The Tudors 1

How did Henry VII consolidate his power during his coronation?

Henry’s coronation was a opportunity for him to consolidate his power and craft a powerful image for himself - With an aim to surpass Richard III’s coronation . £8 a yard was paid for gold cloth , purple velvet for the King’s robes cost 40 shillings per yard and the crimson satin cost 16 shillings

How did Henry VII consolidate his power by carefully getting himself crowned early?

on october 30 1485 Henry had quickly had himself crowned king to show that he had claimed the throne by his own right and not through simply marrying Elizabeth of York . This prevented any confusion from his subjects about his claim to the throne regarding the marriage to Elizabeth , he solidified this by also delaying Elizabeth’s coronation until 25 November 1487 , 2 years after his own

How did having four children consolidate Henry VII’s power further?

Henry was mindful of Elizabeth’s four sisters and how they would undoubtedly have children and potentially produce greater claims to the throne , That’s why when his children were being born the fear of threat had been relieved

Prince Arthur- 19th september 1486

Margaret in 1488

Henry in 1491

Mary in 1496

How was the Earl of Warwick a threat to Henry VII? How did he deal with him?

He was the ten year old nephew of Richard III (A stronger claim to the throne)

Immediately imprisoned in the Tower of London (1485) after Bosworth.

Kept under close surveillance for 14 years — not allowed freedom or communication.

Executed in 1499 (age 24), after being implicated in a plot with Perkin Warbeck (likely encouraged by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain as a condition for the marriage of Prince Arthur to Catherine of Aragon).

Henry neutralised the threat by isolating Warwick early and removing him permanently when foreign diplomacy required it.

The Earl of Northumberland- How was he a threat and how was he dealt with?

The Earl was with Richard at the Battle of Bosworth he did not fight for him yet there was still a risk of him being a threat to Henry VII . Henry imprisoned him until the 6th of december 1485 to prevent the risk of this , when he was released he was given control of the north and an opportunity to prove his loyalty .
This tactic of Henry’s allowed him to have a trusted noble in the north (Where most of the people who didn’t support Henry on the throne were located) to keep and monitor things to remain in control . He had appointed someone who was already in power and had shown that he was able to forgive and present valuable opportunities . He had also shown he was not a tyrant.

why was it so difficult for Henry to establish his dynasty?

He had a weak claim to the throne as he came from a female line , he took the throne by winning a battle . There were more legitimate claims to the throne by the yorkist line

Edward earl of Warwick , John earl of Lincoln and Edmund earl of Suffolk had stronger claims to the throne as they all descended from the yorkist line - the public also wanted them to be heirs , leading to many rebellions

What was one way he secured his dynasty

By marrying Elizabeth of York he was able to secure his throne , position , and establish the tudor dynasty , allowing a smooth succession uniting the two tudor houses

January 1486

How did Henry reward Sir Thomas Lovell ?

Lovell had rebelled against Richard in 1483 , in 1485 he was made Chancellor of the Exchequer , Treasurer of the Household and Speaker of the house of commons - showing he rewarded his supporters by giving them high ranking positions of power

The Royal Exchequer

To ensure efficient collection of taxes, fines, and customs duties.

To fund the king’s government and maintain financial stability.

• Crown revenue increased from about £113,000 in 1485 to over £300,000 per year by 1509.

• Enabled Henry to use financial tools like bonds and recognizances to enforce loyalty and control the nobility.

Strengthening Royal authority

Henry took steps to centralize power and curb the influence of the nobility. For example, he avoided granting too much land to powerful nobles, instead relying on loyal servants, such as Richard Fox,

Henry reduced the number of magnates who could threaten his power by using patronage carefully and appointing men loyal to him.

Why was the treaty of Medina del campo successful for Henry and when did it happen

(1489)

Dynastic Security: Arranged marriage between Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon (married in 1501) — boosted Tudor legitimacy by allying with a powerful European dynasty.

Recognition: Spain formally recognised Henry as the legitimate king of England — vital in early years of his reign.

Mutual Defense: Spain agreed to support England militarily against France if needed (anti-French alliance).

When did Henry VII marry Elizabeth of York

January 1486

union of the two tudor houses

Waited until other steps of consolidation had been completed to prove his position on the throne was not due to his marriage

Parliamentary Acts of Attainder

This act declared people guilty of treason without trial and allowed Henry to confiscate their lands, passed by parliament in 1485

Weaken potential rivals, especially Yorkist supporters.

Increase royal income

Attainders issued: Over 138 nobles attainted during the reign.

Reversals: Around 46 attainders were reversed — usually after payment, service, or proof of loyalty.

