Henry VII Flashcards
What date was the Battle of Bosworth?
22nd August 1485
What were the Battle of Bosworth reasons for Henry VII winning?
Legacy of the war of the roses - People were uncommitted to fighting for Richard.
Stanley family - Lord Stanley held a lot of the soldiers during the battle (1/3). Initially he was on Richard III side but switched to Henry VII side at the start of the battle.
Other nobles at the battle - Inexperienced in battle or did not want to commit to either side.
Poor decisions - When Richard III saw Henry VII mostly unprotected, he charged towards him but was caught up and killed in the battle.
Luck - Was quite evenly sided.
What were Henry’s three early actions?
Dated his reign to start the day before the battle - This is as it allowed him to pick and choose the punishment for traitors. Building his own reputation and bonds early on.
Quickly coronates himself - Has his coronation in October so before parliament could meet and refuse him.
Married Elizabeth of York - Unites York and Lancaster households as it gives both houses power and a dynasty.
Lovell and Stafford Rebellion in detail
Henry used spies to pursue and monitor escaping Yorkist
supporters, Lovell and the Staffords included.
April 1486, Henry went on to tour the north of England and judging that the time was right Lovell and the Staffords left the
sanctuary of the Abbey and went to get support to overthrow Henry but were pursued by the spies.
Lovell went to Yorkshire to Middleham Castle and a few Yorkists came out to support him, as soon as Henry heard of the rebellion whilst in Lincoln he moved north to York to suppress it with his large armed force.
His Uncle, Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford, was sent into Yorkshire promising to pardon everyone except Lovell and since he was not a Yorkist claimant to the throne the rebel force quickly disbanded. Henry also sent in 2 reliable nobleman, Sir Richard Edgecombe, the controller of the household and Sir William Tyler, keeper of
the Jewels to arrest them.
Knowing that his rebellion had failed Lovell fled to Margaret of Burgundy in Flanders, Richard III’s sister.
The Stafford brothers did little better; they went to Worcester in the midlands to get support but few people joined them. When news of Lovell’s escape and Henry VII’s approach was received by the rebels, they fled to Culham Abbey and asked for sanctuary
again but were followed by Henry’s spies.
This time Henry was less forgiving and had them dragged out and put on trial which violated the principles of sanctuary.
Lovell and Stafford Rebellion in summary
Franciss Lovell, Thomas Stafford and Humphrey Stafford were very loyal to Richard.
They committed treason and hid in sanctuary.
1486 Henry VII goes nationwide in order to spread his reputation.
Spies ,whom had been following all Yorkist supporters, spot Lovell’s schemes.
Lovell and Staffords of them split up and gather support.
Jasper Tudor offer pardons and as the nobles weren’t so trusted, little support had dissipated.
Lovell flees abroad and brothers in sanctuary but laws were changed to drag them out.
What was the aim of the Lovell and Stafford Rebellion?
Wanted to kill/capture Henry VII to put Henry Lovell on the throne.
How does Henry manage the Stafford brothers after capture?
The older brother, Humphrey, was executed by the younger brother ,Thomas, lived and became a strong supporter of Henry VII.
Showed leniency but fierceness of Henry VII.
Why did Henry VII breaking laws of sanctuary matter?
Disobeyed holy/church laws.
How did Henry VII circumvent sanctuary laws?
By changing that sanctuary can be sought for all crimes except treason.
Who was Lovell?
Francis Viscount Lovell
A supporter of Richard III
Relatively minor noblemen but prospered under Richard
Fought for Richard so had to seek sanctuary
When was the Simnel Rebellion?
1485
What happened in the Simnel Rebellion in summary?
Symonds turned Simnel in Oxford as both middle class.
Symonds ,realising the opportunity, began teaching Simnel kingly traits.
Began impersonating Princes of the Tower.
Impressed the Anglo-Irish and garnered their supported.
Margeret sent 2000 German soldiers to England.
Nobles ,such as Lincoln, begin supporting.
