Henry V11's Consolidation of the Tudor Dynasty Flashcards
How strong was Henry V11’s claim to the throne?
Henry V11 was descended from Edward III through his third son, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. He was the half-nephew of Henry V1 through his grandmother, Catherine of France. His strongest claim to the throne was through his mother, Margaret Beaufort. Her grandfather, John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset, was John of Gaunt’s third son through the Duke of Lancaster. Although he was the only Lancastrian claim to the throne (which made his claim stronger), his claim to the throne was not particularly obvious or direct and weakened due to it coming from his mother.
What was Henry VII’s early life like?
Henry VII’s father died before he was born, and at his time of birth, his mother was 14. In 1461, when he was 4, Henry was separated from his mother and put under the guardianship of William Herbet, the Yorkist Earl of Pembroke, who was later killed in battle when Henry VI was restored to the throne. In 1471, the Yorkist Edward IV claimed the throne. Jasper Tudor (Henry VII’s uncle) fled with Henry when he was 14 to Brittany. Henry VII stayed in the Breton court for 13 years and observed the court as an outsider. However, in 1484, the Duke’s minister did a deal with the new English King Richard III which involved handing Henry to the English. Instead, he fled to France, where he successfully gained support in money, ships and soldiers to invade and claim the English throne.
How well did Henry’s background prepare him for Kingship? (Historian Cliff S.L Davies 1998, the Making of Henry VII)
His upbringing in the Breton court allowed him to observe court politics as an outsider. The Duke of Brittany was weak and allowed Henry to conclude that ‘rulers should always maintain their dignity, and control and never become indebted to a party or group.’ For Henry, ‘Calm consideration was his policy’.
Who was Margaret Beaufort?
In the biography ‘The King’s Mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort’, Margaret Beaufort is presented as playing a central and influential role in her son’s government. She was known at court as ‘My Lady, the King’s Mother’. She is considered instrumental in gaining Henry the throne, particularly through her third marriage to Lord Thomas Stanley, the steward of Edward V1, which gained her an influential position at the Yorkist court, and the support of the Stanley’s at the Battle of Bosworth. She also arranged a marriage with Elizabeth Woodville between Henry and Elizabeth of York. In the biography she is described to have ‘a dominating position within the realm’.
Who was Jasper Tudor?
Jasper Tudor was Henry’s uncle and the Earl of Pembroke. He was one of the only constant figures in Henry’s early life. After a major Lancastrian defeat in 1461, Jasper and Henry fled to Brittany together in 1471. He remained with Henry for the duration of his exile and thought with him at the Battle of Bosworth. After Henry ascended the throne, he made Jasper the Duke of Bedford, the only dukedom he granted to anyone beside his children.
How did Henry VII take the throne?
In 1483, Henry set sail for England hoping to take advantage of the Buckingham rebellion and subsequent instability. However, poor weather forced him to turn back. In 1484, the Duke of Brittany was ill and one of his ministers made a deal with Richard III to hand over Jasper and Henry in exchange for archers to defend Brittany against a French attack. Henry fled to France where he got support in money, soldiers and ships to stage the invasion of 1485. This led to the Battle of Bosworth, where Richard III was killed, and Henry crowned king.
What was Henry’s first move after the Battle of Bosworth to London?
Henry was crowned King by Lord Stanley on the battlefield at Bosworth. He backdated his reign to the 21st of August 1485, a day before the Battle of Bosworth. This meant that anybody who fought against him were considered traitors and he could seize lands and titles from them.
What was the event of Henry’s coronation?
Henry processed into London on the 3rd of September and was met by the mayor. On the 27th of October, he dined with the Archbishop of Canterbury and then went into procession at the Tower of London.
What was Henry’s first use of Parliament?
Henry issues writs for paliament on the 15th of September, but did not meet until after his coronation. Some of its specific duties were: Declaration of the King’s title, Acts of Attainder, Financial Matters and Legislation. Parliament remained in session for 5 weeks, and their final act was to formally request that Henry marry Elizabeth of York, as he had promised in 1843.
Describe Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth of York:
Henry VII and Elizabeth of York were distant cousins, so he first had to gain a papal dispensation to marry. They married on the 18th of January 1486. The marriage was a symbol of union between the two warring factions. Together they had 8 children, of whom 4 reached adulthood. They had a happy marriage, but Henry never involved her in the governing of England.
How did Henry use propaganda?
Henry deliberately named his oldest son Arthur, who was the legendary protector of Britain. He ensured that Arthur was born in Winchester Castle, where the original round table was allegedly displayed. He presented himself as the descendant of ancient Welsh kings who fought Saxon invaders in the Dark Ages. He frequently used the Beaufort family emblem to represent the Tudor legitimacy. He lobbied for his predecessor Henry VI to be canonised and named his second son Henry to stress his Lancastrian lineage.
Polydore Vergil, Anglica Historia, written c1513
‘In government he was shrewd and prudent, so that no one dared to get the better of him through deceit or guile…he cherished justice above all things…all these virtues were obscured latterly by avarice’
Who was Polydore Vergil?
Renaissance scholar and humanist, historian and priest. He was favoured by Henry VII and was the archdeacon of Wellis and was naturalised English in 1510. He is known as the ‘Father of English History’ for his pioneering Anglica Historian which Henry commissioned him to write.’
John Guy, Tudor England, 1988
‘Henry’s reign was distinguished by sober statesmanship.’
Edmund Hall, Chronicle, 1547
Hall was an MP, who observed the court of Henry VII. He called his chronicle ‘The union of the two noble and illustrious families of Lancaster York, being long in continual dissention for the crown of this noble realm.’ It was published after his death. He saw Henry VII as a saviour after the chaos of the War of the Roses.
Wallace MacCaffrey, 2000
‘He believed in the imposition of strong and unquestioned royal leadership…Henry Tudor was a stranger in England when he ascended the throne, having won that throne by conquest…what he did, he had to do on his own.’