Example: Sir Thomas Tyrell paid £1,738 for reversal

Revenue boost: Confiscated land added significantly to royal income (part of the increase from ~£113k to £300k annual revenue).

Control tactic: Used alongside bonds and recognisances to ensure noble obedience.

Bonds and recognisances

They were financial contracts used to ensure loyalty. If nobles misbehaved, they had to pay heavy fines. This created fear and obedience among the nobility.

In the first decade of Henry's reign, 191 bonds were collected, They grew from earning Henry £3,000 a year in 1493 to £35,000 by 1505.

Crown lands

As henry came to power reign income had dropped to £12,000 per year due to the income of lands now collected through the court of exchequer,in around 1492 Henry decided to revert back to Edward V’s method of administration through the royal household,finances increased to 42k per year by 1509

Thomas Grey Marquis of dorset

required to pay henry 100,000 if they did “not show good behaviour”

Statute of 1487:

This law made it illegal for nobles to maintain private armies without the king’s permission. The aim was to prevent nobles from building up personal military power that could rival the king's authority.

Statute of 1504:

This law strengthened the earlier legislation and imposed more severe penalties on nobles who retained large numbers of men without royal consent.

Margaret of Burgundy supplied military troops and resources to the pretenders.

For example, she sent a small force of mercenaries to support Perkin Warbeck during his rebellion in 1497, when Warbeck attempted to land in England and garner support for his claim to be Richard of York. These troops were used in his failed attempt to invade England, and although Warbeck did not succeed, this military aid highlighted Margaret’s ongoing role in supporting threats to Henry’s rule.

The Act of Resumption

1486

The Act of Resumption in 1486 allowed him to reclaim lands and revenues previously granted to nobles

By recovering these lands, Henry reinforced the power of the Crown, showing that the monarchy could override the privileges of the nobility

The Establishment of the Royal Court of the Star Chamber (1487)

The Star Chamber was designed to deal with cases of serious lawbreaking, often involving the nobility, It allowed Henry to deal with individuals who might otherwise challenge his rule, including financial issues that arose from disputes over land and money.

Henry ensured that the monarchy had the final say in disputes, reducing the influence of rival noble families

The Treaty of Etaples

(1492

France was supporting Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne,Henry VII launched a military campaign to France in October 1492 with 12,000 troops, aiming to pressure Charles VIII

France agreed to Expel Perkin Warbeck and stop supporting English rebels.

• Pay Henry an annual pension of £5,000

  Pay a lump sum of 742,000 crowns to cover the cost of Henry’s military campaign.

• Foreign Policy: Successful use of limited warfare to extract concessions.

• Dynastic Security: Undermined threats like Warbeck.

• Finance: Boosted the Crown’s income significantly.

The Princes in the Tower

(1483): The disappearance of Edward IV's sons, presumed murdered, allowed rival claimants to emerge and claim the throne, undermining Henry’s legitimacy.

strengthened claim to the throne

Backdated his reign

21 August 1485

Allowed him to declare Yorkist opponents traitors.

Publicly rewarded supporters

Autumn 1485

Created 11 knighthoods.

Detained Elizabeth of York

Late 1485

To prevent Yorkist claim.

Coronation before Parliament

30 Oct 1485

Showed authority came from God, not Parliament.

Marriage to Elizabeth of York

Jan 1486

United Houses of York and Lancaster.

Prince Arthur born

Sept 1486

Secured Tudor succession.

Lambert simnel rebellion

• (1487):

• Simnel pretended to be Edward, Earl of Warwick.

  Supported by Margaret of Burgundy.

  Simnel crowned "King Edward VI" in Dublin.

  Defeated at Battle of Stoke Field (1487).

  Henry paraded the real Earl of Warwick.

  Simnel captured and given a job in the royal kitchens (showed mercy + power).

Margaret of Burgundy supported the rebellion, but it was John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, who led it. Margaret provided 2,000 German mercenaries.

Henry VII aims

Establish and secure the dynasty	Marriage to Elizabeth of York; birth of Prince Arthur.
Control the nobility	Use of bonds and recognisances; Acts of Attainder.
Strengthen royal finances	Efficient financial administration; avoidance of costly wars.
Secure foreign recognition	Treaty of Medina del Campo (Spain, 1489); Treaty of Etaples (France, 1492).
Neutralise internal threats	Simnel, Warbeck crushed; careful spy network.

when was the first parliament covened

7 november 1485

Why was the execution of William Stanley in 1495 significant in terms of Henry’s security?

Stanley had been Henry’s step-uncle and a key ally at Bosworth, but he supported Warbeck, showing even close supporters could be disloyal. His execution proved Henry would not tolerate betrayal, and that the Yorkist threat still had support inside his government.