chapter 3 - Englands relations with Scotland and other foreign powers

How did James IV's military policy change after the invasion of England?

After the invasion in 1496, James IV did not pursue the policy and made peace the following year.

Define the relationship between James IV and Henry VII.

Married 8 August 1503, sealing the Anglo‑Scottish marriage alliance as part of Treaty of Perpetual Peace.

James IV married Henry VII's daughter, Margaret.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Flodden for James IV?

James IV was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

How did Henry VII manage relations with Scotland?

Henry VII aimed to safeguard his northern border with Scotland and neutralize the potential threats from Yorkist claimants.

What were the initial financial challenges faced by Henry VII regarding foreign relations?

Henry VII was initially in debt to Brittany and France, which influenced his foreign policy decisions.

Describe the main objectives of Henry VII's foreign policy.

Henry VII aimed to maintain positive relations with foreign powers to ensure national security, recognition of the Tudor dynasty, and the defense of English trading interests.

Evaluate Henry as a realist: he prioritised security over glory.

How did the Treaty of Medina del Campo impact England's foreign relations?

Spain offered dynastic legitimacy and military alliance against France,

The Treaty of Medina del Campo, established in 1489, strengthened the alliance between England and Spain, enhancing England's position in European politics.

Treaty of Redon

Henry aimed to prevent French control of Brittany, which would have increased France’s power and threatened English security. The treaty also balanced caution with action—Henry supported Brittany to protect England’s interests, but avoided direct war with France, maintaining diplomatic flexibility.(February 1489)

• Henry agreed to send 6,000 troops to defend against French annexation.

How did the ‘Auld Alliance’ affect England

Formed in the late 13th century this led to several conflicts between England and Scotland and France and England

The auld alliance often resulted in England facing a powerful coalition of the enemies affecting its military strategies and diplomatic relations in europe

23 october 1295 - 15 july 1560

Henry VII aims

• Secure the Tudor dynasty by marrying into powerful Catholic houses; produce a male heir.

• Establish international recognition, discourage Yorkist pretenders via treaties.

• Avoid costly wars, favour cautious diplomacy and trade-led influence.

Prince Arthur’s marriage

Catherine , princess of aragon

1499 agreed

1501 took place

Agreements with the hanseatic league

• In 1489, Henry VII signed a series of agreements with the Hanseatic League, ensuring English merchants could operate in the Baltic region, a key area for trading timber, grain, and other valuable resources.

  Henry not only promoted economic stability but also secured peaceful relations with a powerful commercial entity in northern Europe, which would support his dynastic stability by avoiding trade disputes.

Who did Princess Margaret marry

James IV of Scotland in 1503

it strengthened alliances with Scotland

Who did Princess Mary marry

King of France Louis XII

1514 - 1515 (he died)

the aim of this was to secure peaceful relations with france

The treaty of Medina del Campo + what problems were there

Mutual protection against France

Non-aggression pact (neither would support each other’s rebels).

• Major diplomatic triumph for Henry VII — secured international legitimacy (Spain was a powerful Catholic state).

• Strengthened Tudor dynasty via marriage alliance; implied recognition of Henry’s kingship.

  Marriage delayed: Catherine didn’t come to England until 1501 due to Spanish concerns over Henry’s stability & need for Papal dispensation (they were cousins).

  Arthur’s death (1502) rendered the marriage alliance temporarily void — weakened the treaty’s value.

The treaty of Windsor

1506

• Earl of Suffolk (Edmund de la Pole) – Key Yorkist claimant to the throne, to be handed over to Henry by Philip.

  • 📌 Significance: Major boost to Henry’s dynastic security.

  Trade Agreements – Strengthened Anglo-Burgundian trade (follow-up from Intercursus Magnus 1496).

  • Reaffirmed good relations with Burgundy, important for cloth trade.

The Treaty of Windsor exemplifies Henry VII’s diplomatic pragmatism. Though short-lived, it achieved a major domestic security objective (removal of Suffolk), showing that Henry prioritised dynastic stability above all else.

Intercursus magnus

(1496)

In the early 1490s, England and Burgundy had strong trade links.However, relations deteriorated when Margaret of Burgundy supported Perkin Warbeck.

• English merchants received favourable customs duties, giving them a competitive edge.

• Re-established Anglo-Burgundian trade on favourable terms for England.

• English merchants allowed to trade freely in all parts of Burgundy except Flanders.

  • Philip of Burgundy agreed to withdraw support for Warbeck, helping Henry to undermine the pretender’s credibility.

Reinforced England's position as a trading power,Enhancing England’s international prestige without war,Secured dynastic security: Undermined Warbeck by cutting off his Burgundian support.

Treaty of windsor

1506

• Return of the Earl of Suffolk (Edmund de la Pole) to England:

  • A key Yorkist claimant; Henry's long-standing dynastic threat neutralised.

• Mutual support: Henry recognized Philip and Juana as rulers of Castile → undermining Ferdinand of Aragon.

Major short-term diplomatic triumph: Henry secures Suffolk, eliminates a dynastic threat.

Earl of kildare

henry became dependant upon kildare for the maintence of law and order in ireland

was foreign policy succesful under henry vii

Diplomatic Alliances: Henry successfully secured alliances through strategic marriage such as catherine and arthur in 1502 , margraret and james iv in 1503 and mary and louis xii strengthening ties

Henry invested in strengthening the navy, resulting in a more formidable maritime presence. This not only protected trade routes but also positioned England as a growing naval power

Treaty of etaples was a cautious approach to france and it ended hostilites with france in 1492 and secured a pension for england

Holy league of venice

1496

England joined anti‑French coalition (Spain, Papal States, Venice, Florence, Milan, HRE) – although Henry remained largely neutral.

Treaty of ayton

1497

truce followed by Treaty of Perpetual Peace (24 January 1502), ending formal hostilities and agreeing that neither monarch supports the other's enemies.

between scotland and england

Treaty of Perpetual Peace

1502

• Sealed with marriage alliance:

  • Margaret Tudor (Henry’s daughter) to James IV of Scotland.

• 1503 – Marriage took place

  • Hugely important: this leads to Union of Crowns in 1603 (James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England).

Treaty of etaples

promised to expel Perkin Warbeck, and recognized England’s claim to Brittany

£5,000 pension

$$ Takeaway: Diplomacy more profitable than war—France paid in cash while renouncing support for pretender

Evaluation

• ✅ Strengths

• Used marriage diplomacy to secure dynastic alliances (Spain, Scotland).

  Avoided costly wars; made money cross-border (Ét apples £5k/year; Intercursus trade boost)

  Neutralised Yorkist threats: Simnel, Warbeck, Suffolk.

• ⚠ Limits:

  Failure to retain Brittany; and Arthur’s death undermined Spanish alliance.

  Some treaties (Malus Intercursus, proposed remarriage) never fully realised.

  Border peace with Scotland fragile—later broken in 1513.

why was the league of cambrai a diplomatic setback for henry

Correct answer: The League of Cambrai was an alliance between France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy — excluding England.
Henry was left isolated, showing the limits of his influence in Europe.

1508

"To what extent was Henry VII’s foreign policy driven more by dynastic security than by economic or military ambition?"

Henry VII’s foreign policy was far more concerned with securing and stabilising his dynasty than with pursuing economic or military ambitions. While trade and diplomacy played a role, they were often used as tools to reinforce his authority and eliminate threats.