Threats to Henry VII

Why were the Nobility a threat to Henry?

-Due to the economic repercussions of the War of the Roses, Henry's financial power was not far beyond that of the highest Nobility, leaving him vulnerable.

-His relationship with them was critical for his survival as he depended on them to maintain law and order.

-Henry was extremely paranoid and lacked trust for the Nobility, their loyalty was not certain, and Henry needed to ensure he could assert his Dynastic power over his Nobles.​

How did Henry use Acts of Attainder?

This was not a new policy on Henry's behalf; however, he made it more efficient. These acts seized the land of Nobles who were suspected of being disloyal, they were passed through parliament and required no trial. He passed a total of 138 during his reign, 51 of which in the later stages.​

How did Acts of Attainder reduce the threat of the Nobility?

It reduced the threat as the Nobility were forced into loyalty due to the threat of losing their power and therefore more likely to show loyalty to Henry.

How did Henry use Patronage?

He was careful to not give too much patronage, limiting their power. During his reign the Nobility fell by ¼, vacant lands were absorbed by the King, and he made use of the gentry to undermine the power of the Nobility.​

How did his use of patronage reduce the threat of the Nobility?

This reduced threat as the Nobility were more likely to be loyal as it rewarded them power and a more favourable position in Henry's court.

How did Henry manage Retaining?

Henry regarded this practice as lawless and passed laws against it. Lords had to swear in 1485 that they would not illegally retain, and after 1504 Nobles needed a special license and were fined if they broke this.​

How did Henry's management of retaining reduce the threat of the Nobility?

This meant the nobility could not grow a large number of men with which they could threaten Henry's power, therefore an uprising became much less likely​.

How did Henry use bonds and recognisances?

Bonds were widely used by Henry, placing nobles in debt to the crown so that they would stay loyal in the future. By the last decade of his reign 2/3 of the Nobility were under bond.​

How did Henry's use of bonds reduce the threat of the Nobility?

It was useful it reducing threat as it increased his financial power from those he didn't trust and forced the Nobles to stay faithful or risk financial ruin.​

Judgement- Nobility

Ultimately this was not a large threat to Henry, the majority of the Nobility ended up remaining loyal to his throne and those who didn't were dealt with swiftly. His methods of removing them were also very effective as he had various methods of control over them to restrict their power.​

What caused the Cornish Rebellion?

This rebellion was sparked by demands to remove taxes, Henry needed extraordinary revenue to finance a campaign against Scotland and the costs were £120,000, higher than any ever previously levied by the King.​

What caused the Yorkshire Rebellion?

Parliament had agreed to raise £100,000 for the Bretton crisis. This demand was poorly received in Yorkshire who had suffered a poor harvest in 1488 the year before. Henry refused to negotiate with the rebels.​

How did Henry tackle the Cornish Rebellion?

He sent a royal army of 500 men and refused to negotiate with the rebels. He sent his army of 25,000 to take on the rebels 10,000 men, the Battle was a rout and Audley was executed, along with other local leaders who were hung, drawn and quartered. Only around 1000 of the rebels were killed and most were heavily fined, raising around £15,000.​

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How did Henry tackle the Yorkshire Rebellion?

The King travelled North to pardon most of the prisoners in conciliation for the murder of the Earl of Northumberland. He appointed the Earl of Surrey as a lieutenant in the area. Surrey had no vested interest in the area and his loyalty was guaranteed as his estates depended on his success in the role.​

Judgement- Rebellions

The rebellions were not a large threat. They were quickly defeated and at no point posed a challenge to his dynastic security, however Henry learnt the harsh lesson that he was still vulnerable, the rebels had reached London unchallenged which raised questions of the Nobility's loyalty. It also exposed the delicate balance between public order and lawlessness and made Henry cautious about entering into any further foreign conflicts.​

Why was Simnel a threat to Henry?

Simnel was a threat to Henry, due to the fact that the man who he was impersonating (the earl of Warwick) had a stronger claim to the throne than Henry himself did. If Simnel managed to gain support from the people, he would have been able to overthrow Henry and steal the crown for himself. Simnel was a threat due to the fact he questioned Henrys dynastic legitimacy. It was also a threat because the Earl of Lincoln (John de la Pole) rallied to the cause and fled to Ireland to join the rebels. This was a threat because Henry had somewhat trusted him, and he had even been involved in the early discussions of what to do with Simnel.​

How did Henry deal with Simnel?

Henry took an army to meet Lincoln at East Stoke, just outside of Newark on 16th June 1487. Henry had a force of 12000, whereas Lincoln only had 8000 men. However, Henry still feared the battle of Stoke as he knew from first-hand experience how the battle can be triumphed by the underdog. The Kings army held firm and the leaders including Lincoln were killed.

Judgement- Simnel

It was serious due to the fact Simnel had support from Ireland mainly from Lord Kildare. This was serious as it demonstrated how Henry had no control over Ireland outside of the Pale but also that Yorkist threats and rebellions could use Ireland (who were Yorkist supporters) as a springboard to invade and attack England. It was also serious because The Duchess of Burgundy sent 2000 German mercenaries to support Simnel. This demonstrated how foreign powers were questioning Henrys dynastic legitimacy and were willing to support a force to overthrow him. Another reason for it being serious was that Simnel lead Henry into a pitched battle in which the outcome was uncertain.

Why was Warbeck a threat to Henry?

