Securing the throne: pretenders, protests and threats Flashcards
What did Henry do regarding the date his reign began?
Predated it to the day before the Battle of Bosworth - 21st August 1485 - so that Richard and his supporters could be declared as traitors.
Why did Henry deliberately arrange his coronation to be the 30th October 1485?
Meant that it could never be said that Parliament made him king - first meeting of Parliament was the 7th October 1485.
Why did Henry apply for a papal dispensation?
So he could marry Elizabeth of York as they were distant cousins.
When did Henry and Elizabeth marry?
18th January 1486.
Who else had claims to the throne?
-Edward, Earl of Warwick - Richard III’s nephew. Henry had him sent to the tower.
-John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln - Richard’s nephew + named heir. Both he and his father, Duke of Suffolk, professed their loyalty to Henry so he became a member of the King’s Council.
What did Henry do with the Earl of Surrey who supported Richard in the Battle of Bosworth?
Kept him in the tower until 1489, when he was convinced of his good intentions.
What did Henry do with Richard’s ally, the Earl of Northumberland, at the end of 1485?
Released him and was given his old position in control of the North of England.
What were the main threats to Henry’s position?
The pretenders, Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck.
What were the events of the Lovel and Stafford rising?
- Lovel and the Stafford brothers broke sanctuary in April 1486, when Henry was touring North England.
- Lovel headed North and planned to ambush Henry.
- The Staffords went to Worcester to stir up rebellion in the West.
- Henry sent an armed force to offer the rebels a pardon and reconciliation if they dispersed, or excommunication and death if they didn’t.
- Lovel evaded capture and fled to Flanders.
- The Staffords sought sanctuary again, but Henry forced them out and sent them to the tower.
What was the aftermath of the Lovel and Stafford uprising?
-Humphrey Stafford was executed, but Thomas was pardoned and remained loyal after.
-Henry was seen as the upholder of justice and order.
What was the cause of the Yorkshire rebellion 1489?
-Henry planned to go to the aid of Brittany and the Parliament of 1489 granted Henry a subsidy of £100,000 to pay for it.
-The tax caused widespread resentment as it was an income tax, the people of Yorkshire were suffering from a bad harvest from the previous year, and the people resented that the Northern counties were exempt from the tax as they were expected to defend the country from the Scots.
What were the events of the Yorkshire rebellion 1489?
- Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, put the rebel’s case to the king, but when he refused to negotiate, the rebels killed Northumberland.
- The Earl of Surrey defeated the rebels outside York.
- Henry travelled north to issue a pardon to most of the prisoners as a gesture of conciliation.
What was the aftermath of the Yorkshire rebellion?
- Henry appointed the Earl of Surrey as his lieutenant of the North - his loyalty was guaranteed because the restoration of his own estates in East Anglia rested on his success.
- Henry only raised £27,000.
What was the cause of the Cornish rebellion 1497?
A request for money.
- In 1497, Parliament voted for a heavy tax to fund an expedition north to resist the expected invasion of James IV and Warbeck.
The Cornish, who were independently minded, refused to pay for the defence of the north.
What were the events of the Cornish rebellion 1497?
- The rebels marched through the Western counties in May and Lord Audley became their leader.
- On 16 June, with 16,000, they reached the outskirts of London.
- The rebels were confronted by a royal army led by Sir Rhys ap Thomas.
- 1000 rebels were killed and the rest fled.
Evaluation of the Cornish rebellion
- Henry couldn’t afford a war against Scotland.
- Worrying that the rebels were able to reach London.
- Henry hadn’t responded to this as it wasn’t connected to the Yorkist conspiracy, and he was too focused on Scotland and Warbeck.
- Didn’t endanger his throne.
