Support for Challengers

Question 1

Why was Irish support for Simnel such a threat for Henry?

Answer 1

Ireland was a potential jumping off point for anyone who wanted to invade England, without Irish support it would have been harder for the rebels to find a place to launch their Rebellion from. It was also geographically and politically remote, English Kings had tried to claim the right to be Lords of Ireland but it had failed to make much impact because it was too far away from London.

Question 2

How did the Irish nobility such as Kildare support Simnel?

Answer 2

They did not accompany the army, preffering to remain in Ireland and wait and see what happened. This meant that Henry was forced to pardon them.

Question 3

How did the Earl of Surrey react to Simnels Rebellion?

Answer 3

He did not attempt to escape from the tower of London despite being a loyal yorkist. This showed that the nobility were now more keen to opt for stability leaving them to support Henry.

Question 4

What was the Lord deputy of Ireland?

Answer 4

An English appointee who controlled Dublin and the Pale he was usually a member of the Anglo Irish nobility.

Question 5

By the 14th centuary what was the English influence in Ireland like?

Answer 5

It was only really felt in Dublin and the area around it called the pale. These were theoretically controlled by the Lord Deputy of Ireland. Beyond this region English King’s had to from relationships with the Irish nobility and gentry. These were mostly descendents of English nobility who had married into Irish families, they ruled their territories almost separately from England.

Question 6

What is an example of an Anglo Irish ruler?

Answer 6

The Fitzgerald earls of Kildare. They had been appointed lord deputys by Edward the 4th and were therefore Yorkist supporters.

Question 7

When the Kildares had been appointed deputy of Ireland who missed out?

Answer 7

The Fitzgerolds of Desmond and the Butlers of Ormond.

Question 8

Why did Kildare chose to support Simnel?

Answer 8

They were vulnerable as Yorkist supporters and was under pressure from their Anglo irish rivals. If Simnel was successful Kidlare would be able to keep his hold on Ireland intact.

Question 9

Why did the Irish defeat at the Battle of Stoke not effect Irish power?

Answer 9

Henry did not have enough military strength to interfere directly with Irish military affairs. He initially wanted Kildare to take out bonds to ensure future good behaviour but Kildare refused. He was forced to accept an oath of loyalty from Kildare who remained Lord Deputy of Ireland.

Question 10

Why did Kildare not support Warbeck?

Answer 10

He did not get involved with it at all as he had only just escaped the last time.

Question 11

Why was the lack of Kildares support a problem for Warbeck?

Answer 11

He was unable to raise much Irish military support and was force to leave rapidly in both 1491, 1495 and 97.

Question 12

How did Henry react to the threat of Kildares support for Warbeck?

Answer 12

In 1492, he sent a small force to deal with Kildare. Kildare fled and was removed of his posistion.

Question 13

Why was the removal of Kildare a mistake for Henry?

Answer 13

His replacements were unable to control Ireland as Kildare had done and Henry was worried Warbeck would launch another invasion from there.

Question 14

Why did Henry send Ponyings to Ireland in 1494?

Answer 14

He was a trusted official, and it was an attempt to enhance English Royal authority there. Poynings first job was to repel another attack by Warbeck.

Question 15

What did Warbeck do in 1495 in Ireland?

Answer 15

Him and the Earl of Desmond attacked the town of Waterford. Poynings was able to stop them and Warbeck fled to Scotland.

Question 16

What did Pongings use Henry’s authority to do?

Answer 16

Order the arrest of Kildare who was sent to England on suspicion of treason until 1496.

Question 17

What was Poynings law?

Answer 17

After Kildare had been imprisoned Ponying introduced a law in Ireland that said that no Irish parliment could be summonsed unless an English king had given his consent. This irish Parliament were also not allowed to pass any laws that had not been approved by the English ruler. After this time Ireland was no longer seen as an immediate threat and he was able to recall Ponyings to England in 1495

Question 18

What happened in Ireland in August 1496?

Answer 18

Kildare was reappointed Earl in Ireland but he had to leave his eldest son and heir behind at english Court. Kildare remained loyal to Henry for the rest of his reign including when Warbeck attempted to invade Cork in 1497 where he received no support.

Question 19

Who was richer and more powerful England or burgandy?

Answer 19

Burgandy

Question 20

Why was Margaret of Burgandy a threat to Henry?

Answer 20

She was the sister of Edward the Forth and Richard the third. Although she was widowed and had no children of her own she was the main moving force behind Burgandy especially when the heir Phillip was a minor. She used her posistion to try and reinstait a yorkist heir to the throne. He could not easily stop her from doing this without the expensive or risky tactic of military intervention.

Question 21

Why had England and Burgandy always had a close relationship?

Answer 21

The important trading port of Antwerp was under the control of the Dukes of Burgandy. It was the main destination for English wool which was turned into the finest cloth in Europe creating a mutual reliance between the two countries.

Question 22

What was the Holy roman empire?

Answer 22

An expansive but poor territory that covered much of modern day Germany and Austria. It consisted of a series of small kingdoms governed by prince’s who elected an emperor who had been elected from the same family for hundreds of years - the hasburgs

Question 23

What was a trade embargo?

Answer 23

A ban on trade, England refused to export its goods to burgandy or import Burgundian goods.

Question 24

What was the auld alliance?

Answer 24

An agreement between France and Scotland. If Scotland was attacked by England, then France would come to Scotlands aid and vice versa.

Question 25

What 3 Yorkist plotters did Margaret of Burgandy offer protection and active support to?

