Henry VII - Society, Economy and Religion

Question 1

What support did the Church provide to Henry during his reign?

Answer 1

The Church gave Henry important support during the reign.

Question 2

How did the Pope support Henry’s title and marriage?

Answer 2

The Pope backed Henry’s title and marriage. Relations with the papacy remained good throughout the reign.

Question 3

What significant gift did Pope Innocent VIII present to Henry?

Answer 3

Pope Innocent VIII presented Henry with a golden rose.

Question 4

What special permission did Pope Julius II grant to Henry?

Answer 4

Pope Julius II gave special permission (papal dispensation) for Prince Henry to marry his sister-in-law, Catherine of Aragon.

Question 5

What control did Henry have over church appointments?

Answer 5

The king controlled all appointments to senior church posts and other elements of church patronage.

Question 6

What role did bishops play during Henry’s reign?

Answer 6

The bishops were used as administrators. Most were lawyers rather than theologians.

Question 7

Who was Fox of Winchester and what was his role?

Answer 7

Fox of Winchester was Keeper of the Privy Seal and did extensive work in administration and diplomacy.

Question 8

What positions did Morton hold?

Answer 8

Morton was Archbishop of Canterbury, Chancellor of England, and appointed a Cardinal by the Pope.

Question 9

What was the Bishop of Lincoln’s request to the king?

Answer 9

The Bishop of Lincoln petitioned the king in vain to leave his royal duties in the Welsh Marches and return to his see.

Question 10

What is the Benefit of Clergy?

Answer 10

Men who claimed that they were clergy were tried in Church courts and might hope for a more lenient sentence.

Question 11

What statute did Henry introduce regarding clergy?

Answer 11

Henry introduced a new statute tightening up the definition of a clergyman to restrict this privilege.

Question 12

What is the Right of Sanctuary?

Answer 12

Men could claim the right of sanctuary if they entered a church and could temporarily avoid arrest.

Question 13

How did Henry change the Right of Sanctuary in cases of treason?

Answer 13

Henry ruled that in cases of treason, this right could no longer be exercised.

Question 14

What was the situation with the Stafford brothers in 1486?

Answer 14

The Stafford brothers were arrested in church in 1486.

Question 15

How did Henry view the nobles’ regional influence?

Answer 15

He was content to allow the nobles their regional influence if they were loyal to him and stayed within the law.

Question 16

What was the role of Justices of the Peace (JPs) during Henry’s reign?

Answer 16

Henry VII used JPs on a large, nationwide scale. They were appointed for every shire and served for a year at a time.

Question 17

What was the chief task of JPs?

Answer 17

Their chief task was to see that the laws of the country were obeyed in their area.

Question 18

What was the significance of Lambert Simnel’s claim?

Answer 18

He was crowned in Dublin as Edward VI.

Question 19

What was the situation with the real Earl of Warwick during Simnel’s rebellion?

Answer 19

Although he was an impostor, the real Earl of Warwick was alive in the Tower.

Question 20

Who fled to join Simnel?

Answer 20

John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln – Richard III’s official heir - fled from Henry to join Simnel.

Question 21

What support did Simnel have for his invasion?

Answer 21

He had support from the Irish and from 3,000 foreign mercenaries led by their captain, Martin Swartz.

Question 22

Who backed Simnel’s claim?

Answer 22

Simnel was backed by Margaret of York, Dowager Duchess of Burgundy, Edward IV’s sister and a keen Yorkist.

Question 23

What was the outcome of the battle at Stoke?

Answer 23

Simnel’s forces brought Henry to battle at Stoke (near Newark), and the king’s army prevailed.

Question 24

Why was Warbeck considered a serious threat?

Answer 24

He gained support from Henry’s enemies: France, Margaret of Burgundy, the Emperor Maximilian, and James IV of Scotland.

Question 25

What was the significance of Sir Robert Clifford’s confession?

Answer 25

Sir Robert Clifford confessed his part in 1494, indicating support for Warbeck inside England.

Question 26

What happened to Lord Fitzwalter and Sir William Stanley?

Answer 26

They were executed for offering support to Warbeck in 1495.

Question 27

What claim did Warbeck make?

Answer 27

He claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, the younger of Edward IV’s sons.

Question 28

What was the issue with the real Duke of York?

Answer 28

Henry could not produce the real Duke or his remains, so some believed Warbeck’s claim.

Question 29

How long did Warbeck pose a problem for Henry?

Answer 29

He first appeared in 1491 in Ireland and was not caught until 1497.

Question 30

What were the consequences of Warbeck’s invasions?

Answer 30

His escapades and the taxes Henry demanded to combat the threat helped cause the Cornish Rising of 1497.

Question 31

What was the Cornish Rising of 1497?

Answer 31

This was a serious threat to Henry’s regime, demonstrating his chronic insecurity.

Question 32

What was the reason for the Cornish Rising?

Answer 32

It was against heavy taxes and the oppressive nature of Henry’s regime.

Question 33

What happened to the rebels at Blackheath?

Answer 33

Some 2,000 rebels are killed at Blackheath just outside London.

Question 34

What triggered the Northern Rebellion of 1489?

Answer 34

This broke out in Yorkshire over Henry’s demands for taxes to deal with the Warbeck threat.

Question 35

What happened to Thomas Percy during the Northern Rebellion?

Answer 35

Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, was murdered at Topcliffe in Yorkshire.

Question 36

What did the Northern Rebellion reveal about Henry’s control?

Answer 36

It showed that the King’s control of the North was insecure.

Question 37

Who was in exile during Henry’s reign?

Answer 37

Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, a Yorkist, was in exile in the Low Countries.

Question 38

What happened to Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham?

Answer 38

He was executed in 1521 for allegedly plotting to seize the throne.

Question 39

What was the impact of Prince Arthur’s death?

Answer 39

The Tudor succession was in doubt when Henry’s son Prince Arthur died suddenly in 1502.

Question 40

What treaties improved trade during Henry’s reign?

Answer 40

Two advantageous treaties were signed with the Low Countries: the Magnus Intercursus (1496) and the Malus Intercursus (1506).

Question 41

What did the Magnus Intercursus achieve?

Answer 41

It reduced tolls on British goods and provided redress for grievances.

Question 42

What was the outcome of the Malus Intercursus?

Answer 42

It allowed English cloth exports to enter Burgundy without duties, but was not ratified due to Philip’s death.

Question 43

What was the impact of the Navigation Acts?

Answer 43

They encouraged growth of English merchant shipping by telling English merchants to import goods in English ships.

Question 44

What was Henry’s role in exploration?

Answer 44

Henry VII showed considerable interest in foreign exploration and considered financing the voyages of Columbus.

Question 45

What did Henry grant to John Cabot?

Answer 45

On 5 March 1496, Henry granted letters patent to John Cabot and his sons to investigate and claim new lands.

Question 46

What was the significance of John Colet in the development of humanism?

Answer 46

Colet was a leading exponent of Humanism who attacked abuses and idolatry in the church.

Question 47

What did Colet criticize about priests?

Answer 47

He criticized their living style and argued that they should be humble servants of the Church.

Question 48

What was Henry’s support for the ‘New Learning’?

Answer 48

Henry VII supported the ‘New Learning’ of the Renaissance and invited foreign scholars to England.

Question 49

Who was Thomas Linacre and what was his contribution?

Answer 49

Linacre was an English scholar who travelled to Italy to study and later became the first President of the Royal College of Physicians in 1518.

Question 50

What colleges did Henry’s mother support?

Answer 50

Henry’s mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, supported two colleges at Cambridge: Jesus (1497) and St John’s (1516).