Henry VII and threats to his rule

Question 1

Lovell Rebellion: Who was involved?

Answer 1

Lord Lovell and the Stafford brothers, Yorkist Nobles and the Herberts and Vaughns - Welsh nobles.

Question 2

Lovell Rebellion: What was the aim?

Answer 2

Whilst Henry was on the royal progression they wanted to detain him. Lovell headed North, intending to detain him in York whilst the Staffords raise rebellion in the West (Worcester).

Question 3

Lovell Rebellion: How did Henry respond?

Answer 3

1/Offered pardon or execution - Thomas pardoned and Humphrey executed.
2/Lovell fled to Flanders and Staffords sought Sanctuary.
3/ Put down Welsh with Rhys Ap Thomas.

Question 4

Lambert Simnel: Dynastic Issues

Answer 4

1/ Henry’s reign only one year old - not secure.
2/ Henry’s son Arthur - born in September 1486. Could have expedited plotters plans.
3/ John de la Pole - Richard III’s named heir. Becoming involved in plot by Spring 1487 and fled to Flanders in April 1487 to get backing from Margaret of Burgundy.

Question 5

Lambert Simnel: Political Issues

Answer 5

1/ Simnel proclaimed claim in Oxford, a Yorkist stronghold.
2/ Simnel landed in Lancashire - Broughtons and Harringtons prosperous under Richard.
3/Northern gentry remained loyal to Henry - made easier at Battle of Stoke.

Question 6

Lambert Simnel: Foreign Influence

Answer 6

Margaret of Burgundy - sent 2000 German mercenaries to Ireland, commanded by able Martin Schwartz.
Lucrative trading licences under Edward IV had been revoked.
Could also confirm the claim and cause increased support.

Question 7

Lambert Simnel: Ireland

Answer 7

1/ Yorkists popular - Richard Duke of York was Lord Lieutenant in 1450’s.
2/ Chose Yorkists over accepting Henry Tudor.
3/ Did not confirm Gerald Fitzgerald as Lord Deputy of Ireland. Part of plan to achieve home rule.
4/Crowned Lambert Simnel in May 1487 despite Henry parading real Earl of Warwick.

Question 8

Lambert Simnel: Role of John de la Pole

Answer 8

Recruitment in the North. Curated army of 8000 for Battle of Stoke.

Question 9

Lambert Simnel: How did Henry respond?

Answer 9

1/ Paraded real Earl of Warwick - November 1486. (does not help)
2/ Preparation: Reinforced defenced on East Coat - Stays in centre, Kenilworth - Placed fleet at Harwich - Relies on Jasper Tudor and Earl of Oxford, strong military leaders.
3/ Battle of Stoke: Defeat Simnel in three hours.
4/ 28 nobles under Act of Attainder and some under fines and bonds - Takes land from John de la Pole.
5/ Simnel given turnspit job in Kings Kitchen - worst job.

Question 10

Perkin Warbeck: Dynastic Issues

Answer 10

Warbeck claimed to be Richard IV - one of two princes in tower. Backed by ‘aunt’ - Margaret of Burgundy.

Question 11

Perkin Warbeck: Political issues

Answer 11

Sir William Stanley (Chamberlain of the King’s household) said he would not take up arms against Warbeck - switching sides back to Yorkists. He was executed in 1495.

Question 12

Perkin Warbeck: Foreign Influence

Answer 12

1/ Charles VIII of France + Margaret of Burgundy believed to be involved.
2/ Charles VIII: involved in appearance at Cork in 1491. Wanted control over Brittany. Used Warbeck as leverage. 1492 - Treaty of Etaples. Could no longer harbour rebels.
3/ Margaret of Burgundy: Trained him to impersonate young prince in 1493 and confirmed claim. Henry imposed trade embargo.
4/ HRE Maxmillian: Recognised claim but no practical help.
5/ James IV of Scotland: Provided sanctuary from 1945, royal bride (Lady Catherine Gordon), annual pension of £1200 and permission to raise troops. Truce - Treaty of Ayton - signed in 1497.
6/ Landed in Cornwall following Cornish Rebellion in 1497. Received little support and was arrested.

Question 13

Perkin Warbeck: Ireland

Answer 13

1/ Irish supportive of Warbeck in Cork after defeat in 1487. Henry sent small force and imposed Sir Edward Ponying’s as royal authority.
2/ Warbeck tried to land in 1495, besieging town of Waterford but they remained loyal.
3/ 1497 - Tried to land again but even Kildare was loyal.