1487 Battle of Stoke where it was 8000 vs 12000.
Symonds was arrested and noble money was confiscated.
How was Simnel treated after the rebellion?
He was employed in Henry VII’s kitchen - being merciful
Why could you say the Simnel Rebellion was not a threat?
Simnel’s lack of support in England can be gauged by the fact that he raised no more than 1,500 men there in two weeks, despite landing in the Yorkist heartland.
Why could you say the Simnel Rebellion was a threat?
The Battle of Stoke was closely fought and lasted for 3 hours – a long time in this period. While Henry had the bigger and more experienced and better equipped army, it was by no means absolutely certain he would win. Had he lost, he could have lost his throne.
Although the Yorkists had little support from major nobles, the same was true of Henry’s army. His only two big supporters were Oxford and Derby. Northumberland joined Henry’s army but his loyalty was so suspect he and his troops were never ordered into battle
Reasons the Simnel rebellion failed
Simnel was not clearly legitimate and was only 12 years old – a child, not an inspiring leader.
Simnel depended on foreign support – Germans and Irishmen – and this made it much harder to raise support in England. He seemed to be a puppet for foreign interests
Yorkist leadership very weak after Bosworth, eg Duke of Norfolk was killed there.
Henry’s treatment of the Yorkist nobility after Bosworth was effective. Few were executed or left without hope. He confiscated land but allowed men such as the Earl of Surrey to prove their loyalty and regain their property. This limited the number desperate enough to rebel. Especially key was Northumberland’s decision to stay loyal – he had fought for Richard at Bosworth
Exhaustion and poverty – the north had been devastated by war and most were focused on survival for themselves and their families, not another bout of dynastic fighting. Like many of the rebellions in this period, therefore, there was no common enthusiasm for the cause among all classes.
Bad behaviour of the undisciplined Irish troops.
What was the reputation of Oxford in the 1400’s?
In the 15th century, Oxford was a town full of
ambitious men.
The university provided routes for advancement and promotion in both the Church and the state.
It was a growing town with new colleges and
educational establishments such as grammar schools
being built.
Many scholars and students supplemented their income by tutoring young boys.
One such scholar was a priest, Richard Symonds, who tutored a 10 year old boy named Lambert Simnel.
How was Symonds viewed?
Percieved as craft and ambitious.
What did Symonds teach Simnel and was it succesful?
Taught Simnel basic Latin grammar, polite French, the practical and social skills in an aristocratic household, details of Yorkist family life, and the self-assurance of a King.
Symonds taught well, for the boy impressed the Anglo-Irish nobles in Dublin with his grace
Who was Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy?
Was Richard III sister.
Married Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.
Implacable opponent of Henry VII – mainspring of the plots against the King
Sympathetic support for Simnel and Warbeck.
Maintained Yorkist exiles at court.
Financed imposter’s invasion fleets.
Limitations to help (5,000 men and 2 small fleets) – minor expenses to
Margaret.
Why was 1487 significant?
Battle of Stoke – last engagement of Wars of
the Roses = a watershed in the nation’s history.
Experience of rebellion and manner of its
suppression shaped the early Tudor dynasty.
Henry VII had been preoccupied with the
imposter from February 1487 and rebellions in
Yorkshire followed – he did not return to London until October.
What was Henry VII’s significance by the end of 1487 and why?
Much more secure by end of 1487 – met the
Simnel challenge and enabled him to assess
quality of his ministers and servants and to understand important of network of loyal knights.
Cost of campaign and shortage of money focused his mind on improving the crown’s financial position through enterprising financial
management.
What year and how did Henry VII begin dealing with the nobles?
Began to address the problem of rebellious nobles by extending the use of bonds which meant
financial ruin if a noble stepped out of line.
Who was Perkin Warbeck?
Warbeck was a young Flemish boy who, with
Yorkist backing, impersonated Richard, the
younger son of Edward IV.
This impersonation was an effective weapon against Henry VII.
