Overview

• What caused Richard III to loose support during his reign?


  - He made parliament proclaim him King Richard III

  - He was suspected of murdering the two princes in the tower of London
• What were Henry VII's aims when he took the throne?


  - Ensure long term dynastic stability

  - Improve the crowns financial position and protect trade

  - Improving foreign relations
• What affect did the War of Roses have on the British people?


  The war had being going on for 30 years. The country were fed up of violence, instability and craved peace and security.
• Why was it important that Henry had the support of the nobility?


  During Edward IV's reign the nobles were given means of controlling larges areas of England, resulting in them gaining large amounts of power. Henry needed their support to run the country.
• What was the carrot and stick policy?


  It was a set of forms of inducements and sanctions that were set up to control and gain power over the nobility, whilst ensuring their loyalty and support/
• When was Henry VII's coronation?


  30th October 1485
• When did Henry VII date his reign?


  21st August 1485 (day before battle of Bosworth)
• How did Henry consolidate his power?


  - dated his reign from 21st August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth, so any Yorkist fighters could be treated as traitors

  -publicly rewarded his key supported, e.g. by conferring 11 knighthoods

  -January 1486 Henry married Elizabeth of York, combined the rose of Lancaster and the rose of York in the Tudor emblem to exploit the union

  -Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Arthur in September 1486
• Give an example of the Act of the Attainder?


  Thomas Howard fought for Richard III at B of B, Henry attained his lands but he then took an oath of allegiance and earned them back
• When was the viscount Lovell and the Stafford's rebellion?


  Easter 1486 in North Yorkshire
• What happened in the viscount Lovell and Stafford's rebellion?


  -1486, Lovell tried to raise a rebellion where Richard III had the most support, the North Riding of Yorkshire

  -Simultaneously, Stafford tried to raise forces against Henry in Worcestershire.
• How did Henry deal with the rebellion?


  -Lovell escaped the King's forces but Stafford was executed. His Brother was pardoned. King showed himself to be both ruthless and kind.
• Was the Viscount Lovell and Stafford rebellion a threat?


  No

  -A minor rebellion

  -very little enthusiasm for a yorkist rebellion in their traditional heartlands

  -Yes - early in his reign

  
  

  Yes

  -Henry didn't have an heir to the throne
• What happened in the Lambert Simnel and Earl of Lincoln rebellion?


  -Simnel was the Yorkist figurehead - passed off as the Earl of Warwick who had been imprisoned by Henry

  -put together by the Earl of Lincoln

  -Henry responded by exhibiting the real Earl of Warwick in London

  -Lincoln fled to Margaret of Burgundy's court in the Netherlands

  -Margaret paid for a force of 8,000 mercenaries to invade Henry

  -Henry had plenty of notice about the planned invasion
• How did Henry respond to the rebellion?


  -he reinstated the Earl of Northumberland, who had supported Richard III into power in the north. This neutralised Richard's old power base and ensured the Yorkist family wouldn't join the rebellion

  -June 16th 1487 Battle of Stoke Field -half of Simnel's army were killed
• Was the rebellion a threat?

  Yes

  -able to gain foreign support (Margaret of Burgundy)

  -8,000 rebels so large scale

  
  

  No

  -gained little support in Yorkshire

  -Henry was well informed and prepared for the invasion
• What happened at the Perkin Warbeck imposture?


  -1491 -Warbeck began to impersonate Richard, Duke of York

  -Attempted to invade England in 1495- quickly defeated and fled to the court of James IV of Scotland.

  -Working with Sir William Stanley, Lord Chamberlain

  -1496 a small Scottish force crossed the border on Warbeck's behalf but quickly retreated

  -Attempted to exploit the uncertainties created by the Cornish rebellion in 1497

  -forces were crushed 1497, surrendered to King
• Was Perkin Warbeck a serious threat?


  Yes

  - had foreign support e.g. Margaret of Burgundy and James IV

  -conspiring with Henry's Lord Chamberlain

  -substantial period of time

  
  

  No

  -lack of domestic support e.g. Cornish rebellion, foreign rulers became uninterested in him e.g. James IV agreed to marry Henry's daughter, Margaret
• How did Henry respond to the rebellion?


  -Used a force of troops to scare the Scottish troops off

  -Treaty of Ayton 1497 - James gave up support for Perkin Warbeck and marriage alliance between James and Henry's daughter, Maraget.
• What were the functions of Henry VII's council?


  -advise the king

  -administer the realm on the kings behalf

  -make legal judgements
• What were the three main types of councillor?

  -Members of the nobility

  -churchmen

  -laymen
• What is the great council?

  A gathering of the House of Lords, it was an occasional meeting rather than a permenant body
• What was the council learned?


  It was the main offshoot of the council
• What was the council learneds functions?


  To maintain the kings revenue and exploit his prerogative rights
• How was the Council Learned successful?


  -it made the system of bonds and recognisances work efficiently

  -raised the King's revenue in the process

  -between 1504 and 1507 at least £200,000 was promised to the King, but not all collected

  -maintained the King's authority
• How was the Council Learned unsuccessful?

  -it bypassed the normal legal system

  -Thomas Penn argued it caused "fear, frustration and anger"

  -Empson and Dudley were ruthless and highly feared

  -they created many enemies among Henry's other key advisers such as with Bishop Fox

  -when they were executed in 1510, people rejoiced in the streets, highlighting how unpopular they were
• Why was the royal court important?

  -demonstrated the power of the monarch to all the courtiers in attendance

  -it was through the court that patronage was distributed

  -it is where a relationship could be built with the King
• How did Henry VII use Parliament?


  -Mainly used Parliament to grant extraordinary revenue

  -In 1504 Parliament prevented Henry from seeking this way
• Why did Henry create the Privy Chamber?


  In 1495 Henry's Lord Chamberlain, Sir William Stanley, was conspiring with Perkin Warbeck to commit treason
• What was the impact of the Privy Chamber?


  -It meant the King was much more protected and only spent time with his most intimate servants

  -this made it more difficult for people to build a relationship with the King and gain his support
• What issues did Henry have with magnate control?


  -the numbers of great magnates reduced in the War of Roses

  -the Earl of Northumberland was killed in 1489 which left Henry without a magnate to the northeast and Yorkshire

  -The solve this Henry took the risky move of removing the Earl of Surrey from the tower, who fought for Richard III, and allowed him to rule the north
• What was the role of the justices of peace?


  maintain law and order in the countryside
• How did Henry appoint JP's?


  often to counties where they had an interest, hopefully make them work harder
• What powers did Acts of Parliament give the JP's?


  -powers of tax assessment

  -alehouse regulation

  -investigation of complaints against local officials -maintenance of law and order (superseded the authority of the country sheriff in this role)
• How did Henry use bonds and recognisances?


  -form of debt owed to the king

  -Edmund Dudley stated he wished to "have many persons in danger at his pleasure"
• How much money did Henry leave to his son?


  £300,000 in plates and jewels and £10,000 in cash
• How did income from land drop at the beginning of his reign and how much to?


  -£12,000

  -income was collected and administered through the inefficient Court of the Exchequer
• What did Henry decided to do to resolve this issue and what impact did this have?


  -1492 decided to revert to Edward's system of administration through the Chamber

  -by the end of the reign income from land increased to £42,000
• How much money did Henry make from extraordinary revenue?


  -£400,000

  -had to promise Parliament to stop doing this in 1504
• How did profits from feudal dues change across his reign?


  In 1487, profits from feudal dues were just £350. By the end of his reign they were £6000