Introduction and Consolidation of Power Flashcards
Who was Henry VII
The man who started the Tudor dynasty.
How long was his rule
1485 - 1509, 23 years and 7months
What was his claim to the throne
Incredibly weak, his claim came from this mother, Margeret Beauford, who was Edward III’s descendant, from the marriage of his son John of Gaunt.
How did Henry VII gain power
Through the Battle of Bosworth
What was the battle of Bosworth
The final battle of the war of roses where Henry Tudor from the House of Lancaster met King Richard III, a Yorkist from Bosworth Field to decide who would be king.
Date of the Battle of Bosworth
22nd August 1485
Background to the Battle
Henry was exiled for almost all of his adult life, so on the 1st of August 1485 he set said on England from France where he landed in Pembroke, wales as he marched towards the English he gained support from many people - especially from a powerful welsh landowner, Rhy Thomas.
Outcome of the Battle
Richard III lost the battle as although he had a larger army, he lost support from many people, notably Sir Thomas Stanley and the Stanley Family as a whole. Henry VII gained the support of the Stanley family and Richard III was killed in the battle as a result. This signalled the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor Dynasty.
Why did Richard III lose the support of Sir Thomas Stanley
Richard III kept the son of Sir Thomas Stanley hostage in order to ensure his support, this made Richard III unpopular and Sir Thomas Stanley didnt want to risk losing the patronage of Henry VII if Henry VII won the Battle.
Why did Henry VII need to consolidate power?
Though he had won the battle and gained the throne his main problem was keeping the throne as he had a weak claim to the throne and was seen as a usurper, this would also attract a lot of opposition to his rule which made it clear that he needed to consolidate his power.
Ways he consolidated his power
Dating his reign from the day before the battle of Bosworth
Coronated himself early
Marriage to Elizabeth of York
Royal Progression
Control of Nobility
Significance of Dating his reign from the day before the battle of Bosworth.
The first thing he did was to declare himself King by Conquest and he dated his reign from the 21st of August 1485, the day before the battle in order to declare all of the men who fought for Richard, traitors. He was able to imprison Yorkists who had supported Richard III and had a better claim to the throne than him as a result for example the Earl of Warwick, Richard III’s nephew.
Date of his Coronation
October 30th 1485
Significance of coronating himself early
He legitimised his claims to the throne by organising his coronation to take place early. It was more than a public spectacle confirming the power of the Monarch it signified the approval of the church and through this, of God himself.
How did the Coronation impact the nobility
It required the nobility to swear an oath of loyalty to the King which would not be broken, it also conferred a divine status that defined rebellion as a sin against God and a crime against the state.
How did his coronation impact parliament
He organised his coronation a week before parliament met so that no one could oppose him by stating that parliament made him king, as due to his weak claim to the throne he would have needed a parliamentary sanction to legitimise his claim to the throne. But organising the ceremony first showed that he had a legitimate claim to the throne based on hereditary rights.
How significant was his coronation overall
The speed of his coronation was a safety measure as well as a symbol that he was a rightful king, not just by conquest or through parliament or through marriage.
How significant was his marriage to Elizabeth of York?
He united the Tudors together by marrying Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV in Jan 1486. This was an essential part of his strategy to win support and consolidate the house of York and Lancaster, it led to the creation of the Tudor rose, which was used as propaganda for Henry VII.
How significant was the date of his marriage to Elizabeth of York?
He was careful to ensure that his coronation took place before his marriage so that no one could say that he had gained the throne through his wife.
Significance of the marriage overall.
Marriage was particularly important in consolidating power, as his wife gave birth to an heir to the throne, Prince Arthur of Wales in September 1486. This helped Establish a future for the new Tudor dynasty, creating a greater sense of permanence about the change that had taken place in 1485.
Royal Progression
To cement his power further, Henry VII summoned parliament as it was the traditional act of the King, on November 1485 and he embarked on a royal progress to the North in April 1486.
Significance of the Royal Progress
The Royal Progress was essentially a tour of the kingdom by the monarch and his court. During the progress, it was traditional for the king to hear petitions and cases and to grant justice and favours. In this way, he could demonstrate his royal authority and presence to his subjects.
Consolidating Power through control of the nobility
Henry displayed the same kind of tactical and political awareness in his handling of the nobility over his victory, he rewarded his supporters for loyalty and fighting alongside him and he punished those disloyal to him who fought with Richard III.
Examples of Rewarding
John De Vere and Thomas Stanley
John De Vere who had joined him in France became Earl of Oxford.
Lord Stanley was honoured for deserting Richard at Bosworth with the title of Earl of Derby and the hand of Henry’s mother in marriage.
