The Cornish rebellion of 1497 Flashcards
When did the Cornish rebellion happen that made it more significant
During the tensions surrounding James IV’s support of Warbeck,
and as Henry was preparing for war with Scotland
When and why
began in May 1497 and the key cause again appears to have been high taxation, this time to fund the military
campaigns in Scotland that, for distant Cornwall, seemed rather irrelevant.
Who was it led by
The rebels marched to Somerset led by two obscure figures called Michael Joseph the Blacksmith and Thomas
Flamank. On reaching Wells, however, they gained more illustrious support from Lord Audley, who became one of the leaders.
Who was also involved who were generally unimpressed with the Tudor regime
24 other gentlemen from the area were also involved.
Alleged reasons why Audley was involved
It is possible Audley was still loyal to
the Yorkists as his father had been a close friend of Edward IV,
and his brother, John, was married to one of Edward’s illegitimate
daughters. This, however, seems to be a rather obscure motive,
as King Edward was long dead by this stage. It is more likely that
by promoting Warbeck’s claim to be Edward IV’s younger son,
Richard of York, Audley wished to claim influence as he would
have then been the new king’s (alleged) brother-in-law.
Early stages
notable that the leaders
of the Cornish revolt were unable to secure the support of Bristol
for their cause in its early stages.
How did the rebellion escalate
insurrection spread quickly through the South West, and the rebels seem to have called upon Warbeck to lead their revolt and marched on London.
They travelled via Salisbury, Winchester, Farnham, and Guildford
and did not meet with any significant opposition, although it seems that there was some fighting in Hampshire and Guildford.
How did Henry deal with the rebellion
On 17 June, Henry fought the insurgents just before they reached
the capital and defeated them at Blackheath, swiftly executing
the ringleaders, including Audley, and then ordering careful
investigations to discover, try and fine thousands of other lesser
men who had taken part, a process that took a number of years
and indicated Henry’s determination to eradicate disloyalty.
What happened after the king’s victory
Even after the king’s victory, however, Henry continued to be threatened
from the South West as the rebels had called upon Warbeck to lead them. He sailed from Ireland and landed in Cornwall on 7 September, attacking Exeter with, according to contemporary
claims, 8,000 troops.
Why did this second act of rebellion cause a threat to the Tudor regime
this posed a significant problem to the Tudor regime as, at around
this time, James IV of Scotland was creating problems on the
northern border, meaning Henry had conflict to deal with on two
fronts.
How did Henry deal with second rebel
Royal troops defeated Warbeck and the rebels after two weeks, however, and Warbeck fled to sanctuary.
How did Henry immediately deal with Cornish rebellion
In the immediate aftermath of the rebellion, Henry secured his
position by agreeing a truce with Scotland and quelling some of
the cause of the Cornish unrest by cancelling the next round of
parliamentary taxation.
How did Henry seek to prove Warbeck as a pretender
Warbeck left sanctuary on the condition that his life would be spared and he made full confession of his
pretence and lack of a genuine claim to the throne. To emphasise
his enemy’s defeat and the illegitimacy of his claim, the king had
Warbeck repeatedly paraded through the streets of London and
also took him with him around the country, punishing Warbeck with the stocks when he tried to escape.
What happened to Warbeck
In June 1498, he was condemned to spend the rest of his life in the Tower, in shackles. During his time in prison, he communicated with another inmate, Edward, earl of Warwick, who had been held in the Tower since childhood because he had a claim to
the throne that would rival that of Henry VII. In November 1499, the two men were executed.
What is it claimed about Warbeck’s death
It is suspected that Henry may have deliberately sought to entrap
Warwick into treasonous discussion and plotting, in order to have an excuse for getting rid of his two
rivals. Indeed, it is likely that the removal of alternative claimants to the throne - especially Warwick
- was a pre-condition set by the Spanish monarchs before they would permit their daughter, Princess
Katherine of Aragon, to marry the Tudor heir, Prince Arthur, in 1501
