Henry VII Flashcards
What is H7’s maternal claim to the throne
Mum (Margaret Beaufort) grand-daughter of Edward III
Why is a maternal claim weak?
through female line & father (John of Gaunt) had children bastardised for being out of wedlock
What is H7’s paternal claim to the throne
Owen Tudor ( paternal grandfather) was the second husband to Henry V’s ex
What were H7’s aims coming into power
- Remain king and establish his dynasty
- keep out of foreign affairs as are $$$ and might challenge his dynasty
- establish effective gov.
- maintain law and order
- control the nobility
- secure the crown’s finances
How H7 established authority after Battle of Bosworth - Elizabeth of York
Put her and Earl of Warwick in tower to prevent rebellion and from marrying a Yorkist
Married her after coronation (January 1486)
Gave birth to Arthur - embodiment of the Tudor Rose (22nd September 1489)
How H7 established authority after Battle of Bosworth - Coronation
Took place before 1st Parliament to show legitimacy from God not Parliament (divine right of Kings)
Coronation - 30th October
Parliament - 7th November
How H7 established authority after Battle of Bosworth - backdated
Officially backdated Battle of Bosworth to 21st August so anyone fighting for Richard could be called a traitor
How H7 established authority after Battle of Bosworth - patronage
gave out 11 knighthoods
made key appointments e.g. Sir William Stanley to Lord Chamberlain of the Household
Dynastic ambition and political opposition was a reason for rebellion
Lovell and Stafford rising 1485-6
Simnel and Warbeck
Taxes/ demands for money was a reason for rebellion
Yorkshire Rebellion 1489 - funding for Brittany/France
Cornish Rebellion 1497 - funding for Scotland
Foreign support to remove H7 was a reason for rebellion - Burgundy
Margaret of Burgundy - supported pretenders e.g. recognised PW as rightful King in 1490
Foreign support to remove H7 was a reason for rebellion - Ireland
Ireland supported pretenders e.g. Simnell proclaimed King in 1487
Foreign support to remove H7 was a reason for rebellion - France
France - Charles 8 supported Warbeck
Foreign support to remove H7 was a reason for rebellion - HRE
Holy Roman Empire - Maximilian I persuaded PW to try invade England (failed 1495)
Foreign support to remove H7 was a reason for rebellion - Scotland
James 4 allowed PW to take refuge and marry his cousin, September 1496 tried to invade ENG but failed - lost all support
Claiming to have a better claim to the throne was a reason for rebellion
Simnel - Earl of Warwick
Warbeck - Richard, Duke of York (Princes in the tower)
H7 controlled nobility with attacks on retaining
1485 - Lords and Commons had to swear oath they wouldn’t illegally retain
1504 - Nobles had to get a special licence from King and if didn’t were fined £5/retainer/month
Lord Burgavenny fined £70,000 in 1507 for illegally retaining 471 men - put under bond of £5000 for 10yrs
H7 controlled nobility through Act of Attainders
138 passed - 51 in last 5 yrs of reign
41 reversed
Sir Thomas Tyrell had to pay £1738 to reverse his and his Dad’s attainders
H7 controlled nobility through patronage
rare for him to give titles - Edward 4 created 9 earls and H7 only 3
titles meant reducing crown income as less crown lands
Influence of Churchman John Morton
ABofC in 1486 (had worked hard against R3) and Cardinal in 1493
Important for ‘Morton’s Fork’ - exploited by tax commissioners as ‘The rich were told that they could afford to contribute, and the poor were accused of having concealed wealth’
Influence of Richard Empson
member of King’s council from 1494
chaired Council Learned in Law and associated with ruthlessness of H7’s reign
executed immediately under H8
Influence of Edmund Dudley
came in after Reginald Bray death in 1503 (SAME YEAR AS ELIZABETH OF YORK DIES) and exploited financial opportunities with Council Learned with increasing ruthlessness
executed immediately under H8
Functions of King’s council
- advise the king
- administer the realm on the King’s behalf (collect taxes)
- make legal judgements
Extent of Council’s influence
227 men recorded as attendees BUT H7 only rlly listened to 6/7
Mum (Margaret Beaufort) often seen as most influential
Council had no established rules or procedures
Professional councillors that weren’t courtiers often met separately without King e.g. Empson and Dudley
Meaning of personal monarchy
Political power and influence of a person depends upon their relationship with the King
Why was the privy chamber introduced?
Sir William Stanley (Lord Chancellor) betrayed him with PW in 1495
Why did H7 use parliament at the start of his reign?
3/12.5 months 1485-6 to secure his reign e.g. backdate rein, acts of attainders etc.
