The Consolidation Of Power

Question 1

When was the Battle of Bosworth?

Answer 1

22nd August 1485

Question 2

In what respect was Henry VII’s claim to the throne weak?

Answer 2

1. He had descended through the female line (represented by his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort).
2. The line came from John of Gaunt’s third wife: their son, John Beaufort, had been born before marriage and therefore seen as illegitimate.

Question 3

Why was Henry accepted by the public so easily?

Answer 3

Because he replaced Richard III, who had become subject to suspicion due to the disappearance of the princes in the Tower, along with other presumed crimes.

Question 4

In what ways did Henry VII immediately consolidate his power?

Answer 4

1. He dated his reign from 21st August, the day before Bosworth, thereby ensuring that anyone who fought against him, on the Yorkist side, were traitors.
2. He publicly awarded many of his key supporters (eg by conferring 11 knighthoods)
3. He arranged to detain Elizabeth of York (daughter of Edward IV) and the Earl of Warwick (Edward IV’s nephew), each of whom could be seen as having a greater claim.
4. He made key appointments to his council (eg he made Sir Reginald Bray Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Sir William Stanley Chamberlain of the Household).
5. He arranged his coronation to be on 30th October, a week before the meeting of parliament, thereby establishing his claim as not subject to a Parliamentary sanction.
6. Acts of Attainder increased Henry’s landownership, thus increasing royal income. This was further enhanced when parliament granted tonnage and poundage to Henry for life.
7. After detaining her, Henry married Elizabeth of York. This made it clear that Henry’s claim was not subject to his wife’s. He was able to exploit in royal propaganda the Union of the two houses.eg the tudor Rose was both houses’ roses combined.
8. The birth of an heir, Arthur Tudor, secured the dynasty.

Question 5

What were the three main threats to the Tudor dynasty?

Answer 5

1. VISCOUNT LOVELL AND THE STAFFORDS (1486) - this rising was led by Viscount Lovell and Humphrey Stafford. Lovell tried to raise support in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and Stafford tried in the Midlands. Lovell escaped the king’s forces, but Stafford was captured and executed, however his brother was pardoned.
2. LAMBERT SIMNEL AND THE EARL OF LINCOLN - Lambert Simnel was a figurehead as being passed off as the Earl of Warwick. John de la pole led the conspiracy, himself a potential Yorkist claimant. Henry displayed the real earl in London, meaning that Simnel joined Lovell at the court of Margaret of Burgundy (who supplied them with merceneries). Henry reinstated the untrustworthy Earl of Northumberland to power the North. The king’s army, led effectively by the Earl of Oxford held firm and the Earl of Lincoln was killed in the battle, having failed to drum up sufficient support after crossing the Pennines. Henry’s victory at the Battle of Stoke Field (1487) was very significant.
3. THE PERKIN WARBECK IMPOSTURE - after being forced from the French court, Warbeck trained as a potential Yorkist prince in the Netherlands. Warbeck attempted to land in England in 1495, but this was not successful, as the king knew of his intentions by Sir Robert Clifford (a royal agent). This meant that he was forced to scotland at the court of James IV. This still proved very costly for Henry, as Sir William Stanley (Henry’s step uncle and Lord Chamberlain) had betrayed Henry. In 1496, a small Scottish force crossed the border, but was unsuccessful in that James withdrawed after Henry’s offer of marriage. After also attempting to exploit the Cornish rebellion, and trying to escape the tower with the Earl of Warwick, they were both thrived and executed.