'The most important reason for Henry VII defeating the Yorkist challenge were Yorkist weaknesses.' How far do you agree?

what are the 3 themes

1. Yorkist weaknesses

2. Henry VII's actions

3. Objectives of the rebellion

Which theme is the most important

Henry VII's actions

Evidence that Yorkist weaknesses were the most important reason for defeating the Yorkist challenges

1. Lack of legitimacy in the rebels claim to the throne

- Simnel was a 12 year old boy who was impersonating the Earl of Warwick

- Perkin Warbeck claim of being one of the princes in the tower lacked convincing evidence

2. Limited foreign support

• Simnel rebellion

- Kildare provided Simnel with 4500 Irish Kerns who were poorly armed & disciplined

- Margaret of Burgundy provided 2000 German mercenaries

- By having major foreign support, Simnel lacked significant domestic support having no key nobles + a smaller army than Henry VII

• Perkin Warbeck

- foreign support was politically motivated not based on a belief in the cause

- Charles VIII sheltered PW at French court as he was motivated by need to neutralise English ability to stop French absorption of Brittany in 1492

- Margaret of Burgundy motivated by desire to seek revenge for death of her brother Richard III

Evidence to counter than Yorkist weaknesses were the most important reason for Henry VII defeating the Yorkist challenges

However,

1. Yorkist rebels did receive some legitimacy from foreign powers

- Simnel crowned King Edward VI by Lord Kildare in Dublin Cathedral in 1487

- Margaret of Burgundy declared Warbeck was her nephew

2. Yorkist rebels did receive some support from foreign powers

- Perkin Warbeck provided with invasion force from King James IV in 1496

therefore Henry VII's actions exploited the weaknesses of the Yorkist rebels:

• Simnel rebellion

- paraded the real Earl of Warwick

- Quickly marched north to reduce time available to rebels to rally support in north limiting support for Simnel

• Perkin Warbeck

- active foreign policy kept PW moving on

- Henry marched north to intercept Scottish invasion + had spies in their camp

Evidence that Henry VII's actions was the most important reason for Henry VII defeating the Yorkist challenges

1. Active Foreign Policy

- 1492 Treaty of Etaples forced Warbeck out of France

- Trade embargo with Burgundy from 1492-96 to limit Phillip IV's support for Perkin Warbeck

- 1506 Treaty of Windsor Secured the return of Edmund de la Pole

- £250,000 loan to the Hapsburgs to prevent them giving Edmund de la pole an army

2. Military response

- march North to Scotland to limit the threat of Perkin Warbeck's invasion

- 1487 Battle of Stoke defeated Simnel's forces

3. other pre-emptive actions

- paraded the real earl of Warwick in order to discredit Simnel

- Executed William Stanley after uncovering 1495 plot to support Simnel

- Henry's effective treatment of Yorkist nobles after Bosworth meant no Yorkist nobles aided in the Simnel rebellion

Evidence that the objectives of the rebellion were the most important reason for Henry VII defeating the Yorkist challenges

1. 1489 Yorkshire + 1497 Cornish rebellions were economic in objective in response to taxes therefore did not pose a significant threat to Henry VII as they did not aim to overthrow him

- meant that Henry VII could implement changes which limited the threat of the rebellions

- Henry VII's response to the 1489 Yorkshire rebellion:

1. abandoned the tax

2. appointed the earl of surrey in the north who had no vested interest in the position so his loyalty was secured

- Also, the 1497 Cornish rebellion ended before Perkin Warbeck arrived and led to his capture

Evidence to counter that the objectives of the rebellion were the most important reason for Henry VII defeating the Yorkist challenges

Even rebellions which were dynastically threatening like Simnel and Warbeck ultimately failed because Henry neutralised foreign and domestic support through force and diplomacy.