Yorkist Opposition to Henry VII Flashcards
Summary of Yorkist opposition to Henry
2 nephews of Richard III remained, Edward & John de la Pole. Henry removed these threats by sending Edward to Tower of London & de la Pole joined the King’s council.
However, there was Yorkist support from overseas, specifically Margaret of Burgundy who was the sister of Richard III
Lovell & Stafford
Lord Lovell and the Stafford brothers attempted to raise a rebellion in the north in Spring 1486, but Henry’s spies brought it to his knowledge and it failed. Lovell fled and the Humphrey Stafford executed, Thomas pardoned
Simnel’s Rising
1486-87
Lambert Simnel claimed to be a nephew of Richard, the Earl of Warwick. He was crowned Edward VI in Ireland and received support from Margaret oB.
When the rebels reached Lancashire they failed to gain support, and the Irish were seen as brutal, putting off potential suitors. Henry paraded the real EoW and defeated Simnel at Stoke
Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck claimed to be the Duke of York, one of the murdered Princes in the Tower.
While Warbeck’s presence never substantiated into a serious threat, it lasted a long time and was constant as he had foreign support.
Warbeck went to Ireland, France (left after Treaty of Etaples in 1492) and went to Flanders where had the support of Margaret and finally Scotland. He attacked from the north but had little support and was abandoned by the King. He attempted another invasion to coincide with the Cornish rising, but this failed and he was finally executed in 1499
How much of a threat was Warbeck
After Treaty of Etaples 1492 he fled to Flanders where he had Margarets support. Henry broke off the lucrative cloth trade (1493-96) in response, and his willingness to sacrifice income showed how concerned he was. Catherine oA not sent until 1501 due to threat
Failed to gain support in Waterford Ireland, Deal (where he was defeated by local militia easily) and the North with James’ support. Maximilian didn’t have the resources to support him & more concerned with Italy. Shows Warbeck as not a threat
Ultimately he was never much of a threat. Willingness to support a pretender showed how desperate the Yorkists were and he never even forced Henry into battle.
Yorkist threat eval.
4
In total Henry was only truly secure in the final years of his reign, 1506 onwards after Suffolk was given up by Philip oB, but there was no serious threat to him after Simnel was defeated at Stoke.
Willingness of the Yorkists to support a pretender, Warbeck, for so long showed their desperateness.
Edmund de la Pole was the only true Yorkist claimant remaining, after appearing loyal he fled to the court of the HRE as he was annoyed at not being made Duke of Suffolk. However Suffolk was given up after Philip of Burgundy landed in England in 1506 due to storms.
After 1500 Henry’s situation worsened. his 2 sons Edmund (1500) and Arthur (1502) and his wife (1503) died in quick succession, and his whole dynasty relied on the survival of his son Henry, showing him in a weak position
Yorkshire Rebellion
1489
Result of raising tax to fight Brittany. Yorkshire suffered poor harvest in 1488 and other northern counties were exempt form the tax as they were expected to fight off Scottish threat at the borders.
Earl of Northumberland murdered when he tried to collect the tax. Rising easily crushed by a royal army, but showed how ruling in the North was tough and could soon be challenged
Cornish Rebellion
1497
Henry needed money to fund defence against Scotlands support of Warbeck. Cornwall being so remote and far from the north saw no reason why they should fund a war on the northern borders. 15,000 men part of the rebellion, but many deserted as they got closer to London.
The rebels made it clear their grievance was with ‘evil councillors’ rather than the King, and Henry’s army of 25,000 crushed the rebellion at Blackheath
Never a serious threat, but Henry’s execution of the leaders showed he wasn’t willing to take chances like he had previously.
