Henry VII's Foreign Policy Flashcards
How was Henry VII’s relationship with Brittany?
Good, the Duchy of Brittany had offered Henry refuge when he fled England in 1481
France wanted to incorporate Brittany into France, why would this be bad for Henry?
All channel land would be owned by the French
When did France offer aid for England? Why was support for Brittany negative as a result of this?
They offered finance for his invasion of 1485, support for Brittany may antagonise the French as B & F were opponents, the French had the strongest army on the continent.
Who were France allied with that made them dangerous for England and under what alliance?
Scotland under the Auld alliance
Were Scotland a threat? How did Henry handle the border raids?
They were a nuisance by themselves, the Auld Alliance made them slightly worse.Henry placed expensive garrisons in Carlisle and Berwick
Who married to form Spain?
Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile
What were Spain’s main intentions?
1- To drive the moors out of Granada2- Retake land that France had taken
Why were Spain likely to see England as an ally rather than a threat?
They were seeking land from the French, England were their natural enemy so Spain had a mutual Enemy with France
Why was Burgundy a direct threat to Henry VII?
Margaret, the sister of Richard III had married the Duke of Burgundy and used it as a Yorkist stronghold. Henry could not cut them off though due to the cloth trade.
How big a threat was the Holy Roman Empire to England?
It wasn’t, it appeared strong but the Emperor had limited power and many of it’s aims revolved around finding land in Italy.
How significant was Henry’s foreign policy in terms of importance?
Henry’s foreign policy was subordinate to his domestic policy, with it centring around ensuring dynastic security
Did Henry VII try and avoid war?
Yeah, the economic status of England meant they couldn’t afford the conflict
What three periods are Henry’s foreign policy divided into?
1485 - 1592 - Policy of diplomacy to secure the throne1493 - 1502 - Peace with Scotland where Henry appeared stronger1503 - 1509 - Henry appears weak and is diplomatically isolated
What was the Breton Crisis?
France wanted to bring Brittany under French control, Spain, Brittany and England opposed.
Who was supposed to marry who and what happened to trigger the Breton Crisis?
The Duke of Brittany had agreed to marry his Daughter to Maximilian, the French regent offered Charles VIII to the Duke’s daughter also. The French ignored Maximilian and send a force into Brittany in 1488 to enforce their aim.
When did the French invade Brittany for the Breton crisis?
1488
How did the rest of Europe respond to the French invasion of Brittany in 1488?
Maximilian and Ferdinand of Aragon sent a force in to fight the French, the Duke of Brittany asked Henry for help
What did Henry do when the Duke of Brittany asked him for help?
Attempted to negotiate between the Bretons and the French, this was unsuccessful
What treaty did Henry sign with Brittany during the crisis, when was it and what did it entail?
Treaty of Redon in 1489 that meant Henry would send 6k troops into Brittany paid for by them
When did Maximilian make peace with France?
1489
Spain made peace with France during the Breton crisis despite what treaty?
The Treaty of Medina del Campo
Why was Henry sending troops to Brittany dangerous?
They (England) couldn’t face France alone and they’d given him financial aid in 1485.
When did Brittany accept defeat and who were married as a result?
December 1491. It led to the marriage of Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII of France.
Why did Brittanys defeat in the Breton Crisis put England in bad standing in 3 respects?
- They’d gone to war to defend Brittany and lost- France could launch an attack from anywhere on the coast- Henry had raised a sum to fund a war which was not fought, if he made peace both money and credibility would be lost