Henry VII consolidation of power

When did Henry Tudor take the crown?

22 August 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth

When was Henry’s official coronation?

30 October 1485

What were Henry’s strengths?

• Death of Richard III was seen as god’s providence and Henry’s victory at Bosworth was god giving his approval

• Papal Dispensation strengthened his position

• No other claimants (apart from Warwick)

• Good character e.g. young, military skills

What were Henry’s opportunities?

• Richard had not been that popular, and had no heir

• The marriage, opportunity for unifying and propaganda

• Elizabeth able to give birth to heirs

• Used Parliament to endorse the reign back dating it to bolster his position

• Opportunities for foreign alliances, French Spanish also interested

What were Henry’s weaknesses?

• Weak claim to the throne, many better claims existed (he can be challenged by pretenders)

• Relative outsider/ been in Britanny, seen as foreigner?

• Limited support, few he could trust

• No experience in leading

What were Henry’s threats?

• Alternative claimants

• Elizabeth of York was related to him

• No body for princes in the tower

• Tax rebellions

When was Henry’s first speech to parliament?

7 November 1485

When did Henry date his reign from? And Why?

He dated his reign from the 21 August, the day before Bosworth, so that technically anyone who fought him was a traitor.

Why was Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth of York advantageous for him?

It would allow his heirs to claim the throne on both the Yorkist and Lancastrian side, effectively ending the Wars of the Roses.

Who arranged the marriage between Elizabeth of York and Henry VII?

Elizabeth Woodville and Lady Margaret Beaufort

When did parliament pressure Henry? What did they pressure him to do?

10 December 1485 parliament formally requested that Henry marry Elizabeth (demonstrates the insecurity of his claim)

What 2 impediments did Henry have to overcome to marry Elizabeth?

• They were related as they were both great-great grandchildren of John of Gaunt so they required a papal dispensation

• Woodville had been declared illegitimate on the ground that King Edward’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid since Edward was precontracted

What was the Act of Bastardisation?

A parliamentary Act of early 1484 which bastardised the heirs of Edward IV.

How was the Act of Bastardisation dealt with? What did this reflect?

By mid 1485 parliament agreed to reverse the act and had also ordered the record of such an act and all copies of it to be burnt and completely destroyed.

It was an indication of Henry’s insecurity at this early stage of his reign

When did Henry VII marry Elizabeth of York?

18 January 1486

What were the successes of Henry VII’s marriage to Elizabeth of York?

• Produced heirs

• Prevented anyone else marrying Elizabeth and producing an heir that challenged Henry’s claim

• Secures Woodville loyalty

What was not successful about Henry’s marriage to Elizabeth?

• Unpopularity of the Woodvilles

• Elizabeth and Arthur have untimely deaths

• Elizabeth seems like she was dominated by mother-in-law