Henry VII and the Tudor Dynasty

The Reign of Henry VII, 1485-1509

Claim to the throne

• Wars of the Roses
• Henry's character and aims
• Tudor dynasty

Opposition to his rule

• Lovell and the Staffords
• Pretenders: Simnel and Warbeck
• Earl of Lincoln
• Sir William Stanley
• Suffolk
• Margaret of Burgundy

Royal Government

• Control of the nobility
• Royal finances and opposition to taxation
• Councils
• Regional government
• Parliament

Foreign and trade affairs

• England's relations with foreign powers
• Treaty of Medina del Campo
• Treaty of Redon
• Treaty of Etaples
• Truce of Ayton
• Magnus Intercursus and Malus Intercursus

Wars of the Roses

An illustration of one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses

The years between 1455 and 1485 in England were characterised by five forceful changes of monarchy. These dynastic struggles between the English monarchy and the nobility spanning three decades came to be known as the Wars of the Roses, which was triggered by the unsuccessful rule and mental instability of Henry VI and the king's marriage to Margaret of Anjou, an ambitious French princess.

At that time, the nobility of England was split into two groups that were centred on the descendants of Edward III (r.1327-1377) the Lancasters, primarily led by the Queen Consort of England Margaret of Anjou and the Yorks, headed by the Lord Protector Richard of York.

Red Rose of Lancaster

White rose of York

Whilst the second reign of Edward IV was followed by relative stability, his sudden death and the usurpation of his brother, Richard III, ultimately ended the Yorkist succession to the throne.

Richard III was attributed to the deaths of his nephews, the Princes in the Tower, thus he became increasingly unpopular with two major rebellions against him during his short rule.

Richard III

Princes in the tower

Like other Lancastrians, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, was in exile in Brittany during the second reign of Edward IV. In 1483, he tried to land in England to seize the throne from Richard III but failed, leading to the execution of his primary co-conspirator, Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham.

His second attempt to invade England in 1485 was successful, thanks to the support of France, Scotland and Wales. He gathered more support as he made for the town of Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, meeting Richard III and his troops on 22 August 1485.

Henry's troops were led by John de Vere, Earl of Oxford and his uncle Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke. His stepfather and step-uncle, Lord Thomas Stanley and Sir William Stanley joined his side at the last minute and swung the battle in Henry's favour. Richard III was killed when he attempted to kill Henry in hand-to-hand combat at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the culmination of the Wars of the Roses. Henry VII attained the English Crown on the battlefield.

Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth

Character and Aims

He was described as high-spirited, intelligent, amiable, respected and efficient. He had an understanding of court politics and involved himself in the day-to-day government. Because monarchy was personal, the success of the kingdom depended on the monarch's traits, interests and attitude towards administration.

His spirit was distinguished, wise and prudent; his mind was brave and resolute and never, even at moments of the greatest danger, deserted him. He had a most pertinacious memory. Withal he was not devoid of scholarship.

Polydore Vergil, Anglica Historia, 1485-1537

Henry VII wanted to maintain a strong hold on the English throne and to pass on an unchallenged succession to his heir. To do this, he would have to:

1. Maintain law and order and develop an effective government
2. Take control of the nobility to prevent civil wars
3. Strengthen the Crown's control of England and foreign policy
4. Improve the Crown's financial strength

Claim to the Throne

Lineage of Henry Tudor

• His claim was matrilineal and via an illegitimate line back to the third son of Edward III – John of Gaunt.
• Several Yorkists had better claims than him:
• Elizabeth York, eldest daughter of Edward IV
• Edward, Earl of Warwick, nephew of Richard III and Edward IV (son of their brother George Duke of Clarence)
• John de la Pole, Richard III's intended heir, and his brother Edmund de la Pole

Establishing the Tudor Dynasty

Henry VII had to legitimise his authority and secure the Tudor succession to the Crown.

How did he secure the Tudor succession?

Predated his Reign

He dated his reign to 21 August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth, thereby ensuring that anyone who had fought on the Yorkist side could be accused of treason.

Rewarded Supporters

He conferred knighthoods and gave key appointments to his loyal supporters including Lord Stanley as Earl of Derby, Sir Reginald Bray as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Sir William Stanley as Lord Chamberlain.

Detained Possible Threats

Those who had a stronger claim, including Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, and the Earl of Warwick, Edward IV's nephew, were detained by Henry's supporters, as per his order.

Parliamentary Acts of Attainder

When he first convened parliament, he passed Acts of Attainder against Yorkists who fought alongside Richard III, allowing him to seize their lands and property, thereby increasing revenues.

Henry VII

Early Coronation

His luxurious procession and coronation were scheduled on 30 October 1485 before opening his first parliament, strengthening the legitimacy of his reign.

Marriage and an Heir

He married Elizabeth of York in January 1486, symbolising the union of the warring houses of Lancaster and York. The Union and Henry's dynasty were further fortified with the birth of an heir in 1489.

Elizabeth of York

Elizabeth of York

She was the eldest daughter of Edward IV and had no surviving brothers. She had a strong claim to the throne in her own right but did not assume the throne as queen regnant. Instead, she was married to Henry VII in 1486 to strengthen the alliance of the houses of Lancaster and York in the kingdom.

Tudor Rose