Question 14

Perkin Warbeck: How did Henry respond?

Answer 14

1498 - Transferred to the tower. Warbeck and Earl of Warwick said to be involved in escape attempt and were both executed.

Question 15

Edmund de la Pole: Who is he?

Answer 15

Brother of John de la Pole - Fined £5,000 after his rebellion and could not inherit Duke of Suffolk title. Fled in 1499 to Flanders after killing a man and then fled to HRE court in 1501 presenting himself as ‘White Rose’.

Question 16

Edmund de la Pole: HRE Maxmillian

Answer 16

Henry bribed him with £250,000 to help campaign against Ottomans and a trade embargo.

Question 17

Edmund de la Pole: How does the situation change in 1506?

Answer 17

Philip of Burgundy needs help on English Coast. Negotiated the end of the harbouring of rebels and Suffolk returned.

Question 18

What was the difference with the Cornish and Yorkshire rebellions?

Answer 18

Did not aim to overthrow and were motivated by economic factors.

Question 19

What did the King’s income come from?

Answer 19

Expected to ‘live of his own’.
1/ Crown lands
2/ Feudal dues
3/ Fines
4/ Bonds
5/ Customs Revenue
6/ Extraordinary Taxation in times of emergency such as war. Had to have consent of parliament. Locals near borders or coast could also be expected to pay for fortifications and defending forces.

Question 20

What were the three types of taxes?

Answer 20

1/ A ‘fifteenth’ - paid by non-clergy and was 1/15 of their goods.
2/ A ‘tenth’ - Paid by clergy - 1/10 of their land.
3/ Subsidy - New income tax based on frequent reassessments of property. More efficient but unpopular.

Question 21

Yorkshire Rebellion 1489: Causes

Answer 21

Parliament granted subsidy of £100,000 to send troops to Brittany. Earl of Northumberland could only collect £27,000.

Question 22

Yorkshire Rebellion 1489: What happened early on?

Answer 22

Protest in Northumberland and Yorkshire (had suffered bad harvest so particularly angry). They were frustrated as counties North of them did not have to pay as had to defend Scotland.
Earl of Northumberland presented their case to Henry in London who refused to negotiate. He returned to Northumberland supporting the tax and was murdered.

Question 23

Yorkshire Rebellion 1498: Climax

Answer 23

Leader was Sir John Egremont - a Yorkist and illegitimate member of Percy family. He led rebels to York where they were defeated by Earl of Surrey and Egremont fled to Flanders.

Question 24

Yorkshire Rebellion 1498: How did Henry respond?

Answer 24

1/Issues general pardon to rebels and abandoned collection of tax.
2/Earl of Surrey became Lieutenant of the North and the new Earl of Northumberland was a minor which led to no trouble from the North for rest of reign.

Question 25

Cornish Rebellion 1497: Causes

Answer 25

Henry needed money to counteract threat of invasion by Warbeck in Scotland. Subsidy granted of £120,000 based on value of property.
People of Cornwall poor and usually tin miners - usually exempt from paying tax.
Did not feel it was their responsibility to defend the North.

Question 26

Cornish Rebellion 1497: What happened early on?

Answer 26

May 1947 - Marched towards Bodmin led by local bankrupt nobleman, Lord Audley. Participants were mainly peasants bar 4 sheriffs and 3 MP’s.

Question 27

Cornish Rebellion 1497: Climax

Answer 27

Reached Blackheath, near London, in June 1497 with 15,000 strong force. No serious attempts to stop them on their march.
Henry diverted troops from march to Scotland under Sir Giles Daubenay.
Rebel army defeated - 1,000 killed and rest fled.

Question 28

Cornish Rebellion 1497: How did Henry respond?

Answer 28

1/ Executed Audley and two other local leaders.
2/ Imposed total of £15,000 fines on other participants.

Question 29

Cornish Rebellion 1497: What did the Cornish Rebellion change with Henry’s viewpoint?

Answer 29

He could not fund serious war so signed Treaty of Ayton in September 1497. However, Warbeck had already left to take advantage of discontent in Cornwall.
Warbeck raised 3000-4000 Cornish unhappy with result of uprising however was challenged by Exeter and Taunton. He fled.