots against him?

Answer 35

Henry was ruthless towards nobles and gentry suspected of plotting against him and utilized a spy system at Court to monitor loyalty.

Question 36

What actions did Henry take against Sir William Stanley and other potential plotters?

Answer 36

Henry responded to the betrayal by Stanley by punishing 24 other conspirators through Acts of Attainder in the parliament of 1495.

Question 37

How did Henry ensure obedience among the nobility?

Answer 37

He used a complex system of bonds and recognisances to keep nobles in check, targeting those deemed suspect in their loyalty.

Question 38

For example of ensuring obedience, what measure did Henry impose on Thomas Grey, Marquis of Dorset?

Answer 38

Grey was forced to take out recognisances of £1,000 and had to find freinds who were prepared to give recognisances for £10,000 = to ensure good behavior, living under the threat of financial ruin if he failed to comply.

Question 39

How many noble families did Henry place under financial control and betw when?

Answer 39

Between 1485 and 1509, Henry placed 36 out of 62 noble families under some form of financial control.

Question 40

What impact did Henry’s control methods have on the atmosphere at Court?

Answer 40

These methods created an atmosphere of paranoia and distrust, but they effectively helped Henry maintain control against Warbeck’s challenge.

Question 41

Threat beg: How did Warbeck’s support from foreign powers affect Henry and what did it allow Warbeck to do?

Answer 41

Warbeck received foreign support, allowing him to evade capture from 1491 to 1497, complicating Henry’s ability to confront him directly.

Question 42

Henrys what response did what to any potenial threat?

Answer 42

stern response to the potential threat posed by these men (sir william stanely and marquis of Dorset) deterred any other potenial plotters from joining warbeck.

Question 43

What challenges did Henry face when Warbeck was under foreign protection?

Answer 43

When Warbeck was in France, Burgundy, or Scotland, there was little Henry could do, forcing him into negotiations with those foreign powers.

Question 44

What were the most serious moments of threat from Warbeck?

Answer 44

occurred in 1495 and 1496–97, when Warbeck could have rallied support at Court.

Question 45

How did Henry’s spy network perform during the 1497 uprising?

Answer 45

In June 1497, Henry’s spy network failed to anticipate the scale and nature of the revolt, leaving him vulnerable.

Question 46

How did Warbeck’s support compare to Henry’s military strength?

Answer 46

Warbeck’s support could not match the organization and firepower of Henry’s royal army, which was well-prepared.

Question 47

How did the challenge from Warbeck differ from that of Simnel?

Answer 47

Unlike Simnel, Warbeck never forced Henry into a pitched battle; Henry was more secure in his reign and had a loyal nobility by the 1490s.

Question 48

What overall assessment can be made of Warbeck as a threat to Henry’s throne?

Answer 48

While Warbeck posed a continuous threat, his challenges never escalated into serious armed resistance, and Henry’s proactive measures and some luck kept him secure on the throne, never came close to challenging for the throne.

Question 49

What challenges did Henry VII face at the Battle of Stoke in 1487?

Answer 49

He had been on the throne for less than two years, had one infant son, little experience in ruling or fighting, and faced John de la Pole, who had a stronger claim to the throne.

Question 50

How did the threat from Perkin Warbeck in the 1490s differ from earlier challenges to Henry VII?

Answer 50

Despite being a continuous potential threat, Warbeck never became a serious danger as Henry had a growing family and a mostly loyal nobility who controlled the localities.f