Henry VII

• Beginning of Henry VII's reign following the Battle of Bosworth


  1485
• First Parliament

  1. Backdated beginning of reign to the day before the Battle of Bosworth (22nd August 1485)

  2. Accused those who supported Richard III of committing treason- enabled assertion of power
• Nobility

  • Henry VII used less patronage than his predecessors
  • Created 37 Knights of the Garter who were given prestige but not land
  • Had 5 key councillors on the King's council
  • Limited control of the Nobility with less land and thus less money/power
• Nobility - punishments

  1. Used Feudal Dues (obligations of nobility)

  2. 1486 Acts of Resumption withdrew crown lands lost during Wars of Roses

  3. 1485 and 1504 Acts against retaining; nobles had to gain license personally from H7 to retain

  4. Bonds + recognisances- agreement whereby a person promised to pay sum of money if they failed to keep their promise

  5. Established control over overmighty nobility

  6. Aided financial gains- crown income
• • Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York
  • Lovell rebellion (+ Staffords)
  • Birth of Prince Arthur


  1486
• Marriage to Elizabeth of York


  • United Yorkists and Lancastrians in Tudor rose, aimed to reduce factionalism
  • Gave him an heir, enabled the Tudor dynasty
  • Wise pairing, enhanced his legitimacy, consolidated power
• Lovell rebellion


  Although unsuccessful, exposed H7 vulnerabilities, deep-seated resentments + loyalties still remained amongst the Yorkists
• • Imposture of Lambert Simnel
  • Defeat of Earl of Lincoln in Battle of Stoke
  • Export of unfinished cloth by foreign merchants banned


  1487
• Lambert Simnel


  • Pretended to be Earl of Warwick and was crowned King of Ireland in 1486
  • H7 exhibited real Earl of Warwick in Tower of London
  • Simnel's mercenaries from Margaret of Burgundy were defeated at Battle of Stoke in 1487
  • Simnel became kitchen help
• Export of unfinished cloth by foreign merchants banned


  Restricted the lucrative business of merchant adventurers in competition with Hanseatic League, as he needed support of Hansa in face of dynastic threat of Edmund de la pole (Yorkist claimant seeking refuge in Germany)
• Outcome of Lambert Simnel rebellion helped establish H7 claims to the throne and Tudor dynasty as a whole. H7 clearly demonstrated his prowess and kingship during the rebellion
• • Murder of Earl of Northumberland and Yorkshire rising
  • Treaty of Redon
  • Treaty of Medina Del Campo


  1489
• Yorkshire rising


  • Parliament granted H7 £100,000 to support Brittany against France
  • Required income tax to raise this which caused resentment
  • Only £27,000 was raised
  • Tax was least welcome in Yorkshire due to poor harvests
  • Earl of Northumberland murdered by rebels but Earl of Surrey easily suppressed uprising
  • H7 issued many pardons, but tax quota was not fulfilled
• Treaty of Redon


  Protected Brittany v France, sent 6000 troops
• Treaty of Medina Del Campo


  England + Spain, Spain wouldn't support France, equal trading rights, marriage between Catherine of Aragon + Arthur Tudor
• Showed enhanced threat, with strong resentment limiting H7 ability in defence, viewed as weak in Europe
• Treaty of Redon had limited success, but in March 1491, duchess of Brittany married Charles VIII of France and the realms were united, undermined H7
• Treaty of Medina Del Campo had limited success, marriage postponed until 1501 and Spanish support for Brittany retracted due to another war in Grenada
• • Beginning of imposture by Perkin Warbeck
  • Birth of Prince Henry
  • War against France

  1491
• Perkin Warbeck

  • First appeared as threat in Ireland
  • Claimed to be Richard of York and Charles VIII of France welcomed him to embarrass H7
  • Would become Henry VIII
• War against France


  Began as a vain attempt to prevent the incorporation of the duchy of Brittany into France
• Perkin Warbeck began undermining H7 royal authority, limited threat at this point, but created tension with foreign powers + distracted H7 from annexation of Brittany
• Birth of Prince Henry established Tudor Dynasty further with another legitimate heir
• Treaty of Etaples

  1492
• Treaty of Etaples

  • Henry diplomatically isolated with no choice but to sign with Charles VIII
  • Long war with France would drain Henry's precarious finances and almost certainly lead to a humiliating defeat
  • Signing Treaty of Etaples helped him establish good international relations with France, one of the largest military powers in Europe
• Henry gained 159,000 crowns from French pension
• Trade embargo on Burgundy

  1493
• Trade embargo on Burgundy


  • Burgundy responded by putting an embargo on all English goods
  • Riots in London due to hardship of embargo with Burgundy. Only 80 men involved- unemployed due to embargo
• Created international tensions and left relations weak with Burgundy, led to Margaret of Burgundy supporting pretender plots etc
• • Poyning appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland
  • Henry issues with Burgundy

  1494
• Poyning's Laws


  • Undermined authority of Anglo-English nobles in Ireland
  • Restored order, crushing continuing troubles and a major rebellion organised by Kildare's brother
  • Arrested Kildare, sent to England as prisoner. His lands were attained by Irish Parliament
  • Warbeck prevented from returning to Ireland
• Margaret of Burgundy had harboured Perkin Warbeck and supported rebels against H7
• • Execution of Sir William Stanley
  • Introduction of the Court Learned in Law under the leadership of Sir Reginald Bray
  • Creation of Privy Chamber


  1495
• Court Learned in Law


  • Mostly successful as all members had legal knowledge and protected the king's financial interests
  • Empson and Dudley's use of extortion meant that Henry VII became unpopular- their execution in 1510 was greeted with rejoicing in the streets
• Privy Chamber


  • The individuals who served in this area were in constant contact with the monarch giving them unparalleled access to the King's ear and many were involved in intimate tasks, such as the Groom of the Stool which would require a trusting and personal relationship with the King
  • Despite the aims of the privy chamber, it ultimately enabled individuals to advise and announce their political opinion
• Stanley was convicted of treason and executed for his support of the pretender Perkin Warbeck
• Intercursus Magnus treaty signed

  1496
• Intercursus Magnus treaty


  • Treaty signed with Burgundy which allowed English merchants to trade freely throughout Burgundy, except in Flanders
  • Ended trade embargos and allowed English merchants to trade in Low Countries with preferential trade agreements
  • Also said if Margaret of Burgundy sheltered Perkin Warbeck, she would loose her lands
• Under H7, English cloth exports were up over 60%
• • Cornish rebellion
  • Surrender of Warbeck

  1497