Downfall of the Yorkists

• What was the impact of the Usurpation on Richards reign?

  • Remaining members of Woodvilles turned to conspire against Richard
  • Leading members of gentry opposed Richard III (Especially south west - Edward IV supporters) - fuelled rebellions
  • Gave credibility to Henry Tudors claim
• What happened to the Princes in the Tower?

  • 2 Princes seen in Tower - (Edward V 19th May - Richard Duke of York 16th June)
  • Last seen alive playing in garden
  • Disappearance (alleged death)
  • Autumn 1483 Elizabeth Woodville prepared to support Henry Tudor
  • Crucial change and definitive hint princes out of the picture because she was supporting the enemy
• When was Richards coronation?

  6th July 1483
• Where and when did Richard go on royal progress?

  • Set out mid July
  • South west midlands
  • Central counties
  • North (reunite with son)
• What did he manage to do with foreign policy on his royal progress?

  • Treaty of Friendship with Queen Isabella of Castile
  • Unable to come to arrangement with France - concern as had traditional Lancastrian support
  • Relations with Duke of Brittany = increasingly important to securing kingship
• What/where was his key support?

  • Support = York - royal made stake entry into city
  • cheered by masses of citizens
  • King given 100 marks in gold caps
  • Queen = 100 pounds on golden plate
  • Kept law and order in coronation
• What opposition was brewing/what measures put in place?

  • Growing opposition
  • Rumours of France offering Henry Tudor safe custody
  • 13th August removed land from Welles = Maragaret Beauforts half brother
• Who were Richard III's key nobles?

  • Buckingham
  • Norfolk
  • Northumberland (resentful)
  • Herbert
  • Stanley (defected)
  • Royal blood - Edward Plantaganet (Earl of Warwick)
  • John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln)
• When did the Buckingham rebellion happen?


  • September - November 1483
• Who was involved in the Buckingham rebellion?

  Rebels:

  • South east
  • South central
  • South west
  • Gentry
  • John Morton
  • Margaret Beaufort
  • Henry Tudor
• What were Buckinghams motives?


  • Appetite for reward - offended when denied (Promised half of Earldom of Herefordshire but Richard III never sent the letter)
  • Influence of John Morton (Custody at Brecon castle) - Caused Buckingham to resent Richard
  • Believed himself to be kingmaker - wanted Henry Tudor o the throne or king himself
  • Personal conscious (Princes)
• Rebels motives for the Buckingham rebellion?

  • Anger of Richard III usurption
  • Rumour of Princes death
• What happened in the Buckingham rebellion?

  • John Morton put Buckingham in contact with Margaret Beaufort - wrote to Henry Tudor at the end of September arguing him to join
  • 11th October Rebellion starts in the south east (Norfolk contained these rebels)
  • 18th October south west led by Dorset (Thomas Grey) formed rebel army
  • Buckingham planned another rising - left Brecon castle
  • Ricardians torched castle and destroyed bridges
  • Buckingham hid and executed at the end of November
  • Morton fled to Flanders
• Significant outcomes for Richard III in the Buckingham rebellion

  • Demonstrated lack of support from gentry and members of Edwards household - built on base of support
  • Had to make reforms in government and build support in south
  • Northern plantations to establish loyal gentry
  • 97 attained for involvement
  • Successfully stopped opposition
  • Demonstrated some loyal support = Norfolk
• Significant outcomes for Henry Tudor (Buckingham rebellion)


  • December 25th 1483 planned to marry Elizabeth of York - increase support
  • Tried to land in Plymouth but returned after he found out rebellion failed
  • Emerged as credible rival
  • Some fled to join Henry Tudor in exile - Morton Dorset Daubeney
• What were the changes Richard made to the administration in the south ?

  • Unable to take over brothers loyal network of suppliers in south
  • Appointed trusted supporters to posts in disaffected countries and constables of strategic castles
  • Northern plantations = men from loyal areas (Radcliffe, Marmaduke, Percy)
  • Control government of southern England (idea of tyranny hold in London and South)
• What happened in the 1484 Act of Parliament?


  • January 1484 parliament - almost 100 indicted for treason (Buckingham rebellion) and acts of Attainder
  • Those who lost offices and lands (lower rank) given to kings trusted
• What was the council of the North?

  • 1484 established council to represent authority in the North - Lincoln (nephew and heir) in charge but never formally appointed as president
  • First act of parliament = Titulus Regius - illegitimising Princes in the Tower and Warwick
• What were the problems of Richard III succession?

  • April 1484 Edward prince of Wales died
  • Nearest relative Warwick but he was declared illegitimate in Titulus Regius
  • Fell to Earl of Lincoln (nephew)
  • 16th March 1484 Queen Anne died
• What happened with the Woddvilles/ Edward VI's kids rumours?

  • Rumours of Richard III marrying Elizabeth of York - publicly denied = dodgy - risk of her marrying Henry Tudor
  • March 1482 Woodvilles out of sanctuary and reestablished at court by Christmas
• What happened with Richard foreign policy?

  • Spring 1484 Richard focusing on foreign enemy to distract from domestic problems
  • Expedition against Scotland cancelled because reports of Henry Tudor invasion - agreed on 3 year truce and marriage alliance
  • Attention to Brittany to surrender Tudor (Refuge) but he escaped to France = more dangerous as unlikely to give him up and give backing to invasion
  • Denounced Henry Tudor refuge in France = Hardly effective - more men joined him oversea
• What was Tudors support?

