Henry VII Foreign policy

Question 1

What were Henry’s main aims?

Answer 1

Securing his throne and dynasty; avoid wasting money and increase instability

Question 2

Overall, Henry’s foreign policy can be described as…

Answer 2

Defensive and reactionary

Question 3

Second to national security was…

Answer 3

improving England’s economic condition

Question 4

What was Henry’s immediate aims post usurpation? How did he achieve these aims?

Answer 4

Was to secure peace and stability; achieved through peaceful and diplomatic foreign policy

Question 5

What are the three time periods Henry’s foreign policy can be seperated into?

Answer 5

1. 1485-1493
2. 1493-1502
3. 1503-1509

Question 6

What treaties and agreements were signed by Henry in the opening years of his reign?

Answer 6

1 year treaty with France (supported claim to throne); removal of restricitons on trade with France
Commercial treaty with Brittany 1486
3 year Scottish treaty 1486
HRE Maximilian extended Edward IV’s treaty in 48

Question 7

Does this suggest a successful foreign policy?

Answer 7

Yes as it gave economic benifits and limited major threats

Question 8

Who died in 1488, giving Henry more security?

Answer 8

James III in Scotland. This brought 15 year old James IV to the throne

Question 9

Describe the Bretton Crisis

Answer 9

France wanted absorb Brittany into its kingdom by marriage from Charles VIII to the Duke’s daughter. Brittany then refused and France invaded.
Duke asks for help - problem as both France and Brittany had supported Henry. Henry first attempted to find a peaceful solution - failure
Treaty of Redon then signed with Brittany, supporting them with a mere 6000 troops (sign he wanted to avoid being dragged into war)

Question 10

How was Brittany then left isolated?

Answer 10

the HRE and Spain both made peace with France in 1489 (despite Medina Del Campo). Brittany was left weak and isolated

Question 11

What action did Henry take in 1492

Answer 11

He asserted his claim to the French throne (rite of passage) with the biggest English invasion force of the century, with 15,000 troops. They invaded at the very end of campaiging season; France was concentrated on Italy. This may have been seen as a nuisance to France, so they seatled for a treaty

Question 12

What was the Anglo-French 1492 treaty called and what did it do?

Answer 12

The Treaty of Etaples.
Brittany was absorbed
No aid was given to English rebels (Warbeck)
Annual pension of 50,000 Crowns (£5000, 5% of royal income)

Question 13

Can the Treaty of Etaples been seen as a success?

Answer 13

Yes. Although Brittnay was lost, Henry had gained great financial benifits, and a key line of support was removed from Warbeck
Although, Maximilian was cut out of the treaty and angered, and people will have been fustrated at high taxes for an essentially non-war

Question 14

Relations were strained with Scotland (Auld Alliance) after the Breton crisis; what did Henry do to prevent instability on the border?

Answer 14

Supported a coup which brought pro England Earl of Angus to power; A 9 year truce was then signed with Scotland in 1493

Question 15

What treaty was signed with Spain in 1489?

Answer 15

Treaty of Medina Del Campo

Question 16

What did the Medina del Campo do?

Answer 16

Arthur and Catherine would marry, dowry of £40,000 payed in insatllments
Trade between the two countries would be increased (revenue £33,000 to £40,000 in reign)
Common policy regarding France; if either country was at war with France, the other would intervene (war between France and Spain was likely in the Pyraneas)

Question 17

Why was Medina del Campo important?

Answer 17

Henry had gained recognition from a major foriegn power, granting greater security
There were economic gains - yet Henry could not tap into the newfound recources in the New World

Question 18

What organisation of countries was established in 1495, and was England invited?

Answer 18

The League of Venice, No

Question 19

The League of Venice was revamped to what orginisation in 1496?

Answer 19

The Holy League; England was invited - Ferdinand of Aragon was worried that England would support France. A sign England’s international stature was growing

Question 20

Why can England be seen as being in a strong position in 1496

Answer 20

They were in the Holy League, negated the influence of the Auld Alliance, and continued trade with France

Question 21

Who came of age in 1495?

Answer 21

James IV, Scotland

Question 22

Who arrived in Scotland in 1495?

Answer 22

Perkin Warbeck, preparations for invasion in 1496

Question 23

Why did the Scottish invasion in 1496 not come to a fruition/not successful

Answer 23

Failure to gather English support on the border. This suggests that the stability Henry had brought was popular.

Question 24

James IV feared that the invasion in 1496 would provoke the English; what treaty was then signed?

Answer 24

The Truce of Ayton was signed in 1497; made treaty after Warbeck’s execution in 1499
It was the first time peace had been made between the two countries since 1328; Henry’s daughter married James IV in 1503

Question 25

Did the Truce of Ayton prevent tension between England & Scotland

Answer 25

Not all tension was abandoned; raids on the boarder continued

Question 26

How did Perkin Warbeck affect trade with Burgundy?