Why else did H7 call parliament?
to support controversial policies e.g. limiting powers of nobility and raising taxes (extraordinary revenue for wars)
How was parliament used at the end of H7’s reign?
no parliament in last 5 years of the reign BUT in final parliament managed to secure that H7 couldn’t call them again for extraordinary revenue
Why was H7’s control weak in Cornwall?
saw themselves as independent
Why was H7’s control weak in Wales?
it could be used to invade England - as H7 had done
Why was H7’s control weak in the North?
far away and loyal to House of York in past
Why was H7’s control weak in Ireland?
real power left with Chieftons not H7 - only ruled the Pale
Earl of Kildare was Deputy but sympathised with Royal Pretenders - H7 forced to remove him and put Sir Poynings in 1494 - then Kildare reinstated in 1496
What was Poyning’s law?
1495 - Irish Parliament controlled by English King and Council
Earl of Suffolk’s role
put in charge of North as had no strong support to rival Henry
Jasper Tudor’s rule
led Council of Wales and 1488 took possession of Cardiff Castle
Prince-Bishop of Durham’s role
Led Palentine of Durham where he ruled as a semi-independent ruler
Role of Justices of the Peace
to conduct local government
unpaid and met 4 times a year to try people accused of more serious crimes
How did H7 increase JP’s power?
used them as free patronage
1485 - Powers of arrest extended to cover poachers and hunters
1491 - Powers to grant bail
1495 - Power to vet juries
Why did H7 consider finance to be so important
H7 aimed to achieve solvency by increasing Royal Income by decreasing spending to restore crown’s $$ strength
What was the increase in income from Crown land? (ordinary)
£29,000 (1485) to £42,000 (1509)
What was the income from customs duties? (ordinary)
made up 1/3rd of all income
smuggling meant not a massive increase
£33,000 to £40,000
What were feudal dues? (ordinary)
enforced traditional rights to the full e.g. warships and marriages
How were Acts of Attainders used for revenue? (ordinary)
Sir William Stanley paid £9000 in cash, £1000/yr after treason in 1495
Example of parliamentary grant (extraordinary)
payments to help for Battle of Stokefield 1487
Example of Loans and Benevolences (extraordinary)
1496 - H7 needed money for PW and Scotland so appealed to landlords for loans
Example of Clerical Taxes (extraordinary)
1489 - Church paid £25,000 for war against France
made £6000 from simony and leaving positions vacant
Example of feudal obligations (extraordinary)
at knighting of Prince Arthur, King got feudal dues from nobles
French pension details (extraordinary)
Treaty of Etaples 1492 - H7 promised £159,000 in compensation from France - paid in £5000/yr
Example of Bonds and Recognisances (extraordinary)
H7 collected 191 bonds in 1st decade of his reign
earned £3000 in 1493 rising to £35000 in 1505 (those who fell behind hounded by Council Learned)
H7’s foreign policy aims
secure as many allies, spend the least money possible and secure his dynasty
Events of Simnel Rising in Ireland
Earl of Kildare and leaders proclaimed Simnel Edward VI in May 1487
H7 diffused by showing real Earl of Warwick
Significance of Simnel Rising in Ireland
showed H7 was vulnerable and opportunity for Margaret of Burgundy (sent 2000 mercenaries)
Events in Brittany 1489
H7 didn’t want France to take over Brittany - now ruled by 12yr old Duchess Anne
Treaty of Redon signed Feb 1489 - H7 promised cost of 6,000 men paid to defend Anne
Significance of Brittany 1489
didn’t achieve aim as Anne married Charles 8 in 1491 - end of Brittany’s independence
Yorkshire Rebellion
Events in France 1492
H7 prepares to invade with 26,000 men - crossed channel in October 1489
C8 didn’t want war with H7 as more interested in Italian peninsula
C8 offered peace and Treaty of Etaples signed in Nov 1492
Significance of France 1492
England not a powerful country
H7 gets pension - £5,000/yr - makes up 5% of crown income
C8 withdrew support for PW
Better relations with Burgundy (trade)
Events in Burgundy 1496
A trade embargo put in place to challenge Margaret of Burgundy’s support for PW
Intercursus Magnus - ended Trade Embargo (BUT not MofB’s support for PW)
Significance of Burgundy 1496
needed good relations with Burgundy as Antwerp big for trade
H7 puts dynastic priorities ahead of economic
leads to better relations with Burgundy (trade)
Events in Spain 1489
Treaty of Medina del Campo - trade agreement to join against France and marriage alliance with Catherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur BUT argument over Catherine’s dowry
Significance of Spain 1489
only 4 years into his reign recognised by a lead European monarch - important as a usurper trying to gain legitimacy
Events in Scotland 1497
James 4 supports PW - has in court and marries cousin
failed invasion of England with PW leading to Truce of Ayton
Significance in Scotland 1497
J4 no longer supported PW
1503 Treaty of Perpetual Peace - J4 marry H7 daughter Margaret
success - PW gone after Cornish Rebellion and marriage stops Scot invasions
Events in Burgundy 1506
Isabella and Phillip shipwrecked in England - H7 used to his advantage for Intercursus Malus and Treaty of Windsor 1506
Significance of Burgundy 1506
favourable treaties BUT Phillip’s death meant never went through
