Henry VII - Consolidation Flashcards
Who was Henry VII descended from?
Edward III - Henry’s mother was Lady Margaret Beaufort who was descended from John of Gaunt (son of Edward III) and his third wife - their son John Beaufort had been born before their marriage so was seen as illegitimate
What really brought Henry VII to the throne?
Victory on the battlefield
What impact did the public distrust of Richard III have on Henry’s claim?
Richard III was an object of suspicion especially following the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, it was enough that Henry wasn’t Richard for people to support him
Who’s death strengthened Henry VII’s claim and why?
Henry VI and his son Edward, Prince of Wales died in 1471
What else contributed to Henry VII’s claim?
He was the only person to fill the role of the Lancastrian claimant
What was a concern?
There were still other claimants
What was Henry VII’s upbringing?
1471 (Henry aged 14), Edward IV regained power for the House of York in the Battle of Tewkesbury
Many of Henry’s Lancastrian relatives died or were executed
Henry fled to France living mostly as a fugitive in Brittany
What did Henry’s upbringing mean?
He wasn’t brought up to rule
What were Henry VII’s main aims from 1485?
To consolidate power (ensure he kept the throne, mindful of previous monarchs endings)
Establish Tudor dynasty
What were Henry VII’s main methods of consolidation?
Dated reign - 21st August 1485, day before Battle of Bosworth, anyone who fought on Yorkist side could be punished for being a traitor
Acts of Attainder - against Yorkists who fought at Bosworth, lost titles and land, property forfeit to crown
Detained claimants - placed Earl of Warwick (Edward IV’s nephew) and Elizabeth of York (Edward IV’s daughter) in Tower of London
Public rewards - 11 new knighthoods
Key appointments - Sir Reginald Bray became chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster, Sir William Stanley became chamberlain of the household
Coronation - 30th October, before first parliament meeting on 7th November, throne based on hereditary right not because parliament sanctioned it
Marriage - January 1486 Henry married Elizabeth of York, joining together two houses (and Tudor Rose), after other methods of consolidation
Birth of an heir - September 1486 Prince Arthur born
What problems did Henry VII face when it comes to consolidation?
Yorkist claimants to the throne - Earls of Warwick and Lincoln (Edward IV’s nephews)
People pretending to be one of the murdered Princes in the tower - Edward V or his younger brother Richard
Margaret of Burgundy (sister of Edward IV and Richard III) - access to funds and encouraged Yorkist claimants
Viscount Lovell and the Staffords - When, What Happened, Stopping it
Easter 1486
Lovell tried to raise rebellion in North Riding of Yorkshire, Stafford tried to raise rebellion in the Midlands
Lovell escaped King’s forces, Stafford captured and executed (younger brother Thomas pardoned)
Lack of support and easily suppressed
Lambert Simnel and the Earl of Lincoln - When, What Happened, Stopping it
Leading Yorkists realised needed a change in strategy, needed a figurehead
Lambert Simnel pretended to be Earl of Warwick - crowned King of Ireland in May 1487
Put together by John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln)
In response Henry had real Earl of Warwick exhibited at Tower of London - Lincoln fled and joined Lovell at court of Margaret of Burgundy in Netherlands - persuaded her to support Simnel and pay for mercenaries to invade England
Henry had plenty of notice so reinstated Earl of Northumberland in north neutralising old Richard III power base and reinforced coastal defences in East Anglia
Rebels landed on northwest coast and crossed Pennines to gather support but people reluctant to commit
Battle of Stoke field as part of Lambert Simnel and Earl of Rebellion
1487
Henry gathered group of advisors and the two armies met at East Stoke near Newark in Nottinghamshire
Henry not confident remembering Richard had been double crossed at Bosworth
Army led effectively by Earl of Oxford - Earl of Lincoln killed (failed to gather enough support)
Officially ended Wars of the Roses, Henry safer but not fully secure, mild treatment of rebels
Perkin Warbeck imposture
1491 - impersonated Richard, Duke of York (one of the Princes in the Tower) in Ireland
1492 - briefly appeared in court of Charles VIII in France, fled to court of Margaret of Burgundy
1495 - first attempt to land in England, quickly defeated and fled to Scotland (found to have had support from William Stanley - huge betrayal for Henry)
1496 - small Scottish force crossed border but retreated, James IV agreed to marry Henry’s daughter Margaret
1497 - Warbeck tried again, led to Yorkshire rebellion, Henry and James called truce
Henry allowed Warbeck to stay at court but he was accused of trying to escape with Earl of Warwick and was executed
