Threats to H7 rule Flashcards
Why was there royal instability in the 1400s?
War of the Roses between the house of York & Lancaster led to multiple battles & instability
what difficulties were there for henry in winning the battle of bosworth?
few people knew who he was (been in exile)
he’d only been in England for a couple of weeks
he only had an army of 5000 vs Richard’s 10,000-15,000
he had never been in battle before
name 3 reasons people were likely to oppose Henry’s rule
1) weak claim to the throne through his mother’s side
2) Spent years in exile - few people knew who he was
3) Had become king in battle - fear others would try & usurp him
what was Henry’s claim to the throne?
his mother was the granddaughter of the Edward III’s eldest (illegitimate) son
name 6 potential challenges / causes of unrest to Henry’s initial rule?
1) limited finances
2) threats from other countries in vulnerable staet
3) factions
4) yorkist threat
5) overly powerful nobles
6) law & order gone
What did Henry do initially to try and secure his position
1) dates reign from day pre Bosworth; can denounce those who fought for Richard as traitors
2) has coronation before wedding / meeting of parliament; prevent claims he’s only king bc of marriage/parliament
3) marries Elizabeth of York; unites the houses
4) imprisons Warwick & John de la Pole; removes key Yorkist threats
what factors help prevent unrest after Henry initially comes to power
country fed up of war - unlikely to support rebellion
lots of yorkist opposition killed in war of roses
Name the 6 rebellions chronologically
Lovell Simnel Yorkshire Warbeck Cornwall De la Pole
Lovell rebellion;
1) cause
2) what happened
1) dynastic
2) Henry’s intelligence network foils rebellion - rebels flee; Lovell goes to Flanders but the Staffords captured; Humphrey executed & Thomas pardoned
Lovell rebellion
threat level
+ why a threat
- why not a threat
low
+ early in reign - H7 not stable, shows theres still dynastic unrest
- no influential leaders, efficient intelligence operation stops it
Simnel rebellion;
1) cause
2) what happened
1) dynastic
2) Simnel is passed off as the Earl of Warwick, he is supported by the Earl of Lincoln & goes to Dublin where the Duchess of Burgundy sends mercenaries. H7 parades the real Warwick (prisoner in the tower) through London but mercenaries attackk England any way & march south where they are defeated at the battle of stoke
Simnel rebellion
threat level
+ why a threat
- why not a threat
high
+ foreign support, royal army needed, culminates in battle of stoke - tightly fought
- little English support (only 1500 join), H7 can easily disprove claim
Yorkshire rebellion
1) cause
2) what happened
1) social - economic
2) Tax man killed after widespread resent in Yorkshire about new taxes in support of Bretagne (other northen counties excused due to Scottish defence responsibilities & bad harvests) the rising is put down easily
Yorkshire rebellion
threat level
+ why a threat
- why not a threat
low
+ royal army needed, money never collected, H7 forced to put in northern representative bc of weak authority
- little support outside Yorkshire, eaily put down, no march south
Warbeck rebellion
1) cause
2) what happened
Dynastic.
Warbeck poses as Duke of York (prince in tower). Leaves Ireland.
Goes to France - forced to leave France after treaty of Etaples.
Goes to Burgundy - tutored in ways of court - leaves after H7 suspends trade with Burgundy.
Goes to HRE - then leaves & fails to invade Deal (Kent).
Goes to Scotland - joint invasion fails -leaves after King James VI marries Margaret Tudor.
Goes to Ireland - attempts to invade Cornwall.
Gives up.
Warbeck rebellion
threat level
+ why a threat
- why not a threat
+ Gains support from key countries, continues for 8 years, supported by English nobility (Sir Stanley), H7 can’t disprove claim
- Never strong English support, H7 manages to counteract foreign support
Cornwall rebellion
1) cause
2) what happened
Social - economic
Cornwall resent having to pay tax for Scottish defence & rebels assemble & march through Devon & Somerset to London. They are defeated by the royal army
Cornwall rebellion
threat level
+ why a threat
- why not a threat
+ Rebels number 15,000 at one point, royal army needed
- Protest against ‘evil councilors’ not king, desertion weakens army
Cornwall rebellion
1) cause
2) what happened
Dynastic - De la Pole has legit throne claim
Suffolk flees to France, then HRE. Maximillian is paid £250,000 to hand suffolk over but doesn’t - in response H7 stops trade.
By chance Philip of Burgundy (MI’s son) is shipwrecked in England & suffolk surrendered (on condition that he lives)
Cornwall rebellion
threat level
+ why a threat
- why not a threat
+ Suffolk has support from HRE, H7 worried enough to pay lots of money
-Suffolk never actually attempts to invade England
why were the nobles a threat?
They had gained too much land/power under Richard III and were too powerful.
Many held claims to the throne (H7’s was weak)
But H7 was also reliant on them - needed help to govern - danger of being exploited
Why do some people argue the nobles weren’t a threat
Many key nobles were killed in the wars of the roses
How do people typify the methods used by H7 to control the nobles
carrot and stick (incentives and punishments)
What incentives did H7 use (names)
Peerage
Knights of the Garter
Kings council
What was important about the incentives H7 used?
He made patronage a result of loyal service - meant it was highly prized.
Things like the knights of the garter gave only pride not land preventing the nobles becoming too powerful again
How many earls did H7 make
How many Knights of the Garter
3 earls
37 knights of the garter
What punishments did H7 use (names)
Acts of attainder
Bonds and recognisances
Feudal Dues
what are bonds and recognisances
formal agreement to forfeit a set sum of money if a promise/contract was broken
what are feudal dues
money that the king as head of the feudal state could claim
What are acts of attainder.
the removal of land - it could be reversed.
