Consolidation of power

• What was Henry VII's overarching aim when he took the throne?

  To end the political instability of the Wars of the Roses
• Why did Henry VII fear losing his throne?

  Because of unreconciled Yorkists
• How was Henry VII characterized?

  Respected, efficient, intelligent, and shrewd
• Who were Henry VII's closest confidants?

  Margaret Beaufort, Jasper Tudor, the Earl of Oxford, John Morton, and Richard Fox
• What was Henry VII's approach to kingship?

  He involved himself in everything, including day-to-day government
• What was Henry VII's most important aim?

  To maintain a strong hold on his throne and pass it on to his heirs
• How did Henry VII establish his right to the throne?

  By winning the Battle of Bosworth
• Why was Henry VII's claim to the throne considered weak?

  It was through his mother, who descended from a once illegitimate branch of the Lancastrians
• Who were some Yorkists with better claims than Henry VII?

  Elizabeth of York, Edward, Earl of Warwick, and the de la Pole brothers
• What did Henry VII want to establish to prevent usurpation?

  A Tudor dynasty
• How did Henry VII legitimize his reign?

  By dating his reign to 21st August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth
• When was Henry VII's coronation?

  30th October 1485
• What was the significance of Henry VII's coronation?

  It was a highly symbolic event that anointed him by God's grace
• When did Henry VII first convene parliament?

  7th November 1485
• Why was the date of Henry VII's first parliament important?

  Because he had already been crowned, ensuring his authority was not dependent on parliament
• When did Henry VII marry Elizabeth of York?

  18 January 1486
• Why was Henry VII's marriage to Elizabeth of York significant?

  It united the warring families of Lancaster and York
• How did Henry VII ensure his authority was not linked to Elizabeth's heritage?

  By being already king before their marriage
• What were Henry VII's main aims for consolidating power?

  • Establish his right to the throne
  • Control the nobility
  • Strengthen the Crown’s control of England
  • Build a financially strong Crown
• What were the key events in Henry VII's consolidation of power?

  1. Winning the Battle of Bosworth
  2. Dating his reign to 21st August 1485
  3. His coronation on 30th October 1485
  4. Convening parliament on 7th November 1485
  5. Marrying Elizabeth of York on 18 January 1486
• What were the implications of Henry VII's actions for the Tudor dynasty?

  • Legitimized his reign
  • Established a line of succession
  • United the houses of Lancaster and York
  • Strengthened the monarchy's position
• What did Henry VII need to secure the Tudor dynasty?

  A male heir
• Why did Henry VII need to eliminate potential Yorkist heirs?

  To establish a line of Tudor succession
• Who did Lambert Simnel pretend to be?

  Edward, Earl of Warwick
• Where was Lambert Simnel welcomed and crowned king?

  In Ireland by the Earl of Kildare
• What happened at the Battle of Stoke in 1487?

  Rebels fought Henry VII's forces
• What was the outcome for Lambert Simnel after the rebellion?

  He was arrested
• How did Henry VII capitalize on the death of leading Yorkists?

  He gained oaths of loyalties from other Yorkists
• Who did Perkin Warbeck pretend to be?

  Richard, Duke of York
• Where was Warbeck welcomed before the Treaty of Étaples?

  In France
• Who did Warbeck ally himself with in 1497?

  King James IV of Scotland
• What happened to Warbeck in 1499?

  He was executed
• What was a significant outcome for Henry VII in dealing with Warbeck?

  He made useful foreign alliances
• What was Edmund de la Pole's claim to the throne?

  He had a genuine claim
• What grievances did Edmund de la Pole have against Henry VII?

  He lost land, had to pay a relief, and was demoted
• Where did Edmund de la Pole flee in 1501?

  The Holy Roman Empire
• What did Henry VII do to Edmund de la Pole's family and friends?

  He arrested them
• What agreement did Henry VII make regarding Edmund de la Pole in 1506?

  He agreed not to execute him
• How long did Edmund de la Pole stay in the Tower of London?

  Until he was executed in 1513
• What does historian Jez Ross argue about Henry VII's throne security?

  He was never in serious danger of losing it