Warbeck posed such a threat due to his foreign support that he gathered. Warbeck was invited into the court of Charles VIII of France, where he was treated as a prince. Following this he moved to Burgundy where he was accepted by Margaret as her nephew. These examples of foreign support for Warbeck questions Henrys dynastic legitimacy, as these foreign powers feel Henry isn't the divine King of England and were willing to support Warbeck as they wanted him to take the throne back from the current usurper King. Sir William Stanley was also involved with supporting Warbeck. This posed a threat as Stanley was influential within the Government. Demonstrating how Henry cannot trust his nobility and that Warbeck had a large amount of support.​

How did Henry deal with Warbeck?

Between 3000 and 8000 joined. However ,there was a lack of support from the gentry or nobility . They ended up being trapped at Taunton and Warbeck's supporters started to melt away. Warbeck was then captured and brought to court. Henry decided to show leniency since he saw him as a puppet of more powerful men. However, whilst not formally imprisoned, he tried to escape in June 1498. He was then arrested and placed in the tower. He was then caught plotting with the Earl of Warwick in the tower. In 1499 both were tried for treason and were executed. ​

Judgement- Warbeck

It was a serious threat due to the fact of how much support Warbeck gathered. Warbeck gathered foreign support which questioned Henrys dynastic legitimacy. But Warbeck also received support from William Stanley who was the Lord Chamberlain this demonstrated how Henrys government was weak and that the nobility could not be trusted. Warbeck was also harboured in Scotland by James IV, demonstrating how Henry faced threats from neighbouring countries and that Yorkist pretenders could take refuge in Scotland before attacking England. I think the main thing that made Warbeck was a threat was because it lasted for over a decade and resulted in the prevention of Prince Arthurs marriage to Catherine of Aragon through the Treaty of Medina del campo.​

How were Scotland and France a threat to Henry?

The alliance essentially limited the actions of England, and continually made them susceptible to a double-fronted attack, from the north and south. Furthermore, the relation between England and Scotland had always been strenuous, with many battles taking place along the border in the past centuries, this meant that if Scotland were to ever invade England in the future, Henry would have to fear the possibility of a French-supported army, which would be detrimental to Henry's internal stability.​

Bretton Crisis

In 1489, Henry (with minimal support from the Holy Roman Empire) marched 12,000 troops into Brittany in defence of Duchess Anne ,who had signed the Treaty of Redon which required English support if France were to attempt an invasion of Brittany. This was a great risk for Henry as the French army had a vastly greater number of troops and a more sufficient economy to fund a war if they seemed it was necessary. And although Henry's gamble had paid off, the consequences of the event seriously damaged his own dynastic stability. To fund the conflict, Henry had asked the parliament for a tax levy of £100,000 (which was the largest in English history), and it faced extreme criticism, with it even triggering rebellions in a couple of towns across England. So, even though England were able to achieve relative success in Brittany, the event was overwhelmingly negative in regards of Henry's dynastic securiity and internal stability as it forced him to financially rely on the taxes of a Populus who did not see the need for English involvement in the conflict to begin with.​

How did Henry manage foreign threats? (Overall)

Despite the challenges Henry faced regarding his foreign policy, his ability to form strong alliances and to organise critical marriage agreements were exceedingly useful in protecting his throne from foreign threats. This diplomatic approach to his foreign policy was overall successful, because it meant he could safeguard the English economy, and prioritise his attention to protecting his internal stability.​

How did Henry manage foreign threats? (Scotland)

During his reign, Henry avoided many potential conflicts with his use of diplomacy to forge peace treaties and marriages. Specifically, Henry understood the challenges posed by Scotland and was able to arrange treaties and marriage agreements that deescalated the threat posed by them. Following the Cornish rebellion in 1497, and how detrimental it was to his own dynastic security, Henry sought to formulate an immediate truce with Scotland, which was successful and was finalised in 1502 via the Treaty of Ayrton. This treaty was crucial in Henry's foreign policy because it minimised the challenged posed by a once agitated Scotland, and instead allowed Henry to focus on pressing the rebellions that were taking place within his own borders. Furthermore, in 1503, Henry's eldest daughter- Margaret- married James IV of Scotland, which helped settle the ill feeling between both nations, as it acted a symbol of the peace between them.​

How did Henry manage foreign threats? (France)

In response to the threat posed by France, Henry sought to achieve an alliance with Spain- who were another powerful European nation, and he hoped it would balance out the challenges of French hostility. Henry was able to achieve this 1489, when he signed the Treaty of Medina Del Campo with Spain, as it promised mutual protection of each other's land, and also included a clause forbidding them to form any peace agreements with France. These was hugely successful in reducing the threat of foreign powers as it meant that not only would England be safe from a potential invasion from there largest enemy, but it ensured neither Spain or England would undermine the significance of the treaty.

Judgement- Foreign Policy

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So, although there were instances that seemed to be hugely significant threats to Henry's throne, through careful treaties and marriage agreements, Henry was able to ensure he would be safe from an invasion from Europe. And although, by the end of Henry's reign, it meant that England were geopolitically isolated, Henry believed this isolation was good as it allowed him to focus on internal threats (which he deemed for serious that external ones). Without the worry of a potential foreign attack, Henry could build up his personal wealth, and focus his attention to the threat of pretenders, and subdueing the rebellions in Cornwall and York.

OVERALL JUDGEMENT

Ultimately, the largest of these threats to Henry was the pretenders. They provided the most direct danger to his dynastic security and even managed to force him into a position in which he had to fight for his position with an uncertain position. This meant they were the largest threat to Henry due to his inability to effectively deal with their threats, allowing them to consistently harm him throughout his reign, whether it be using foreign support and disturbing European affairs, or directly launching attacks into England to target Henry's vulnerabilities and lack of control. They proved stronger than other threats in how they lasted for years and provided the most real danger, and so were the highest threat to Henry VII.