Nobles were scared to cross H7 for fear of this - would mean likely economic ruin
Encouraged loyalty for reversal
were the punishments effective in dealing with the nobles
Yes - it discouraged disloyalty due to fear
but it made the nobles resent H7 for forcing them into things - often said if he hadn’t of died there would have been a revolution
How many acts of attainder did H7 use
comparitively?
H7 passed 138
H7 reversed 46
In comparison to Edward V H7 passed less (140) and reversed more (42)
What other steps did H7 undertake to ensure the nobles weren’t threat?
Limits retainers
restoration of crown lands - act of resumption
retainers;
why were they a problem
how effective was the solution
retainers were private fighting forces used by nobles to manage their lands but there was fear they could be used against H7 as an army.
H7 fined anyo ne who had them but nobles got aroudn this by not registering them as retainers
why did H7 restore the crown lands?
because the land gave the nobles power - he needed more power (little crown wealth at this point) and to reduce the nobility’s threat.
Why did H7 need to improve the gov.?
post the chaos of War of the Roses there was a need to firmly establish law and order - H7 needed calm England
How did H7 improve central gov?
#small inner group of 8; Morton, Fox & Dynham #smaller councils frequently- ect council learned in law #ability not birth; choses lesser gentry & lesser land owners bc of talent rather than just going with nobles
what did the council learned in law do?
why were the 2 key figures
Enforced bonds and recognisances
Empson & Dudley
what were the 3 main focuses for regional gov & why?
North;Yorkist stronghold
Wales; unrult to lack of effective rule during War of Roses
Ireland; Yorkist stronghold
How did H7 improve the regional gov in the North?
Council of the North gien administrative & judicial power in order to enforce law & this was overseen by council of London
How did H7 improve the regional gov in Wales?
Arthur made head of council of Wales
Natural death of the Marcher lords means H7 has more power also
How did H7 improve the regional gov in Ireland?
Passes Poynings’ law which meant Irish Parliament could only be called / pass laws with Henry’s approval
Did H7 improve the regional gov in IReland?
No - no influence outside the Pale - elsewhere traditional families mantain control
what were the issues with the local gov?
lacked paid officials to enforce laws - relied on nobility following them themselves
How did H7 improve the local gov?
Developed the position of Justice of Peace
What could Justices of Peace do?
uphold public order try crimal offences implement social / economic statutes arrest/question pocahers grant bail
What were still the issue with local gov.
Justices of peaces had limited success as they needed officials to bring in offenders but officials were often unwilling to do so as this made them unpopular
How many times did H7 call parliament
why would parliament be called?
7 times
to get money / pass laws
What difficulties doe H7 have with his marriage & coronation
Doesn’t have the money to pay for them - had to take out loans
what is ordinary revenue
examples
money collected regularly
crown lands
profits from justice
feudal dues
customs
Extraordinary revenue
money not collected on a regular basis
parliamentary taxation treaty of etaples loans benevolances church related feudal aid
crown lands;
what type of income?
succesful?
ordinary
increases crown land fivefold (acts of attainder & act of resumption) could then make profit from it
profits from justice;
what type of income?
succesful?
ordinary
yes - prefered to punish by fine than imprisonment ie. Cornish rebels
feudal dues
what type of income?
succesful?
ordinary
yes - rose dramatically; exploited income from marriage/wardship/livery.
increases from £350 1487 –> £6000+ 1507
custom duties
what type of income?
succesful?
ordinary
no; decreases from £70,000 under Edward 5 –> £40,000 under Henry 7 due to things like smuggling and turbulent relations b/w European powers
parliamentary taxation
what type of income?
succesful?
extraordinary
no; causes 2 rebellions & never gets the complete sum he could as the taxes were based on out of date wealth assesments
church
what type of income?
succesful?
extraordinary
yes - the church always contributed money to parliament when H7 made a demand for money but H7 sold off church offices & left bishoprics vacant in order to claim revenue
feudal aid
what type of income?
what was it?
extraordinary
as chief feudal lord H7 could levy money - did twice; knighting of Arthur & marriage of sister Margaret
treaty of etaples
type of income?
what was it?
succesful?
extraordinary
a treaty with the french
included an £5000 p/a sum to England
loans
what type of income?
succesful?
extraordinary
H7 could ask for a loan in times of emergency but it always had to be paid back so -
benevolances
what type of income?
succesful?
extraordinary
Yes to an extent - it was a loan which didn’t have to be paid back but H7 had to be careful using them as not to upset the nobility too much
How was H7 overall successful with his finances?
increases many forms of ordinary revenue,
exploited resources,
wasn’t willing to jeopadise national security for money
How was H7 overall unsuccessful with his finances?
England had relatively small revenue in comparison with other European countries
Caused 2 rebellions
Bonds & recognisances/acts of attainder caused resent
H8 spent all of his inheritance in 2 years on war
Never collected true wealth; sums based on out of date wealth assessments
Was H7 ever secure?
Yes;
1) increased financial security
2) strengthened central gov, local gov (to an extent ) & regional Welsh & North gov.
3) Reduces threat of nobility
4) Overcomes Yorkist threat
5) Puts down all rebellions
6) Passes throne on peacefully
7) (Mostly) unites houses of York & Lancaster; marriage & Tudor rose etc
Was H7 ever secure?
No;
1) Faces constant unrest throughout - rebellions from first year to last decade
2) Not certain he will pass the throne on - eldest son dies
3) Creates lots of resentment amongst nobles - said if he hadn’t died would have been overthrown
4) Parts of Ireland are out of control - regional gov fails - they support Simnel
