HENRY VII
PRETENDERS TO THE THRONE- LAMBERT SIMNEL 1486-87
CAUSES/ AIMS
- Claimed to be Earl of Warwick.
- Became figurehead of the Yorkist rebellion.
- Orchestrated by John de la Pole + Sir Francis Lovell.
- Mistake = Henry VII was able to produce the real Earl of Warwick from Tower of London +
paraded him through the streets.
- Rebel alliance that emerged mixture of = rival claimants/ discontented Yorkists/ sovereign
support.
KEY DATES + EVENTS
*Threat = this pretender led to a battle*
- 5th May 1487 = De la Pole + Lovell land in Ireland after Burgundy = Simnel is crowned King in
Dublin.
- 16th June = Battle of Stoke = the end of the War of the Roses.
- Considered a one-sided fight = Irish forces lacked body armour + suffered many losses.
- Martin Schwartz + de la Pole killed.
- Lovell = disappeared.
- Simnel was captured + became he King’s falconer in the Royal Household = sympathy as he
was only 10 years old.
RESPONSES FROM GOV./ MONARCH
MISTAKES AS AN INEXPERIENCED KING:
- Led him to trust de la Pole even though he had been rumored in plots + included him in
council meetings.
- April 1487 = allowed de la Pole to flee to Burgundy = raised + funded troops by Margaret of
Burgundy = 2000 German mercenaries.
- Unreliable nobility = Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland did nothing to stop the invasion
of England = he’s meant to be King’s first line of defence.
ACTIONS SHOW INCREASED STRENGTH + CONFIDNECE OF HENRY:
*Securing his reign*
- April 1487 = Henry starts raising troops = showed considerable tactical awareness.
- Ordered the coasts to be guarded = rebels still managed to land.
- Henry moved northwards = received intelligence that the rebels would invade from Ireland +
gathered more men + supplies.
- 8th May 1487 = arrives at Kenilworth Castle = waited for the rebels then marched north
meeting them at Stoke.
- Henry had upper hand = 12,000 men.
- Henry showed decisive tactics + advances at Stoke = considering Bosworth was the only
battle he had fought.
PRETENDERS TO THE THRONE- LAMBERT SIMNEL 1486-87
CAUSES/ AIMS
- Claimed to be Earl of Warwick.
- Became figurehead of the Yorkist rebellion.
- Orchestrated by John de la Pole + Sir Francis Lovell.
- Mistake = Henry VII was able to produce the real Earl of Warwick from Tower of London +
paraded him through the streets.
- Rebel alliance that emerged mixture of = rival claimants/ discontented Yorkists/ sovereign
support.
KEY DATES + EVENTS
*Threat = this pretender led to a battle*
- 5th May 1487 = De la Pole + Lovell land in Ireland after Burgundy = Simnel is crowned King in
Dublin.
- 16th June = Battle of Stoke = the end of the War of the Roses.
- Considered a one-sided fight = Irish forces lacked body armour + suffered many losses.
- Martin Schwartz + de la Pole killed.
- Lovell = disappeared.
- Simnel was captured + became he King’s falconer in the Royal Household = sympathy as he
was only 10 years old.
RESPONSES FROM GOV./ MONARCH
MISTAKES AS AN INEXPERIENCED KING:
- Led him to trust de la Pole even though he had been rumored in plots + included him in
council meetings.
- April 1487 = allowed de la Pole to flee to Burgundy = raised + funded troops by Margaret of
Burgundy = 2000 German mercenaries.
- Unreliable nobility = Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland did nothing to stop the invasion
of England = he’s meant to be King’s first line of defence.
ACTIONS SHOW INCREASED STRENGTH + CONFIDNECE OF HENRY:
*Securing his reign*
- April 1487 = Henry starts raising troops = showed considerable tactical awareness.
- Ordered the coasts to be guarded = rebels still managed to land.
- Henry moved northwards = received intelligence that the rebels would invade from Ireland +
gathered more men + supplies.
- 8th May 1487 = arrives at Kenilworth Castle = waited for the rebels then marched north
meeting them at Stoke.
- Henry had upper hand = 12,000 men.
- Henry showed decisive tactics + advances at Stoke = considering Bosworth was the only
battle he had fought.
