Foreign Policy essay Successes Vs Failures

Question 1

Foreign policy aims ?

Answer 1

• Increasing trade
• National security
• Establishing dynasty

Question 2

most significant success of Henry’s foreign policy?

Answer 2

1. Ending the threat of rival claimants to the thrown

• positive relations with Yorkist sympathiser
  -❗️Perkin Warbeck had large amount of support inc Margaret of Burgundy + French + Scottish kings ➡️ threat eliminated in 1499 TP!
  ❗️Treaty of Etaples 1492 Henry’s army left france with a payment 745,000 crowns + agreement not to support Henry’s enemies and charles withdrew support from Warbeck ➡️ major success as France major power in Europe
  ❗️eliminated support from Yorkist sympathisers eg. Kildare supported both Simnel and Warbeck (crowned Simnel king) ➡️ Poynings law 1495 to establish royal authority, able to form alliance with Earl of Kildare who was loyal and monitored Ireland for the rest of H reign

Ex: Elimination of threat of Warbeck 1499 seen as a notable TP for Henry as it ensured both national security and establishment of the Tudor Dynasty ➡️ highlights success of H’s fp as was able to gradually establush his authority and saftey through a range of treaties

Question 3

another highly convincing success of Henry’s foreign policy? (2)

Answer 3

2. Henry successful in avoiding foreign wars

• Breton Crisis ➡️ France wanted to gain power by taking Brittany
  ❗️treaty of Redon (feb 1489) W/Brittany ➡️ agreed to send 6000 troops only actually sent 3000 troops + Henry ensured France that it was only in an act of gratitude as did not want to go to war with France
  ❗️ treaty of Medina del campo (Mar 1489) Henry and Spain agreed to go to war against France to recover lost territories (solidifying alliance + secured marriage of Arthur and Catherine)
  ❗️treaty of etaples (1492) Henry’s army left France with payment of 745,000 crowns + agreement to not support Henry’s enemies
  ❗️ Henry avoided getting involved in Italian wars which dictated Europe for a number of years

Question 4

another success of Henry’s foreign policy? (3)

Answer 4

3. successful in achieving aim of increasing/securing trade

• bulk of Englands exports came though the Netherlands but relations deteriorated as Maximilian and Philip offered Warbeck hospitality
  ❗️1495 Henry put a trade embargo on trade with Burgundy ➡️ embargo appeared to have secured expulsion of Warbeck and trade restored by intercursus Magnus 1496 (major commercial treaty!)
  ❗️Castilian crisis caused the treaty of winsdor ensuring a new trade agreement of intercursus malus 1506
• Treaty of Medina Del Campo strengthened England’s recognition with great european powers such as HRE which opened up new places to trade
• England joined the League of Venice ➡️ major success as it was a league with great powers incl. Spain and HRE which previously isolated from

Question 5

another success of fp ?

Answer 5

4. Successful use of marriage alliances to secure dynasty

• Treaty of Medina Del Campo (1489) secured marriage between Author and Catherine of Aragon ➡️ eliminated threats from Spain
• marriage of Mary to Louis XII of France ➡️ strengthened alliance between the two countries
• marriage of Margret and James Iv ➡️ ensured England’s safety as eliminated threat of France using Scotland as the ‘back door’ for an English invasion

Ex: allowed Henry to forge relations with powerful European power, helped to enhance power + prestige against Europe + reduced chance of invasions in England as foreign powers unwilling to challenge

Question 6

most significant failure of foreign policy?

Answer 6

1. FP successes largely reliant on distractions made elsewhere 🍀(fragile + short term)

• whole focus of Europe attention shifted with Frances’ invasion of Italy in 1494 (good for H as offered distraction from threat of Wabeck) ➡️ lucky
• League of Cambrai 1508 distracted from Henry’s isolation due to Philips unexpected death
• luck also played a bad part in Henry’s diplomatic affairs ➡️ death of Isabella of Castile in 1504 left him wrong footed and dangerously isolated for a time

Ex: for a number of years during his reign, the major powers of Europe were more concerned about events in Italy (area where England had minimal interests). Therefore, Henry was given more of a freer hand than he might otherwise have expected ➡️ Henry fortunate in many areas of foreign policy

Question 7

another significant failure of foreign policy?(2)

Answer 7

2. Henry only able to stabilised not secured the border region

• threatening as France could use the boarder region to attack
• when James III died in 1488 Henry’s true with Scotland was destroyed and the nobles governing for James IV were hostile to Henry
• James IV marriage to Margaret seen as means to weaken Auld
  ❗️Relations worsened in 1496/97 when James IV gave shelter to Warbeck + royal welcome as well as military support for his failed invasion attempt in 1469/97
  But
• relations improved in 1502 when the Treaty of perpetual peace was signed, marriage alliance of Henry’s daughter Maragret to James was finalised

Question 8

another significant failure of foreign policy?

Answer 8

3. Longevity of threats

• Warbeck biggest crisis of his reign (longevity of the threat, lasting until 1499) ➡️ impersonated Richard of York + long drawn out affair
• Warbeck received support from many European powers Margret of Burgundy and Charles VIII + Sir William Stanley ➡️ shows lack of relations that Henry has in Europe, could be because spent most of his time focusing on threats rather then creating positive relations in Europe
• dictated most of his foreign policy (was unable to fully eliminate threats till 1506, end of his reign = escalated his change in character)
• unable to ensure national security so vulnerable as king
• most treaties signed in order to ensure Henry’s safety from threats to the throne