Answer 25

John de la Pole, Frances Lovell and Perkin Warbeck.

Question 26

How did Margaret of Burgancy support Warbeck in 1487?

Answer 26

She provided mercenaries to support the invasion

Question 27

How did Margaret of Burgandy react when Warbeck was forced out of France?

Answer 27

She offered protection to him between 1493-95. She used her close family connection to Maximillion King of the Holy Roman Empire who had been married to her step daughter to try and improve Warbecks challenge.

Question 28

How did the Holy Roman Empire support Warbeck?

Answer 28

He was invited to the funreal of the last holy roman empire, Frederick in 1493 where he was recognised as the rightful king of England. Warbeck promised the Emperor that if anything happened to him Maximillum would inherit his right to the English throne although he was not actually interested in invading england

Question 29

How did Henry respond to the threat from Burgandy and what was the result?

Answer 29

Philip, Margaret’s step grandson and son of the Holy roman empire had taken charge in 1493 and had continued to support Warbeck. As a result Henry ordered a trade embargo as an alternative to war. however Philip in 1494 just announced his own on English goods.

Question 30

Why did the English and Bungdarian relationships begin to ease in 1496?

Answer 30

In 1494 war had broke out in parts of Italy. The French King had intervened in these wars successfully and was a direct threat to Philip and Maximillum as it would threaten their power and ambitions there. They didn’t want their war effort in Italy to be effected by economic issues so signed a treaty with england

Question 31

What was the Treaty called where Burgandy and England agreed to lift their trade embargos and what else did it contain?

Answer 31

Intercurus Magnus. Margaret agreed to stop supporting Warbeck and was threatened with the loss of her lands if she disobeyed. Henry also agreed not too support the enemies of Burgandy and to join the anti French alliance known as the league of Venice, though he did not have to go to war with France.

Question 32

Why did Anglo French relations deteriorate?

Answer 32

Brittany had been traditionally ruled by a Duke but the French King’s had always claimed the right to control the region. If France succeeded in invading the region then France would control the entire coastline facing England. In 1487 the Duke of Brittany dies and left his young daughter as his only heir and the French invaded.

Question 33

What was Henry’s reaction to the invasion of Brittany?

Answer 33

In 1489 he agreed to send 6000 troops to help defend it but in reality only sent 3000. The troops were not enough and by 1491 France had absorbed Brittany.

Question 34

What happened when Henry tried to raise taxes to support Brittany in 1489?

Answer 34

There was a tax revolt in Yorkshire, the heart of Ricardan support. The Earl of Northumberland was killed putting down the revolt showing Henry the dangers of an aggressive foreign policy.

Question 35

How did France support Warbeck?

Answer 35

He arrived in France in 1492 and the French King welcomed him

Question 36

How did Henry react to the French threat?

Answer 36

In October 1492 he launched an invasion of France with an attempt to incontinence King Charles enough to reconsider his support for Warbeck. Henry’s invasion was far to late in the year for being properly planned as he would not have been able to fight well in the weather. Henry’s army marched too Boulogne and began to beiseige it.

Question 37

What were the Italian wars?

Answer 37

They were fought from 1494 onwards and were about control of the wealthy city states. Many European powers got involved to try and undermine Frances increasing power.

Question 38

How did Charles the 8th respond to Henry’s invasion?

Answer 38

Charles had been beginning to think of starting a war in Italy and therefore agreed to negotiate which resulted in the Treaty of Etaples 1492.

Question 39

Why was the invasion of France good for Henry’s image?

Answer 39

It showed his worthiness as a military leader by taking on the invasion of France. He restored English prestige which had been damaged by the invasion of Brittany and the treaty of Etaples left him to secure very advantageous terms.

Question 40

What were the 2 main parts of the treaty of etaples?

Answer 40

1. Charles agreed not to habour Henry’s enemies, meaning that Warbeck was no longer welcome in France. 2. Henry got an annual pension which had first been paid by France to England under Edward the 4th. He recieved 50,000 crowns per annum.

Question 41

Why was Henry lucky in his dealings with France?

Answer 41

From 1494 France was entering the Italian wars which made an invasion from them less likely. The level of potential threat is clear through the fact that he had to invade instead of negotiate like he did with Burgandy which was costly and left England exposed to invasion or Rebellion in his absence. Scotland was also not in the posistion where they could begin an invasion.

Question 42

Why was Scotland not a threat until 1495?

Answer 42

In the 1480s and early 1490s Scotland had been effected by its own political instabilities and it wasn’t until 1495 that Scotlands ruler James the 4th had the ability to pose a threat to Henry.

Question 43

What did England negotiate with Scotland in 1486?

Answer 43

A three year truce

Question 44

What happened with Warbeck in Scotland in 1495 to 7?

Answer 44

He was welcomed into Scotland and there was a marriage arranged between him and King James cousin Lady Catherine Gordon.

Question 45

Why was King James more open to negotiations with England after 1496?

Answer 45

The failure of Warbecks invasion.

Question 46

Why did the Scottish threat not continue after 1497?

Answer 46

The Cornish rebellion had caused Henry to wish to find a solution to the problem and James had grown tired of supporting Warbeck. In July 1497 Warbeck left on a boat payed for by King James and they agreed to a truce

Question 47

What was the Truce of Ayton?

Answer 47

James agreed to stop his support for Warbeck in 1497 which was the last of Warbecks foreign support. The truce was sealed in 1503 when James married Henry’s daughter Margaret.