henry vii

When did Henry vii become king

August 22nd, 1485

CONSOLIDATING TUDOR DYNASTY

What was the first thing he had to do to ensure he could remain as king

Consolidate the Tudor dynasty

Why was this particularly important for Henry vii

He usurped the throne - had a very weak claim

What did consolidation of royal authority look like

Progress monarchs make to strengthen their power (e.g. by reducing rebelling nobles, improving governance, increasing wealth, controlling administration, creating unified laws) → important for him to move from fragmented feudal structure to a more centralised state

When was Henry most secure

Between 1495-1506 → had built strong alliances, loyal nobility, reduced threats of rebels

When was Henry least secure

1485-1487 → weak claim, several rival claims to throne

What main 4 methods were used to consolidate the Tudor dynasty between 1485-1487

1. Dated his reign from 21st August 1485

2. Publicly rewarded his supporters → e.g. 11 knighthoods

3. Marrying Elizabeth of York

4. Passing parliamentary acts of attainders against Yorkists

Why did he date his reign from 21st August 1485?

This was the day before the Battle of Bosworth, so anyone who fought on the Yorkist side he could punish, eliminating any threats immediately

Why did he publicly reward his supporters

To begin building relationships and loyalty from his nobles

When did he marry Elizabeth of York

January 1486

Why did he marry Elizabeth

It strengthened his claim to the throne, whilst uniting the Yorkist and Lancastrian houses to minimise anger

Why did he pass parliamentary acts of attainders (2)

• reducing power and money of Yorkists who fought against him in b.o.b.

• Increased royal income, property goes to the crown

What 4 methods did he use to consolidate the Tudor dynasty between 1487–1501

1. Giving birth to male heirs, prince arthur and prince Henry

2. Established council learned in law

3. Reducing key dynastic threats

4. Switched from exchequer to chamber system for royal finances

Why was it important to have a male heir

Secures the Tudor dynasty’s survival

When was prince arthur born

September 1489

Why was the council learned in law important

Collecting bonds and recognisances, providing financial security and increased royal income

Who managed the council learned in law

Empson and dudley

When was the council formed

1495

Why was it important to overcome dynastic threats

Increase his royal authority and reduce rebels e.g. lambert simnel, perkin warbeck, de la poles

Why did he switch to chamber system

King has much greater control over the kingdoms finance, diverting 90% of income to chamber

What 4 methods did he use in 1501-1509 to consolidate the Tudor dynasty

1. Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon married in 1501

2. Prince Henry and Catherine betrothed in 1503

3. Eliminating yorkist threats

4. Financially binding nobles to good behavior

When did prince Arthur and Catherine get married

1501

Why and when did they get betrothed

In 1489, due to the medina del campo treaty

When did Arthur die

April 1502

When were Henry and Catherine betrothed and why was this important

1503, to secure the Tudor heir after Arthur’s death

What yorkist threats were eliminated in this time period

Edmund de la pole executed in 1506, earl of Warwick executed 1499

By 1509, how many nobles were financially bound through bonds and recognisances to the crown

Around half the nobles in the kingdom

Why was this significant

Financially bound to good behaviour

CHURCH

What was Henry’s relationship with the church like

Generally cooperative and supportive - mutually beneficial

How did the church benefit Henry originally (2)

• Legitimised his claim to the throne in 1485

• Pope issued a papal bull in1486 which excommunicated those who rebelled against Henry

What was the role of the church within government

Providing skilled administrators (eg bishops as lawyers/politicians)

3 examples of churchmen who were significant in politics

• Cardinal John Morton → Archbishop of Canterbury, acted as lord chancellor

• Richard fox

• William Warham

What was the role of the church within society

Foundation of social life → religious calendar, holidays, holy Sunday

What was humanism

Development of renaissance ideas in the 14th C → ideas of educational reform and return to classics, arts and literature encouraged

Evidence of support for Catholic Church (6)

• majority of British population devout followers of Catholic Church

• Strong relationship between pope and Henry vii (eg papal bul, 1486)

• Henry supported punishment of burning heretics (eg Lollards, 1499)

• Churchmen entrusted to work closely with Henry, as advisors (eg cardinal morton)

• Henry didn’t challenge church policies or authority, church maintained power (eg greatest landowner in England besides king)

• Henry made several religious foundations and donations (eg plans begun in 1403 for lady chapel at Westminster abbey)

Evidence of opposition to the Catholic Church (4)

• Lollards emerged, following john Wycliffe’s work

• 1499 Lollard executions suggest persistence of anti-catholic ideas

• Some resented church’s privileges (eg wealth, land, legal privileges like benefit of the clergy)

• Early Christian humanists began criticising aspects of Catholicism, want reforms

What did the Lollards believe (3)

• Bible is the only word of god

• Everyone should have access to bible → written in local language, not Latin

• Reject transubstantiation, pilgrimage, purgatory

What invention propelled the humanist movement

Gaxton’s printing press in 1476

Did Henry support humanism

Yes

Overall did attitudes towards the church change during Henry’s reign

Attitudes remained similar, even though there was some movement towards liberal ideas