Answer 26

Trade with Burgundy was important becuse of the cloth trade with Antwerp. Yet because of Margaret of Burgundy’s support for Warbeck, Henry placed an embargo on trade through the region 1493-96

Question 27

Which treaty ended the embargo on trade through Burgundy?

Answer 27

Magnus Intercursus

Question 28

What was trade with Venice important for?

Answer 28

Trade route for cloth to Florence

Question 29

Venetians placed tarrifs on English trade, how did Henry respond?

Answer 29

Henry restricted the sale of wool in Italy

Question 30

Which scandanavian countries did Henry sign treaties with

Answer 30

Norway and Denmark - for fishing

Question 31

Why was the period between 1492 and 1502 seen as a succees for Henry ?

Answer 31

Relationships with the powers were strong or improvinng, there were increases in trade, and the major threat in Perkin Warbeck ws nulified

Question 32

Which Spanish monarch died in 1504, changing the international system?

Answer 32

Isabella of Castile, sparking a Spanish succession crisis untill 1506 and ended the Dutch, Spanish, and English anti-French relationship

Question 33

The Hanseatic League supported which pretender to the throne?

Answer 33

Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk

Question 34

Henry restored Edward IV’s privileges to which league in in 1504?

Answer 34

Hanseatic league, as he didn’t want to provoke them because they backed the Earl of Suffolk

Question 35

Why was there conflict over Castile after Isabella’s death?

Answer 35

Isabella had left Castille to her daughter Joanna, who was married to Philip of Burgundy. But Ferdinand claimed it as his own

Question 36

The Earl of Suffolk was being given refuge by whom?

Answer 36

Philip of Burgundy; hence why Henry did not wish to anger Burgundy during the Spanish succession crisis

Question 37

Why was it important to Henry that Aragon and Castile remained united?

Answer 37

Because if they weren’t then Prince Henry’s marriage to Catherine would not bring as much benifit

Question 38

After attempting to sit on the fence, who did Henry eventually side with during the Spanish succession crisis?

Answer 38

Philip of Burdundy, he lended money to him for his expedition to Spain. Ferdinand looked to support from Louis XII of France.

Question 39

How did Henry atagonise Ferdiand?

Answer 39

Arguments over Catherine’s dowry with Prince Henry- Henry relied on the large sum of money and wanted to extract as much as possible

Question 40

During Philip of Burgundy’s sailing to Spain, Henry was given what stroke of luck?

Answer 40

Philip was shipwrecked on the coast of the English Channel. He was then effectively imprisoned.

Question 41

While effectively imprisoned in England, Philip of Burgundy signed which treaty?

Answer 41

It became known in the Netherlands as the Malus Intercursus: The Wicked Treaty, as it was far harsher than the original Magnus Intercursus

Question 42

What were the conditions of the Malus Intercursus?

Answer 42

Philip would hand over the Earl of Suffolk
Proccess of Prince Henry marrying Philip’s sister began
English granted completely free trade in Burgundy, but Burgundies would have to pay duties on English Cloth outlined in Magnus Intercursus

Question 43

When was the Magnus Intercursus restored?

Answer 43

1507

Question 44

How did the Spanish Succession crisis resolve itself?

Answer 44

Despite Philip and Joanna recieving a warm welcome in Castile, Philip died in Septmeber 1506. Ferdinand retook Castile and Maximilian’s grandson Charles took of the Regency of Burgundy

Question 45

After Philip of Burgundy’s death in Septmeber 1506, why did an Anglo-Spanish marriage look like an appealing prospect?

Answer 45

Spain was once again united, and Henry wanted to improve relations with Spain as he was worried apart French agression into Burgundy. This never came to fruition

Question 46

Henry changed tack and abandoned Spain; what alliances did he set up and how?

Answer 46

An Anglo-French-Burgudian alliance. He married his daughter Mary to Charles of Ghent, he then offered marry his neice to Louis XII

Question 47

Do these moves seem desperate?

Answer 47

Yes. Henry was nearing the end of his reign and became increasingly anxious. He appears desperate to find a foreign alliance to ensure the Tudor dynasty

Question 48

An anti-Venetian league was created at the same moment Henry achieved an anti-Spanish alliance. What was it called; how did it embaress England

Answer 48

The League of Cambrai. England was not invited and because Louis didn’t want to antagonise Frace (they shared a common enemny in the Venetians) the anti-Spanish alliance broke down

Question 49

What was England exposed as after the League of Cambrai embarresment?

Answer 49

weak fiscally, militarily, and politcally on the world stage

Question 50

Overall, was Henry’s foriegn policy a success?

Answer 50

Yes. Despite embarressments at the end of his reign, Henry had the diplomatic skill to prevent tension becoming too high to the point were they risked the stability of his dynasty. He made economic gains which increased England’s wealth and standing on the world stage, which layed a strong foundation for Henry VIII to squander