Henry VII Consolidation of Power, Characters and Aims

How did Henry consolidate his power as king?

1) Dated his reign for the day before Battle of Bosworth (21 Aug 1485) -enables all who fought against him to be deemed traitors

2)Detained Elizabeth of York and Earl of Warwick as they had greater claims to the throne than him

3) Arranged his coronation to take place on 30 October before the meeting of his 1st Parliament on 7 Nov-demonstrating that his right to the throne was based on hereditary right and not only because Parliament had sanctioned it

4)Parliamentary Acts-King in eyes of law

5) Marrying Elizabeth of York

6) Birth of heir

7) Publicly rewarded many of his key supporters e.g. conferring 11 knighthood

8-Made key appointments to his Council and household, e.g. making Sir Reginald Bray Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Sir William Stanley Chamberlain of the household

9) Parliamentary Acts of Attainder against Yorkists who fought at Bosworth

• ensured that their property was forfeit to the Crown, increasing royal income.

• Further enhanced when Parliament granted Henry the customs revenues of tonnage and poundage for life

Background to Henry VII

• Became King at Battle of Bosworth 22 Aug 1485

• Terminated Plantagenet rule and established Tudors.

• Grasp of power was insecure- he barely had a claim to the throne and had many enemies who wanted him to die

• Needed to establish his dynasty and ensure that any rival was dealt with

• His claim was weak

  • descended through female line

  • It come from John of Gaunt’s 3rd wife: their son John Beaufort had been born before their marriage and was seen as illegitimate.

• Henry lived abroad since he was 14. Proclaimed King of England on battlefield by Lord Stanley. After battle, travelled to London. Public were happy that Richard was gone- didn’t matter who Henry was