Depth 1: Challenging the succession, 1485-1499

Question 1

What did Henry make parliament do in 1485?

Answer 1

Made House of Lords and Commons swear an oath that they would not retain (recruit) men illegally.

Question 2

What was the war of Roses?

Answer 2

A series of short wars fought between the supporters of the House of Lancaster, which ruled since 1399, and the supporters of the House of York.

Question 3

Battle of Bosworth. When was it and compare the opponents.

Answer 3

• 22 August 1485

Richard III: 10-15,000 army
Henry Tudor: 5,000 army + inexperienced in both military and political life.

Question 4

What problems did Henry face first on the throne?

Answer 4

• Welfare of the people
• France + foreign country invasions
• Raise money to achieve aims
• Having trust in peoples advice
• Marriage + kids
• Law + order
• Save souls of the people
• Persuade people he is the proper king
• Securing succession
• Nobility threats

Question 5

When did Henry Tudor claim the throne?

Answer 5

August 1485 by virtue of the death of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth.

Question 6

What was Henry’s first move when king?

Answer 6

Ensure he was crowned in a formal ceremony. Coronation of oath in which the monarch swore to protect his realm and uphold his laws.

He then had his first parliament. Used to punish opponents at Bosworth. Richard named as usurper so all his allies were traitors and punished. Henry was careful to avoid suggestion that parliament had appointed him.

Question 7

People who rebelled at Bosworth and their reward.

Answer 7

John Morton - made Chancellor and Archbishop of Canterbury.

Sir Thomas Lovell - Treasurer of the household

Uncle Jasper - Duke of Bedford in 1485

Question 8

What did Henry use parliament to do?

Answer 8

Cancel the Titulus Regius. Declared that Edwards marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid and their children illegitimate.

Question 9

How did Henry cement his support from the Yorkists?

Answer 9

By marrying Elizabeth of York in January 1486.

Question 10

How did Henry make the crowns finances more secure?

Answer 10

By passing the Act of Resumption in 1486; this allowed Henry to take back all crown lands which had been granted away since 1455. Give Henry more spending power compared to his nobility.

Question 11

What is Henrys early rule characterised by?

Answer 11

Attempts of cautious reconciliation(restoration of friendly relations).

Question 12

What did Henry do with the survivors from the Battle of Bosworth?

Answer 12

• John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln swore loyalty to Henry and was allowed to join the Royal council.
• Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who watched Bosworth, was briefly imprisoned before being allowed to return to his estates I the North.
• Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, was more cautious: Surrey was kept in the Tower until 1487, but was eventually rehabilitated.

Question 13

Who was Lambert Simnel?

Answer 13

• 1486, Young boy, no royal blood, imposter, trained by priest to act like prince, impersonates Earl of Warwick, led by John De La Pole.
• However, Henry was able to produce the real earl of from the Tower of London and parade him.

Question 14

Where did John De la Pole flee too?

What did they raise?

Answer 14

Burgundy joining Frances Lovell. Margaret of Burgundy assisted in raising the support of 2000 German mercenaries led by Schwartz.

Question 15

Where did the Schwartz mercenaries sail to?

Answer 15

Ireland

Question 16

What did the Irish and English Yorkists do to Simnel?

Answer 16

Crowned him as King in Dublin, then launched a combined invasion on England.

Question 17

When did the Rebel army of Simnel arrive in the North of England?

Answer 17

June 1487, where they marched south. Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, did nothing to stop them.

Question 18

What did Henry order in relation of Simnel’s threat?

Answer 18

For the coasts to be guarded

Question 19

When did Henry arrive at Kenilworth castle?

Answer 19

8th of May where he waited for news of the landing and marched North meeting them at Stoke.

Question 20

What do some consider the Battle of Stoke to be?

and describe details of the battle.

Answer 20

To be the end of the war of Roses. The Germans were well equipped + trained, but the Irish lacked armour and suffered many losses. The Rebels were easily defeated.

John De la Pole + Schwartz were killed. Francis Lovell disappeared never to be seen again.

Question 21

What happened to Simnel after the Battle?

Answer 21

Was captured, but Henry was lenient to him since he was just a child. He was put to work in the Kings Kitchens and later became the King’s falconer.

Question 22

Date of Lambert-Simnel rebellion?

Answer 22

1486-1487

Question 23

Date of Perkin Warbeck rebellion?

Answer 23

1491-1497

Question 24

Who was Perkin Warbeck and who did he claim to be?

Answer 24

Ages 19 from Flanders(Now Netherlands), learned English and by age of 17 travelled to Ireland, where he made his claim to be the rightful king.

He claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, the younger of the two princesses in the tower.

Question 25

Who was Warbeck’s English support?

Answer 25

Sir William Stanley

Question 26

When was Warbeck invited to France and who invited him?

Answer 26

Charles VIII of France invited Warbeck to France in 1492 where he was treated as a real prince. However, Henrys promo response invasion + Treaty of Etaples meant he was no longer welcome.

Question 27

What happened to Warbeck after France?

Answer 27

• He moved to Burgundy where he was accepted by Margaret of Burgundy. Identified him as her nephew. Margaret was determined to restore the Yorkist line.
• Agents from Burgundy tried to gather Warbeck support in England, but were compromised. Warbeck tired to land at Kent with 300 soldiers but fled.

Question 28

What happened to Sir William Stanley?

Answer 28

He was implicated in a plot against Henry, then tried and executed.

Question 29

What did Warbeck do after Kent?

Answer 29

Moved to Scotland. James IV supported him to create chaos for Henry. Sep 1496 Warbeck invaded England with 1400 men, but retreated.

Question 30

What implications did Henry have in 1497 have for trying to fund a army?

Answer 30

Had to raise taxation for funding against Warbeck which provoked the Cornish rebellion of 1497.

Question 31

What happened with Warbeck in Cornwall?

Answer 31

Sep 1497, 3000-8000 men from Cornwall to fight. Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon defended Exeter. Warbeck captured

Question 32

What happened to Warbeck in the end?

Answer 32

June 1498, tried to escape prison and put in tower where he either was framed or tried to plot with Earl of Warwick. Both tried for treason and in 1499 Warbeck was hanged and Warwick was beheaded.

Question 33

What three criteria can be argued would be needed for a serious challenge to come to Henry VII’s throne?

Answer 33

• First, those seeking the throne needed to be credible and viable alternatives to him
• Second, Henry VII had to be isolated and there needed to be enough domestic support for an invasion to ensure that it did not look like a self-interested act of political speculation by either foreign powers or isolated English malcontents
• Third, foreign powers possessed of the requisite military and financial muscle had to be prepared to support an invasion. These circumstances never fully materialised.