Henrys Foreign Policy Flashcards
What were the terms of Treaty of medina del campo?
1489
England and Spain decided to work together to defend their lands
Promised not to make agreements with France without consulting each other first
Agreed not to harbour rebels or pretenders
Marriage of prince arthur to the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella , Catherine,princess of Aragon.
Did treaty of medina del campo meet Henry’s FP aims and was it long lasting?
Yes: helped with national security as it defended their lands and alliance against France.
Recognised Tudor dynasty due to promise to not harbour pretenders and marriage alliances- sig bc Henry was the first Tudor after the wars of the roses and his dynasty’s position was not fully consolidated. Having other countries recognise the Tudor claim rather than Yorkist pretenders and claimants, led to long term security for his dynasty and a smooth succession of his heir.
Not long lasting bc of the death of prince arthur in 1502 caused complications
Henry suggested that Catherine should marry prince henry, but Ferdinand was reluctant to agree as it would require papal dispensation and had little to gain from English alliance
Henry only married Catherine after Henry’s death
What were the terms of the treaty of etaples?
1492
Henry’s troops would be able to peacefully leave France
French pension of 745,000 crowns
Withdrew support from perkin warbeck
Did the treaty of etaples meet his FP aims and was it long lasting?
Yes: recognised Tudor dynasty by no longer supporting Perkins warbeck
No: France ultimately ended up controlling the north coast of France, which threatened national security, not technically trade, but England received financial benefits.
Yes: lasted throughout his reign and no: did not last throughout Henry viiis reign
What were the terms of intercurus Magnus?
1496
Brought trade embargo[ caused by burgundy harbouring and supporting pretenders] to an end
Did intercurus Magnus meet Henry’s FP aims and was it long lasting
Yes: improved trade as Antwerp and Bruges were important for English shipping, burgundy recognised the Tudor dynasty by withdrawing support and had previously provided the pretenders with mercenaries, thus, it improved national security , healed their strained relationship and hostility between them.
Yes: trade between England and burgundy continued, they stopped supporting pretenders.
What were the terms of the treaty of perpetual peace?
1502
Confirmed truce agreed with the treaty of ayton which ended Scottish relations with perkin warbeck
Marriage alliance between James iv and Henry’s daughter princess margaret
Did the treaty of pp meet his FP aims and was it long lasting?
Yes: truce improved national security as it stopped threat of invasion
Marriage , no more support of warbeck = international recognition of Tudor dynasty
Yes: lasted throughout his reign no: did not last throughout Henry viiis reign
What were the terms of the treaty of Windsor?
1506
Returned the earl of Suffolk [ Edmund de la pole] from burgundy
Marriage alliance between Henry vii and Phillips sister bc Elizabeth of York had died in 1503
Intercurus malus: another trade agreement
Did the treaty of Windsor meet his FP aims and was it long lasting?
Yes: recognised Tudor dynasty by returning the claimant Edmund de la pole, further recognised with marriage alliance, improved trade
No: Philip of burgundy’s death soon after led to the marriage alliance nor intercursus malus never materialising
Were the marriage alliances successful?
Henry vii=first Tudor after the wars of the roses and his dynasty’s position was not fully consolidated. Having other powerful countries recognise the Tudor claim rather than Yorkist pretenders or claimants, led to long term security for his dynasty and a smooth succession of his heir
But one cannot ignore that many did not materialise or come to fruition, shows how important marriage alliances which would have strengthened the Tudor dynasty further did not occur or had short term benefits , showing that there was a limit to foreign countries recognition for the Tudor.
As the first Tudor monarch, why did Henry want a strong FP?
He inherited a fragile throne in 1485
Weak, unproven and financially stretched dynasty
His FP was largely defensive,cautious and shaped by twin goals of dynastic security and economic prosperity.
Bc Henry could not rival the military strength of France or Spain, what did he use?
Marriage alliances, Trade treaties and calculated neutrality to enhance England’s position in Europe without overextending its limited resources.
What was the most pressing and immediate threat to Henry’s rule?
Securing the tudor dynasty.
Possibility of foreign support for rival claimants to the throne. E.g. simnel was crowned ‘Edward VI’ in Dublin in 1487 backed by Margaret of burgundy and the earl of Lincoln, while warbeck received protection from Charles viii, Margaret and Maximilian and James iv= forced Henry to shape his FP around dynastic legitimacy and international recognition bc he knew that domestic discontent could be exploited by foreign monarchs to destabilise his reign.
Treaty of etaples,intercursus Magnus and treaty of median del campo= Henry demonstrated a capacity for prioritising political stability over short term economic benefits- and for using diplomacy to bring even hostile powers into line.
Marriage alliances were…
A cornerstone of Henry’s FP. He understood that marriage alliances offered a way to not only gain recognition but to elevate the status of the Tudor regime. Placed Tudor dynasty on equal footing with one of the most powerful royal houses in Europe- Spain.
Complications and delay bc prince arthur died in 1502, Catherine’s dowry, papal dispensation.
Trade
He saw trade as not only as an economic necessity but also as a tool of diplomacy.
Intercurus Magnus 1496 restored England’s access to the cloth markets of the low counties and established terms favourable to English merchants. In 1506, a storm blew Phillip of burgundy and Joanna of Castile onto English coat, offering Henry an opportunity to extract further concessions but intercursus malus did not happen.
Nonetheless, the episode illustrates Henry’s capacity for opportunistic diplomacy and his desire to enhance both political and economic leverage.
Negotiated trade agreements w the hanseatic league, Venice, and attempted to establish links w Iceland and the Baltic. Limited success but they increased England’s commercial independence and reduce its reliance on any single trading partner.
Scotland
Careful balance of military deterrence and diplomatic conciliation. Auld alliance= traditionally antagonistic.
Scotland represented a potential base for Yorkist opposition and launching ground for incursions aimed at undermining Tudor rule.
Scotland supported perkin warbeck and even married lady Catherine Gordon , a distant relative of the king. Supplied him with troops- although invasion was small and failed, its occurrence underscored the persistent vulnerability of Henry’s northern frontier and the risks posed by dynastic instability.
Treaty of ayton- marked the 1st formal peace between eng and sco.
Treaty of pp- union between Margaret and James iv in 1503 proved to have profound consequences bc it laid the dynastic foundations for the union of the crowns in 1603, when their great-grandson James iv ascended the English throne as James 1.
While Henry’s Scottish policy was initially reactive, it evolved into a sophisticated blend of deterrence and dynastic diplomacy. By the end of his reign, Henry had neutralised the Scottish threat n turned a traditional enemy into a potential ally through marriage, showcasing the success of his long term strategic thinking.
