Securing Henry Tudor 1485-87

Question 1

Issues facing Henry Tudor before the Battle of Bosworth

Answer 1

Claim to throne was weak - through illegitimate line of Edward III
Rivals had better claims to the throne - John de la Pole was presumptive heir of Richard III, potential figurehead for Yorkists
Earl of Warwick - nephew of Rich III, 10 years old in 1485 so easy to control, placed in tower but still a focus of plots against Henry

Question 2

Date of the Battle of Bosworth and forces used

Answer 2

August 1485

Henry had half the forces of Richard - Henry had 5000 men

Question 3

Role of nobility in the Battle of Bosworth

Answer 3

Stanleys did not participate until Sir William Stanley allowed troops to support Henry
Northumberland brought troops but they did not fight
Stanleys and Northumberland betrayed Richard, who trusted them
Powerful supporters of Richard killed - John Howard, Duke of Norfolk and Sir Richard Ratcliffe, advisor of Richard.
Some of Richard’s supporters escaped - Lord Lovell and Thomas Stafford

Question 4

Impact of the Battle of Bosworth

Answer 4

Showed potential difficulties of being king - nobility betrayed Richard, so could betray Henry too, especially with his weaker claim to the throne; anti-Ricardian faction supported Henry to get rid of Richard, but with Rich dead there was no guaranteed continued support
Removed potential focus for Yorkist support as Rich died
Showed that there was lukewarm support for Rich at best - less than a quarter of nobility fought for him, but didn’t mean Henry could rely on nobility
Henry could present victory as a message from God - removing anointed king

Question 5

Successful measures Henry used to secure his throne

Answer 5

Henry was crowned in coronation with an oath swearing to protect his reign - anointed
Gathered parliament in 1485 - parliament declared he was king, parliament declared his reign started the day before the Battle of Bosworth (Richard’s supporters could be punished as traitors), used parliament to cancel Titulus Regius passed by Rich (it declared Ed IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville invalid - needed children of future wife Elizabeth of York to be legitimate)
Parliament later - Act of Resumption 1486 - retake crown lands granted since 1455, increase wealth of the crown
Married Elizabeth of York - united Yorkists and Lancastrians under Tudor
Granted limited titles - Sir William Stanley made Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, Sir Thomas Lovell made Treasurer of the Housefold (even though he’s Yorkist - rebelled against Rich). Lovell useful as experienced in government
Tried to increase respect for monarchy - 1486 progress to Midlands and North where there was traditional Ricardian support

Question 6

Mistakes Henry made when securing the throne

Answer 6

Did not execute many of Rich’s supporters - John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln) allowed to swear oath of loyalty and join Royal Council, Northumberland allowed to return to estates

Question 7

List of Yorkist supporters of Richard in 1485

Answer 7

Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey 
John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln 
Francis, Lord Lovell 
Thomas and Humphrey Stafford 
Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy

Question 8

List of anti-Ricardian Yorkist supporters of Henry in 1485

Answer 8

John Morton, Bishop of Ely
Sir Thomas Lovell
Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset

Question 9

Nobility with mixed loyalties in 1485

Answer 9

Thomas, Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby
Sir William Stanley
Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland

Question 10

The role of the Lancastrians in securing Henry’s throne

Answer 10

Henry had support from a few close family members - didn’t need to financially support relatives

Question 11

The role of anti-Ricardian Yorkists in preventing Henry from securing the throne

Answer 11

Threat - could easily switch alliance to rival claimant, but prevented by Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth

Question 12

The role of strong Richard supporters in preventing Henry from securing the throne

Answer 12

Early plots and risings - 1486 -
Earl of Warwick escaped Towed and fled England
Agents of Earl of Lincoln caught smuggling gold and silver abroad, potentially to fund an army
Lovell tried to raise rebellion in Yorkshire but suppressed by Jasper Tudor so Lovell fled to Margaret of Burgundy
Stafford brothers and Lovell left their sanctury in Colchester after Battle of Bosworth - Staffords tried to raise rebellion in Midlands but Henry repressed it with forces and Jasper Tudor sent with pardons