Henry VII: His problems and how he dealt with them

Question 1

What three main challenges did Henry VII face when he became king?

Answer 1

• He needed money (running a kingdom is expensive)
• He needed foreign allies (in case England was threatened)
• He needed supporters in England

Question 2

How did Henry VII get money from those who fought against him?

Answer 2

He fined some of the people who fought against him and took away their land.

Question 3

How did Henry make money from new foreign allies?

Answer 3

When he signed a treaty (agreement) with a foreign country, he demanded a payment from them

Question 4

How did Henry use the tax system to make money?

Answer 4

Henry employed some clever men to look up old taxes and laws. He fined people who had been avoiding these laws or not paying their taxes.

Question 5

Why was there so much money to be made from taxes and fines?

Answer 5

There had been many years of war so lots of people hadn’t been obeying these rules.

Question 6

How did Henry make money from his nobles?

Answer 6

Sometimes he demanded his nobles lend him money

Question 7

How did Henry get money from cities?

Answer 7

He demanded that cities raise money for him.

Question 8

Give an example of when a city raised money for Henry

Answer 8

In 1492 London raised £9000 to pay for Henry’s war with France

Question 9

Was Henry’s approach to getting money universally popular?

Answer 9

No - lots of people disliked it.

Question 10

What did Sir Francis Bacon say about Henry VII?

Answer 10

That he was feared and respected - but not loved.

Question 11

How much money did Henry VII leave to his son, Henry VIII?

Answer 11

£4,500,000 - an unbelievably large sum in that time

Question 12

Who did Henry sign a treaty with in 1492?

Answer 12

Charles VIII, King of France

Question 13

What did the 1492 treaty with France mean?

Answer 13

The 1492 treaty meant there was peace between England and France

Question 14

What did Henry VII do about Ireland?

Answer 14

He extended English control over Ireland. This meant all news Irish laws had to be agreed by Henry VII. It also meant all English laws would apply in Ireland.

Question 15

Who did Henry VII signed a trade treaty with?

Answer 15

Flanders (now in Belgium)

Question 16

What did Henry VII’s trade treaty mean?

Answer 16

That England could trade with Flanders and make some money.

Question 17

Who did Henry VII marry his son, Arthur, to?

Answer 17

A Spanish princess (Catherine of Aragon).

Question 18

Who did Henry VII marry his daughter, Margaret, to?

Answer 18

James IV of Scotland

Question 19

Why were these marriages to important?

Answer 19

They meant that Spain and Scotland were much less likely to attack England.

Question 20

Overall, did Henry succeed in his foreign policy?

Answer 20

Yes:

• He took steps so that Scotland, France, Ireland and Spain were less likely to attack England
• He didn’t fight any expensive major wars
• His reign was mostly peaceful

Question 21

What was the main way Henry VII aimed to get support in England?

Answer 21

People were fed up of war so he aimed to get their support by ensuring peace was kept and that laws were obeyed.

Question 22

What were the Justices of the Peace?

Answer 22

Important local people who were given the chance to run their neighborhood and make sure laws were being obeyed.

Question 23

What was the Court of Star Chamber?

Answer 23

The most powerful court in the land

Question 24

What did Henry VII give to the Court of Star Chamber?

Answer 24

More powers - such as torture - to deal with rebellion and lawlessness.

Question 25

What did the increased powers of the Court of Star Chamber mean?

Answer 25

It meant that problems in England were dealt with quickly. This meant lots of people enjoyed Henry being king.

Question 26

How did Henry get support from nobles?

Answer 26

Henry executed most of the nobles who fought against him (or he took away their power).

Question 27

What did Henry’s firm dealing with nobles mean?

Answer 27

It meant that the only nobles with any power were ones who supported Henry VII

Question 28

Overall, what did people think of Henry VII?

Answer 28

They thought he was a tough king. They either liked that or feared it.