REBELLIONS

when was the stafford lovell rebellion

easter 1486

causes of stafford lovell rebellion

thomas and humphrey stafford (brothers) and francis lovell liked richard III + disliked henry’s claim, they wanted to revolt

what happened in the rebellion first

In spring 1486, lovell began rebellion in yorkshire, stafford brothers began rebellion in worcestorshire

what happened next

the rebellion failed to gain support → lovell escaped to burgundy, staffords sought sanctuary in a local church

how did the rebellion end

when the staffords were captured from the church

consequences of rebellion (2)

• rules of sanctuary changed

• revealed widespread hatred of henry

when was the simnel rebellion

january-june 1487

causes of simnel rebellion

Lambert Simnel, 10yo boy, was promoted as Edward, Earl of Warwick → better claim then henry had

what support did simnel receive (2)

• english and irish nobles

• margaret of burgundy → sent 2000 German mercenaries join force

consequence of simnel rebellion

battle of stoke on 16th june 1487

who died at this battle

john de la pole

why did simnel fail (3)

• 8000 troops compared to henrys 12000

• henrys army led by the extremely competent Earl of Oxford

• henry revealed real Earl of Warwick, who had been captured and help in the Tower of London

effectiveness of henrys response

he took a while to respond, limiting the effectiveness, but overall, he outnumbered the rebels

when was the yorkshire rebellion

1489

causes of the yorkshire rebellion

people were unhappy henry was requesting high taxes (to fund war with france)

consequences of yorkshire rebellion (2)

• earl of northumberland assassinated by rebels in april 1489

• people in the north no longer taxed so excessively

effectiveness of henrys responses

fixed quickly and efficiently, but important noble killed

when was the perkin warbeck rebellion

1491-1499

causes of the warbeck rebellion

he looked like Richard, Duke of York, and pretended to be him

who was he supported by

yorkist sympathisers, margaret of burgundy (who claimed him as her nephew and trained him to be a prince)

who was margaret of burgundy married to

philip the fair (of burgundy)

what happened in november 1492

england and france signed the treaty of etaples → charles VIII withdrew his support for warbeck

however, who began supporting him in 1493

maxilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor

when and where was he caught and hung

1499, tower of london

who else was executed there with him

earl of warwick

when was the cornish rebellion

1497 (spring - june)

causes of cornish rebellion

increased taxation (to fund battle with scotland)

who led the rebels in the cornish rebellion

thomas flamanck

how many rebels were there

6000 armed peasants

*** when was the de la pole/white rose rebellion

1499-1513

causes of the white rose rebellion (3)

• he was yorkist, and richard’s nephew

• his brother john de la pole was an enemy of henry, killed in the battle of stoke in 1487

• angry with henry for his brothers death, and then having to pay £5000 for his brothers death

what did edmund do first

fled to burgundy for margaret’s support in 1499

what did he do next

went to seek maximilians help in the HRE in 1501

when was edmund imprisoned in the tower of london

1506 → maximilian surrendered him to henry after the treaty of windsor

when henry viii took over, what did he see, and what did he do as a result

edmund was a sign of hope for the yorkists → he executed him in 1513

FOREIGN POLICY

what were henrys 2 main aims in foreign policy

• gain recognition from european monarchs

• increase revenue through foreign policy

who were englands main allies

spain and HRE

who were englands main enemies

france, scotland

relations with france (3)

• traditionally hostile

• henry’s invasion in 1492 was limited

• treaty of etaples signed in 1492, reducing french support for yorkists

what were the terms of the treaty of etaples (3)

• france to pay £5000 a year in pension to henry

• charles viii promised not to support warbeck

• henry to withdraw troops from france (his invasion in 1492)

relations with brittany (2)

• treaty of redon signed in february 1489

• brittany crisis 1487-1492

what was the brittany crisis

france wanted control of the independent country of brittany, causing a war to break out

why did it matter to england (3)

• if france controlled brittany, england could be threatened directly across the channel

• henry owed a debt of gratitude to francis II, duke of brittany (raised there)

• didn’t want a full scale war, very expensive

what did henry vii do as a result (2)

• sent english troops to support brittary (treaty of redon)

• sought alliances with spain and HRE to pressure france

what happened in the end

brittany fell to france when duchess anne of brittany married charles viii

when did they marry

1491

what was the treaty of redon

england to send 6000 troops to help defend brittany from france

relations with spain (3)

• crucial alliance made with the medina del campo treaty

• henry allied with spain and the habsburgs against france

• after henry iv of castile died (in 1474), succession disputes in spain disrupted this alliance

when was the medina del campo treaty signed

1489

what were the terms of the treaty (3)

• mutual support with spain against france

• promised marriage between arthur and catherine of aragon

• ensured fair trade terms for english merchants with spain

when did isabella of castile die

1504

short summary of the crisis

joanna, isabellas daughter, inherits the throne. she is mentally unwell, so her father, ferdinand, acts as regent. however, her husband philip of hre (maximilian’s son) also wants the power, causing conflict

who did henry decide to support

philip, instead of ferdinand → caused some conflict between spain and england

what treaty did france and spain sign as a result of this crisis

the treaty of blois

when was this signed

1499

what did it agree

alliance between the two, temporarily threatening henry as it risked isolating him diplomatically