What was the greatest threat to Henry VII between 1486 and 1499? Flashcards
Rival claimants to the throne
The rule of the House of York was popular up to 1483. Edward of Warwick (Simnel) and Richard of York (Warbeck) had emotional appeal.
Attempts were made to ‘rescue’ Edward of Warwick from the Tower.
Henry’s claim was weak in Warbeck’s case. Henry had to re-legitimize Edward IV’s children to marry Elizabeth so Warbeck’s claim to be Richard of York was taken seriously.
Simnel gathered support in Ireland and through Lincoln. Warbeck received backing in France, Flanders, Scotland, and Ireland.
Warbeck was a serious threat due to the length of his rebellion. It negatively impacted Henry VII’s Spanish alliance, the backing that Warbeck received at various time in France, Flanders , Scotland and Ireland
Limitations: Henry VII was able to parade the real Edward of Warwick to undermine Simnel’s claims.
After victory at Stoke field, Henry VII made Simnel a kitchen servant.
Warbeck’s invasions amounted to little and he was captured in 1497.
Hostile foreign powers
Margaret of Burgundy helped legitimise Yorkist claimants.
Her court was a refuge for English nobles opposing Henry VII.
She backed the rebellions of Simnel and Warbeck. Margaret held influence over Maximilian I.
Burgundy’s ties with England made it hard for Henry VII.
Charles VIII of France and James IV of Scotland supported plots against Henry VII.
Limitations: Henry VII’s spies infiltrated Margaret’s court.
Treaties with France and Scotland ended threats (Treaty of Etaples).
‘Magnus Intercursus’ was signed with Burgundy forced Margaret to end her support for opponents.
The nobility
English nobles aligned to Richard III were a threat early in Henry VII’s reign.
Irish nobles supported Simnel and Warbeck. Individuals close to Henry VII were implicated in plots.
Nobility were important for control of regions and law.
Limitations: Lack of male relatives reduced alternative power centers.
Henry VII’s actions reduced nobles’ power.
Most nobles remained loyal. Henry VII appointed ‘new men’ to key government roles.
Henry VII’s actions regarding the nobility (nobility limitations)
reduced their power to act against him: he did not create many new nobles; he placed financial bonds on them, and restricted retaining.
Remaining nobles’ loyalty to Henry VII (nobility limitations)
Most remaining nobles remained loyal to Henry VII and even formerly suspect ones like the Earl of Surrey, were eventually able to recover lands and demonstrate loyalty.
Appointment of ‘new men’ by Henry VII (nobility limitations)
Henry VII appointed many ‘lesser’ so called ‘new men’ to key roles in government like Sir Reginald Bray, Edmund Dudley and Sir Edward Poynings. These had directly loyalty to him and not to the nobility.
Popular hostility in the north of England to Henry VII’s regime (Popular Uprising)
There was some general popular hostility in the north of England to Henry VII’s regime - based on York and the surrounding area. The intended Lovell revolt and the Yorkshire rebellion of 1489 demonstrate this.
Henry VII’s depiction as avaricious in popular uprisings (Popular Uprising)
Henry VII has been depicted as avaricious and in both the Yorkshire rebellion of 1489 and the one in Cornwall in 1497 one of the key issues was taxation. There was popular opposition to taxing the local population to deal with distant issues - Brittany in the case of Yorkshire and Scotland in the case of Cornwall.
Exploitation of popular rebellions by others (popular uprising)
Popular rebellions could be exploited by those with other motives - notably Warbeck’s use of the remnants of the Cornwall rebellion in 1497.
Limitations of popular uprisings against Henry VII’s regime
The removal of the king was not usually the stated goal of many involved in popular uprisings.
Compared with external threats or noble conspiracies the moments of danger to Henry’s regime were relatively brief, isolated to specific regions, and they were also relatively easily put down.
Key city leaders in important centres like York in 1489 (which briefly fell) and Bristol in 1497 (which did not) remained loyal to Henry VII despite the activities of rebels
