The government of Henry VII and threats to his rule Flashcards
1
Q
Why was Henry VII’s claim to throne quite weak?
A
- It came from his mother Margaret Beaufort, who was descended from a once illegitimate branch of Lancastrians
- There were several Yorkists with better claims such as Edward, Earl of Warwick, and the De la Pole’s who were nephews of Richard III and Edward IV
2
Q
How did Henry VII use propaganda in legitimising his claim to the throne?
A
- portrayed Richard III as a illegitimate usurper
- combined the red rose of Lancaster and white rose of York, symbolically combining the two houses
3
Q
When and why did Henry predate the official beginning of his reign?
A
- He predated it to the 21st of August 1485 the day before the battle of Bosworth
- He could declare Richards supporters as traitors which allowed their estates to become property of the crown through an act of attainder
4
Q
What was the significance of Henry’s coronation in October 1485?
A
- legitimised him as king of England and nobles were made to swear a public oath of loyalty to him
- He dated it before the first parliament convened which meant his authority was not dependent on parliament
5
Q
What was the significance of Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth of York in January 1486?
A
- It united the warring families of Lancaster and York as any descendent would come from both houses
- As he was already crowned king this made sure his authority not linked to Elizabeths heritage
6
Q
How did Henry deal with Richard’s supporters when he came to power?
A
He treated them with suspicion but was willing to give them a second chance if they offered their loyalty
7
Q
What is the significance of the Lovel and Stafford rising (1486)?
A
- Lord Lovel and Thomas and Humphrey Stafford broke sanctuary and sought to ambush the king and stir up support for Richards cause
- Henry offered them a choice of pardon or death if they fought, Lovel fled to Flanders, Humphrey was executed but Thomas was pardoned and remained loyal thereafter
8
Q
What is the significance of Lambert Simnel’s conspiracy and rebellion (1486-87)
A
- Rumours about the fate of the Edward, Earl of Warwick led to Simnel’s impersonation and was taken to Ireland by Richard Symonds to seek Yorkist support
- He was welcomed by the Earl of Kildare and declared King Edward IV by the Irish and also gained support of Margaret of Burgundy who sent money and 2000 mercenaries to Ireland
- The Battle of Stoke 1487 - The Yorkist forces led by the Earl of Lincoln were decisively defeated, Symonds was imprisoned, Simnel made a turnspit in the royal kitchen and 28 nobles were attained in Henry’s second parliament
9
Q
What was the purpose of Elizabeths coronation later that year (Nov 1487)?
A
Unite the nation, secure the goodwill of the people, and satisfy disaffected Yorkists
10
Q
What was the significance of the threat from Perkin Warbeck (1491-99)?
A
- He was 17 year old from France who arrived in Cork and claimed to be Richard, Duke of York
- He received international recognition form Ireland, Scotland and France as well as gaining the support of Margaret of Burgundy and recognition from Maximilian, the newly elected Holy Roman Emperor
- James IV him refuge and support, however the Scottish invasion of England was a disaster and Warbeck eventually gave himself up and in 1499, Warbeck was later charged in an attempt at escaping prison and hanged
11
Q
What was the significance of opposition from the Earl of Suffolk (1499-1506)?
A
- He was the chief Yorkist claimant to the throne after 1499, he had grievances with Henry and was the brother of the rebellious Earl of Lincoln who had died at Stoke.
- He later fled to the HRE in 1501 with his brother Richard but in 1506 Philip of Burgundy agreed to surrender Suffolk on the conditions he was not executed. The Yorkist threat finally died after Suffolk’s execution by Henry VIII in 1513 and the death of his brother Richard in 1525
12
Q
How did Henry VII control the nobility?
A
- He limited retainers, patronage and land
- He applied bonds and recognisances to nobles whose loyalty was uncertain
13
Q
How did Henry VII restore law and order?
A
- The Star Chamber: established to prosecute rioting, rebellion and retaining
- The Court of Chancery: dealt with cases of feudal land disputes and complaints about mistakes made by the crown
- The Court of Equity: the monarch could dispense justice if the law was unable to deal with a crime adequately
- Justices of the Peace (JP’s): responsible for the implementation of laws, government policies and law and order. There were 18 in each county and their powers were increased during Henry’s reign
14
Q
What were Henry VII’s financial policies?
A
- Ordinary revenue: Used the1486 Act of Resumption and attainders to increase crown lands, he didn’t give much land away and improved the management of crown estates
- Extraordinary revenue: the council learned in law investigated and enforced long-forgotten feudal dues and enforced bonds and recognisances
- He used the chamber system more than the exchequer because it was more efficient and he had more control over it
15
Q
How did Henry VII utilise councils?
A
- The Royal Council: advised Henry and helped him with day to day government
- The Council Learned in Law: investigated feudal dues, enforced bonds and recognisances, increased crown revenue and kept the nobility under security
- Regional Government: he set up councils in regions he had less of a stronghold of e.g. Council of Wales and Council of the North
- The Privy Chamber: seen to the kings personal needs and could potentially have a influence over his decisions
