Henry Tudor’s hold on the throne Flashcards
Significance of Bosworth?
Henry VII had beaten Richard III on the battlefield and his success could encourage rival claimants to do the same
Henry also had the advantage that several leading supporters of Richard III had been killed or captured in the Battle of Bosworth.
Where did Henry VII’s claim come from?
The female line, Margaret Beaufort a descendant of Edward III,
Why was it an issue that Henry’s claim was through his mother?
a female line which was frowned upon and there were questions over the legitmacy of her family as they had only been made legitmate again in the 14th Century
John de la Pole - claim to the throne
Had been heir presumptive during Richard’s Reign
Real threat as a potential figurehead of a Yorkist rising
Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick - claim to the throne
Newphre of Edward IV and Richard III
In 1485, he was only 10 years old so his youth made it easier for Henry to control him; Warwick was placed in the Tower
Edward IV’s sons, Edward and Richard (Princes in the Tower) - claim to the throne
Had disappeared at the start of Richard III’s reign in 1483 - probable that they were dead
Henry’s enemies still attempted to use the princes as a focus for rallying support against the king.
Support for Henry - Richard’s unpopularity
Richard had usurped the throne by claiming that his brother’s children (Edward IV’s sons) were illegitimate.
The princes were placed in the tower disappeared completely - likely murdered - created anger and outrage so many Yorkists transferred their support to Henry
Henry’s support - Elizabeth of York
able to rally yorkist support in 1485 by promising to marry Elizabeth of York, Edward IV’s eldest daughter.
Henry’s support - anti-Ricardian faction
When Richard III seized the throne, the Woodvilles were targeted e.g Elizabeth’s brother and her younger son from her previous marriage were executed.
Elizabeth Woodville (married Edward IV/mother of the princes of the Tower) had plotted with Margaret Beaufort to reunit the rival houses of York and Lancaster through the marriage of her daughter to Henry Tudor.
Nobility at Bosworth
Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland (brought troops to the battle but did not fight at all).
Lord Stanley choose to watch the battle from the sidelines before committing their troops in support of Henry
powerful nobility whom Richard thought he could trust had betrayed their king and acted in their own interests which meant Henry was not able to trust his nobility
God-given victory
15th Century = an age in which it was believed that God dictated events
Richard’s defeat was seen as God’s punishment for the methods he had used to in seizing the throne
Henry was able to present his victory given by God
Securing his throne - crowned in a formal ceremony
The coronation of a monarch was the moment at which they were considered to have been chosen and anointed by God thus an important step for Henry in reasserting his God-given right to be king
Securing his throne - summoned his first parliament following his coronation:
The parliament of 1485 declared that Henry was King, confirming the events of the previous two months.
He also used his Parliament to declare his reign had begun on 21 August 1485 (day before Bosworth) which turned Richard III a ursurper and his supporters traitors so they could be punished as such
Securing his throne - using parliament for Titulus Regious
used parliament to cancel Titulus Regious passed by Richard III which declared Edward’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid and their children were illegitimate so his future wife would not be illegitimate.
Securing his throne - significance of marrying elizabeth and producing an heir
Marriage united two feuding factions and and their child Arthur later that year was a representative of both houses
Yorkists reluctant to support Henry were more likely to be loyal to his children who had both Yorkist and Lancastrian Blood.
Rewarding his supporters - Jasper Tudor
Henry’s uncle) was created
Duke of Bedford as a reward for his lifelong support
Rewarding his supporters - William Stanley
Given the trusted position of Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household -meant he controlled access to Henry
Rewarding those who resisted richard
Thomas Lovell rebelled against Richard III in 1483 and had joined Henry in exile was made Treasurer of the Household
John Morton (resisted Richard) became Chancellor and Archbishop of Canterbury
Why was it important to reward yorkist supporters?
important because both men (John Morton and Thomas Lovell) had experience of governing England which Henry (being in exile much of life) did not
Dealing with men who had actively supported Richard III - coronation
His coronation and declaration by parliament that he was king, allowed him to justify the seizure of these men’s lands
Dealing with men who had actively supported Richard III - John de la Pole
Survivors of Bosworth e.g John de la Pole swore loyalty to Henry and were allowed to join the Royal Council
pardoned because willing to work with new regime
Dealing with men who had actively supported Richard III - Northumberland
Northumberland (who had watched from the sidelines) was briefly imprisoned before being allowed to return to his estates
pardoned because willing to work with new regime
Dealing with men who had actively supported Richard III - those not willing to work with Henry
Francis Lovell and Thomas Stafford
executed because they were unwilling to work with Henry
Strengthening respect and obedience for the monarchy - private armies
In the 1485 parliament, he made the Houses of Lords and Commons swear an oath they would not retain (recruit men) illegally - dealing with the threat posed by private armies of the nobility
Strengthening respect and obedience for the monarchy - progress
Embarked on a progress to the Midlands and the the North where Ricardian support was particularly strong to show people that he is the king and that he is not afraid
Act of Resumption 1486
allowed Henry to take back all Crown lands which had been granted away since 1455
aimed to make the Crown’s finances more secure by increasing the wealth of the Crown and give Henry more spending power compared to his nobility
Why did Henry get crowned king before he married Elizabeth?
To show that he was king in his own right and not due to Elizabeth’s claim, he delayed her coronation for 2 years
What was the titulus regious that Henry cancelled?
A declaration that Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid, it made Elizabeth of York legit
