Foreign relations

• Henry VII


  A very able politician who made clever moves in foreign relations
• At the time, England was not a great power in Europe, with major powers being France, the Holy Roman Empire, and the emerging power of Spain
• Henry VII's foreign policy aims

  • Secure his own crown
  • Ensure succession through suitable marriages
  • Gain recognition from foreign powers
  • Increase trade and access money
• Navigation Act


  1. Stopped English merchants using foreign ships unless no English ships available

  2. Every English ship had to have at least half its men as Englishmen
• Trade agreements made by Henry VII


  • Commerce treaty with France
  • Commercial treaty with Brittany
  • Treaty with Portugal
  • Treaty with Florence
• Henry VII imposed a tariff on Phoenician wine


  This forced the Phoenician government to lift import duties on English goods, particularly English wool
• Indicators Magnus


  Trade deal with Burgundy, apart from Flanders
• The growing importance of the English wool trade was a major part of Henry VII's economic success
• Truce of 1493


  1. year truce between England and Scotland
• Scotland started supporting Warbeck, a pretender


  This caused a crisis in relations between England and Scotland
• Treaty of Perpetual Peace

  1. Consolidated the peace between England and Scotland

  2. Followed by the marriage of James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor in 1503
• Treaty of Medina del Campo


  Recognised Henry VII as King, helped with trade and restrictions
• Promise of marriage between Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon


  Part of an agreement to combine against France
• Prince Arthur died in 1501, complicating the succession
• Isabel of Castile died


  This led to competition for the throne of Castile, causing difficulties in relations between England, Spain, and France
• Henry VII avoided getting too entangled in European affairs and wars, as they were expensive
• Treaty of Etaples


  Saw England withdraw from Brittany in exchange for a large payment from France and the ending of French support for Warbeck
• Henry VII sent troops to defend Brittany against France


  This led to the Treaty of Etaples, where England withdrew from Brittany
• Henry VII imposed a trade embargo on Burgundy


  This led to the signing of the Intercursus Magnus, a free trade deal
• Philip of Burgundy was shipwrecked in England in 1506, leading to further negotiations
• Succession


  • Henry VII had a son Arthur, who married Catherine of Aragon
  • After Arthur's death, Henry married Catherine
  • Henry also had children Margaret, Henry, and Mary, ensuring the Tudor succession
• The marriage of Margaret Tudor to James IV of Scotland led to the Stuart line eventually succeeding to the English throne