  • Those who fled to exile after Buckingham rebellion
  • Experienced fighters (Sir Edward Woodville, Daubeney Oxford)
  • Approx 200 French mercenaries + 500 English contingent
  • Reliant on gaining support when landing
  • No nobles declared support prior to battle
• Who was Richard III support?

  • Uncertain loyalties
  • Expected support - Rhys Ap Thomas, Walter and Herbert joined invasion force
  • Summoned lords gentlemen sheriffs and commissioners of array
  • Little Hurry as believed Rhys ap Thomas and Herbert would put down Tudor
  • Army twice the size of Tudor
• Whos support was uncertain?

  Uncertainty of Stanleys support
• What were Henrys movements in Wales pre Bosworth? 


  • 1st August 1485 invasion force left France
  • 7th - 8th landed Milford Haven (Pembroke) and knighted 11 loyal followers
  • Marched ignoring areas knew were Richard III chain of coastal defence
  • Sent letters urging to rally to Tudor cause
• What were Henrys movements in Wales pre Bosworth? pt 2


  • 2 most significant men - Rhys ap Thomas and Herbert followed as if containing but actually gave support eventually
  • Rhys brought 1800-2000 men and wrote letters to Richard III underestimating size of forces
  • Avoid yorkist loyalist land
  • William Stanley sent messenger to yield baillifs at Shrewkesbury
  • Both Stanleys met Tudor at Atherstone (didn't join) sent 4 knights
• What were Richards actions once hearing of Henrys landing?

  • News reached Richard within 4 days of landing
  • Immediately sent summons to Lords gentlemen sheriffs
  • Commanders called men to arms - 16th August Norfolks men to assemble
  • Delay to Richard III actions as Rhys created illusion of ineffective invasion force in letters
  • Richard III outraged hearing news of Shrewsbury taken - treachery apparent
  • Other yorkists dragging feet to answer call (Northumberland Stanley)
  • 20th August moved away from Nottingham to Leicester - Norfolk already there
  • Northumberland arrive next day
• When was the Battle of Bosworth?

  22nd August 1485
• What were the size of the armies in the Battle of Bosworth?

  Henry Tudor:

  • 5000
  • Boosted by well paid foreign mercenaries and capable knights

  Richard III:

  • 10000
  • Calvary
  • infantry
  • Artillery
• Brief summary of Battle of Bosworth


  • Oxford sent forward with vanguard
  • Henry Tudor followed with cavalry and footmen - Yorkist did the same ( Vanguard = Norfolk)
  • Richard III mistake: led head long cavalry charge toward Henry Tudor Standard bearer
  • Richard III killed
  • Stanley saw weakening of kings side and joined Henry Tudor turning the tide
  • Richard III and Norfolk killed
• What happened to Richard after Bosworth?


  • Body taken from the field, stripped and tied to a horse
  • Taken to Leicester and displayed for 3 days proving death
  • Buried without ceremony
• What was Henry Tudors claim to the throne and when did his reign start?

  • Claim through his mother
  • Proclaimed king at Bosworth
  • Said reign started 21st August to deal with traitors
• How did Henry manage nobility?

  Publicly rewarded loyal servants

  Knighted 11 on battlefield

  • John Morton = Chancellor of England
  • Sir William Stanley = Lord Chamberlain
  • Jasper Tudor = Duke of Bedford
  • Thomas Stanley = Earl of Derby and Constable of England
  • John de la Pole and Suffolk proclaimed loyalty to henry Tudor and were pardoned
• How did Henry handle the North?

  • Had to contend with instability in the North who preferred Edward Earl of Warwick as king
  • Warwick and Northumberland arrested in 1485
  • Northumberland released to manage the North
  • March 1486 Henry Tudor began progress in North
• How did Henry Tudor handle his coronation?

  • Very conscious about the need to appear regal - purple velvet robes (40 shillings per yard)
  • Closely followed traditions - 27th October lodged in Tower of London before Coronation
  • 28th October granted titles to loyal servants (Jasper Tudor = Earl of Bedford)
  • 29th October procession at Westminster hall
  • 30th October Coronation took place
  • Archbishop of Cantenbury crowned /anointed him
  • Bedford bearing crown
  • Henry Tudor showed himself to people and banquet at tower
• What happened at Henrys first parliament

  • 7th October first parliament - needed parliament to declare and confirm his kingship
  • Declaration of Kings title
  • Attainders (reversed previous Act of attainders passed by Richard III and made against Richards supporters at Bosworth)
  • Financial matters ( Act of resumption to reclaim Henry VI lands)
  • Legislation (new oath of loyalty sworn by commons and lords and royal household, law and order, mulification of law making Edward IV kids illegitimate)
  • Final act = formally and publicly request king to Marry Elizabeth of York
• What happened/When did Henry get married?

  • 18th January 1486 Henry and Elizabeths marriage
  • 8 Children
  • Queens coronation delayed until after birth of Arthur and Simmnel dealt with
• How did Henry use propaganda?

  • To present himself as legitimate king/claim
  • Welsh ancestry at Bosworth (fought under banner of red dragon)
  • Beaufort family emblem used frequently to represent Tudor legitimacy
  • Childrens names - Arthur = legendary protector of Britain - Henry = Lancastrian heritage
  • Tudor rose = joining of 2 household = reconciliation
• What was Henrys greatest success in his consolidation?

  • Managing nobility (patronage to reward/elevate + pardoning)
  • Management of the North (reinstate Percys = popular decision)
  • Being unknown - no established enemies
• Henrys key challenges


  • Legitimacy - claim to the throne weak
  • Establishing his monarchy with the nobility
  • Yorkist uprisings