HVII Foreign Policy
Monday, May 25, 2026
12:30 PM
Period France
1485- France had supported Henry's seizure, able to negotiate one-year
92 truce with France (later extended to 1489)
Able to use link with Brittany to secure a commercial treaty
Britany accepted defeat in 1491, Anne of Brittany married to
Charles VIII of France
1492: HVII sent an invasion force (in later year, campaigning
season was short, and French King more interested in invading
Italy)… Charles offered Henry peace...
Treaty of Etaples: CVIII would give no aid to English rebels, pay
the arrears of the Treaty of Picquigny, pay most of Henry's
expenses in Britanny – annual pension of £5000 per annum
(considerable financial benefits that amounted to around 5% of
royal income)
1493- Same time Henry joined Holy League he managed to secure a
1502 trade agreement with France
1503- 1508: Looked like friendship with France had developed further as
09 Henry attempted to form an anti-Ferdinand alliance with France
and the Netherlands through the League of Cambrai – offered his
son to Louis XII's niece (supposedly a league to finance a crusade
against the Turks but in reality it was anti-Spanish)
Just before conclusion Louis XII did not want to antagonise
Ferdinand as they had just reached an agreement over Italy
New league established= anti-Venice not anti-Spanish and
England was excluded BUT members still supported Henry and did
not threaten any of England's interests
Period Scotland
1485-92 Henry initially lucky as Scotland favoured him over Richard III who
had supported raids in Scotland
1486: Three year truce
1488: James III assassinated, James IV (only 15) came to throne,
England's position strengthened
However regents ruling Scotland were less friendly
towards Henry + Breton Crisis caused France and Scottish
relations to tighten
To lessen hostility, HVII maintained contacts with nobility (like
, Earl of Angus) who favoured better relations with England + gave
shelter to nobles who had been ousted from power (1492) aided
successful attempts to overthrow anti-English regents...
Bringing Earl of Angus back to power and...
1493: Nine year truce
1493- 1495: James IV came of age and wanted to assert himself – desire
1502 aided by arrival of Warbeck that same year
Given royal welcome, married to James' cousin – Lady
Catherine Gordon, and given military support for an
invasion to England
Invasion = disaster, England free from other foreign policy
difficulties... James feared an attack so did not use Cornish
uprising
1497: Truce of Ayton – no peace treaty had been signed between
both countries since 1328
1499: Warbeck executed, Truce became a full treaty, extended
earlier truce and reinforced by marriage of Margaret Tudor to
James IV
1503- BUT did not abandon Auld Alliance, and border raids continued
1509 James' expansion of navy increased tensions between the two
countries in Henry's later years... suggesting Henry had not
secured the northern border but had stabilised the situation
Period Spain
1485- Initially confirmed Spanish privilege of exemption from duties
92 payable by other foreigners on the import of English goods
1485-86: Navigation Acts
Limited foreign control of English trade
Spain retaliated and forbade export of Spanish goods in foreign
ships if Spanish ships were available
1488: HVII suggested a marriage between Arthur and Katherine –
if agreed would give HVII recognition from a major European
power
1489: Treaty of Medina Del Campo
Marriage agreement – dowry would be 200,000 crowns
(£40,000)
Spain would not help any English rebels
Benefits for English trade with Spain – ended previous
restrictions, allowed export of goods from Spain in foreign
ships, increasing income from customs revenue from
£33,000 to $40,000 by the end of his reign BUT Spain did
not allow England access to the New World
If either country was at war with France, the other was to
intervene immediately (significant as Spain wanted to
Monday, May 25, 2026
12:30 PM
Period France
1485- France had supported Henry's seizure, able to negotiate one-year
92 truce with France (later extended to 1489)
Able to use link with Brittany to secure a commercial treaty
Britany accepted defeat in 1491, Anne of Brittany married to
Charles VIII of France
1492: HVII sent an invasion force (in later year, campaigning
season was short, and French King more interested in invading
Italy)… Charles offered Henry peace...
Treaty of Etaples: CVIII would give no aid to English rebels, pay
the arrears of the Treaty of Picquigny, pay most of Henry's
expenses in Britanny – annual pension of £5000 per annum
(considerable financial benefits that amounted to around 5% of
royal income)
1493- Same time Henry joined Holy League he managed to secure a
1502 trade agreement with France
1503- 1508: Looked like friendship with France had developed further as
09 Henry attempted to form an anti-Ferdinand alliance with France
and the Netherlands through the League of Cambrai – offered his
son to Louis XII's niece (supposedly a league to finance a crusade
against the Turks but in reality it was anti-Spanish)
Just before conclusion Louis XII did not want to antagonise
Ferdinand as they had just reached an agreement over Italy
New league established= anti-Venice not anti-Spanish and
England was excluded BUT members still supported Henry and did
not threaten any of England's interests
Period Scotland
1485-92 Henry initially lucky as Scotland favoured him over Richard III who
had supported raids in Scotland
1486: Three year truce
1488: James III assassinated, James IV (only 15) came to throne,
England's position strengthened
However regents ruling Scotland were less friendly
towards Henry + Breton Crisis caused France and Scottish
relations to tighten
To lessen hostility, HVII maintained contacts with nobility (like
, Earl of Angus) who favoured better relations with England + gave
shelter to nobles who had been ousted from power (1492) aided
successful attempts to overthrow anti-English regents...
Bringing Earl of Angus back to power and...
1493: Nine year truce
1493- 1495: James IV came of age and wanted to assert himself – desire
1502 aided by arrival of Warbeck that same year
Given royal welcome, married to James' cousin – Lady
Catherine Gordon, and given military support for an
invasion to England
Invasion = disaster, England free from other foreign policy
difficulties... James feared an attack so did not use Cornish
uprising
1497: Truce of Ayton – no peace treaty had been signed between
both countries since 1328
1499: Warbeck executed, Truce became a full treaty, extended
earlier truce and reinforced by marriage of Margaret Tudor to
James IV
1503- BUT did not abandon Auld Alliance, and border raids continued
1509 James' expansion of navy increased tensions between the two
countries in Henry's later years... suggesting Henry had not
secured the northern border but had stabilised the situation
Period Spain
1485- Initially confirmed Spanish privilege of exemption from duties
92 payable by other foreigners on the import of English goods
1485-86: Navigation Acts
Limited foreign control of English trade
Spain retaliated and forbade export of Spanish goods in foreign
ships if Spanish ships were available
1488: HVII suggested a marriage between Arthur and Katherine –
if agreed would give HVII recognition from a major European
power
1489: Treaty of Medina Del Campo
Marriage agreement – dowry would be 200,000 crowns
(£40,000)
Spain would not help any English rebels
Benefits for English trade with Spain – ended previous
restrictions, allowed export of goods from Spain in foreign
ships, increasing income from customs revenue from
£33,000 to $40,000 by the end of his reign BUT Spain did
not allow England access to the New World
If either country was at war with France, the other was to
intervene immediately (significant as Spain wanted to
