Foreign Policy

• Aims

  • National security through prevention of armed conflict
  • Recognition and succession of the Tudor dynasty
  • The security of Trade
• Spain

  • The medina del campo 1489 - this meant that they agreed to not harbour rebels and support each other in the event of armed conflict. A marriage allience was also agreed between Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon. - However Ferdinand (king of France) was reluctant For this happen due to the threat of Warbeck
• Spain Conc.

  • Further issues were created when prince Arthur died in 1502. Henry requested that his son Henry Mary’s coa but Ferdinand was again relucsnt and he had little need to have a marriage allience with England And the proposed marriage would need a papal dispension.
  • however in 1504 Isabella died and Spain becsme a less significant political figure
  • Spain was now having a succession crisis. Henry When Juana and her husband Philip from Burgandy to be the successors Henry agreed
  • when they were travelling to Spain their ship got ruined and they had to seek refuge in England
  • in 1506 Henry was able to take advantage of this and develop the Intercursus malus, return the earl of Suffolk and recognise Juanma and Philip as Spanish rulers
  • however when Philip died shortly after being in Spain this was disastrous us for henrry
• France

  • France had control over Britain’s and in 1487, France invaded Brittany to gain control in 1489. Fraincais II‘s daughter had become the ruler of Brittany - Henry requested extraordinary revenue to pay for a small army to be sent to defend her against the french.
  • this was called the treaty of Redon where Anne would pay for a small English army to defend Brittany from french threat
  • However Anne was very weak and in a difficult position. She surrendered to marry Charles VIII (the king of France) which angered Henry because LOOK UP
  • In response Henry launched an invasion in 1492 with 26000 men however Chalres did not want to fight
• France Conc.

  • henry was very skilled as he knew through his agents that Charles VIII was more interested in launching an attack on Italy so he settled peace with England
  • this led to the treaty of etaples in 1492 which meant that Charles had to withdraw support from Warbeck and France had to pay a pension of £5000 per annum for England
  • This also eased trade restrictions which made it easier for trade to pass through France
• Scotland

  • James IV granted Warbeck k refuge and encouraged Warbeck to enter England with a small force in 1496.
  • This never happened as the truce of ayton was decided which solider peace and meant that Henry’s daughter Margret would marry James IV.
  • The treaty of Perpetual peace was signed in 1502 which secured peace. LOOK UP
  • However the auld alliance was in place between France and Scotland which was a slight thread
• Burgandy/ the Netherlands

  • the majority of English trade exports went to ports in the Netherlands e.g. Antwerp and Bruges. It was extremely important to maintain peace with them for this reason. - HOWEVER Margret of Burgandy was Richard III sister. She was also involved in supporting Perkin Warbeck. She also had support for, her stepson Maximilian who was the HRE in 1493
  • To reduce Threat Henry decided to place a trade embargo From 1493-96 to reduce threat
  • However Warbeck left Burgandy in 1496 so the embargo was ended due to the Intercursus Magnus and allowed English merchants to sell goods anywhere. This helped reduced Warbeck threat and secure peace with Burgandy
• Burgandy/ netherlands conc.


  • Howver problems continued when Philip aimed to put taxes on english merchants in 1506.
  • the Intercursus Malus meant that trade would be free from tolls and would give him a much stronger trading position to English merchants in the netherlands. however this was unsuccessful and poorly misjudged and never got put into place
  • Another outcome was Philip and Maximilian agreed to hand over their Yorkist fugitive (the earl of Suffolk) whom Henry promptly imprisoned.
• Ireland

  • the earl of Kildare controlled most of Ireland but Henrt only controlled Oreland
  • There was lots of yorkist supporters which created a risk of rebellion. He had also supported Lambert Simnel in his rebellion who he crowned king of Ireland. G
  • Henry attempted to remove the pale. This was to be done through an English man named Sir Edward poyn and backed by an armed force
  • Poynings laws in 1495 were introduced - this prevented parliamentary decisions or legislation without the English gov. approval. He also attempted to implement Irish law
  • howeverthis strategy was too expensive for Henry. Financial problems became worse when Walbeck returned Ireland in 1495, with a force which besieged the town of Waterford
  • this time Kildare had decided that supporting yorkists had No benefit so decided to serve loyalty to Henry.
  • by 1500 Henry had secured some peace and cheap authority over Ireland
• Spain Conc

  • Ferdinand gained control over Spain again
  • In 1508 the league of Cambrai was an allience between England, netherlands and France against Spain
  • however Louis XII kept a relationship with Ferdinand Henry got diplomatically isolated by a major monarch
  • Ferdinand also said that Catherine and Henry’s marriage would not take place in Henry vii lifetime