Henry VII

Question 1

When was the BoB?

Answer 1

22nd August 1485

Question 2

Why did HVII have a weak claim to the throne?

Answer 2

He had descended from female line (Margaret of Beaufort) whose father was illegitimate

Question 3

What made HVII a shrewd and calculating person?

Answer 3

Was in exile in Brittany for 14 years

Question 4

How did HVII consolidate his power?

6

Answer 4

• Pre-dated his reign to before BoB to punish those who fought on the Yorkist side
• Rewarded key supporters by knighting them
• Got support from the Pope
• Held his coronation before 1st Parl to show his hereditary right
• United houses of York and Lancaster by marrying E of Y
• Birth of Arthur in 1489

Question 5

What do some historians believe to be the true end to the Wars of the Roses?

Answer 5

Battle of Stoke Field in 1487

Question 6

What were HVII’s aims?

Answer 6

• Establish and secure the Tudor dynasty
• Law and order
• Control over the nobility

Question 7

What was Lovell & the Staffords rebellion about?

Answer 7

Lovell was a Yorkist supporter who, in 1486, planned to create an army to take the throne. HVII knew about the plan so sent forces, Lovell escaped but Stafford was tried and executed

Question 8

What was the Lambert Simnel rebellion about?

Answer 8

1487 - Put together by John De la Pole, Simnel was a central figurehead and pretender (Earl of Warwick, younger prince in tower), was crowned king in Ireland and had support from Margaret of Burgundy who planned for mercenaries to invade England, led to Battle of Stoke Field where HVII emerged victorious

Question 9

Who was Perkin Warbeck?

Answer 9

Threat to HVII and pretender to the throne, claimed to be Richard Duke of York in 1495, had foreign support from Margaret of Burgundy and James IV of Scotland, attempted to invade but was quickly suppressed, captured in 1497 and executed in 1499

Question 10

What was the role of the Council?

Answer 10

To offer advice to the king, to administer the law and to control local government

Question 11

How many times was Parliament called in the reign of HVII?

Answer 11

7 times in total - 5 times in the first decade of his reign as he was dynastically weak, mostly for issuing Acts of Attainder against nobility

Question 12

What was the role of JPs?

Answer 12

To dispense justice in local courts, peace in the countryside and detain criminals

Question 13

What was the role of Sheriffs?

Answer 13

They were crown representatives, managed elections and detained criminals

Question 14

What was the Council Learned?

Answer 14

Its function was to maintain the king’s revenue and exploit his prerogative rights (powers of monarch without consent of Parl), it made system of bonds and recognisances, Empson and Dudley involved, caused frustration and anger

Question 15

What were HVII’s foreign policy aims?

Answer 15

National security, recognition of the Tudor dynasty and defense of trade interests

Question 16

What was HVII’s foreign policy towards Scotland?

Answer 16

Auld alliance with France, land border (S on one side, F on the other, could coordinate attack?), James VI supported Perkin Warbeck in 1495 and crossed the border with a small army but failed, Anglo-Scottish relations improved as James lost interest in Perkin, Treaty of Perpetual Peace in 1503 with marriage of Princess Margaret to James

Question 17

What was HVII’s foreign policy towards Spain?

Answer 17

• Powerful state ruled by joint monarchs
• 1489 Treaty of Medina del Campo offered mutual protection in event of foreign attack, agreed not to harbour pretenders and marriage of Arthur to C of A
• Issues = Ferdinand didn’t want marriage whilst Perkin was still a threat to HVII, death of Arthur in 1501 and death of Isabella led HVII to lose interest in Spanish relations
• HVII supported Juana/Philip over Ferdinand - 1506 Treaty of Windsor led to Intercursus Malus (restored trade with Burgundy), return of Earl of Suffolk (pretender) and proposed marriage alliance with Philip’s sister
  BUT
• Philip died, Juana goes mad, Ferdinand becomes regent (doesn’t want marriage with HVIII), leaving HVII diplomatically isolated

Question 18

What was HVII’s foreign policy towards France and Brittany?

Answer 18

1487 - French invasion of Brittany
1489 - HVII raised army against French due to fear of French control being a threat to England
Treaty of Redon 1489 - Anne of Brittany paid for English army but she eventually married Charles VIII of France
HVII invaded France but since neither wanted war, led to Treaty of Etaples 1492 where Charles wouldn’t support Perkin and would pay £5000 per annum

Question 19

What was HVII’s foreign policy towards Burgundy and the Netherlands?

Answer 19

English trade went through Antwerp in the Netherlands but presence of Margaret of Burgundy (Richard III’s sister) was threatening when she enlisted support of HRE Maximilian
HVII placed trade embargo on Burgundy - this put into conflict his FP aims of dynasty vs trade
Trade embargo ended in 1496 with Magnus
1506 Treaty of Windsor and Malus intended to deepen trade relationships but was never put into action
Philip/Max handed over Yorkist fugitive, Earl on Suffolk, so HVII improved trade and securing dynasty

Question 20

What was HVII’s foreign policy towards Ireland?

Answer 20

HVII’s power only extended to the Pale
Earl of Kildare was feared by HVII because he had Yorkist sympathies and he crowned Simnel in 1486
HVII made his son Lieutenant of Ireland and Poynings as his deputy
Poynings Law in 1495 said Irish Parliament couldn’t pass laws without approval of English crown
By 1496, Kildare didn’t benefit from supporting Yorkist cause so decided to serve HVII

Question 21

What was the Yorkshire rebellion in 1489?

Answer 21

Stemmed from HVII attempting to raise revenue for campaign in Brittany, Earl of Northumberland murdered by rebels

Question 22

What was the Cornish rebellion in 1497?

Answer 22

Sparked by the need to raise revenue for campaign against Scotland, posed a greater threat as 15000 rebels were involved and marched all the way to London, also Perkin attempted to exploit the rebellion, was suppressed easily but HVII had to withdraw campaign against Scotland

Question 23

English Trade Facts

Answer 23

90% of English exports was from the cloth trade
Merchants of the Staple controlled exports of wool and were based in Calais
Merchant Adventurers dominated London’s cloth trade with Antwerp
Navigation Acts 1485 and 1489 encouraged English ships to carry certain products to and from English ports

Question 24

Who were the Lollards?

Answer 24

They placed stress on understanding the bible so favoured its translation into English, considered the CC to be corrupt, their views were considered heresy

Question 25

What is anticlericalism?

Answer 25

It is opposition to the church’s role in political and non-religious matters

Question 26

Who was Erasmus?

Answer 26

Dutch scholar, sought to regenerate Christianity through emphasising education and rejecting some traditional ceremonies

Question 27

Who was John Colet?

Answer 27

Was introduced to humanist influences in Italy, delivered a sermon highly criticising standards of the clergy, his views foreshadows those who favoured the growth of Protestantism