Challenging the Succession 1485-1499
Henry Tudor: hold on the throne
Claim to the throne
- rivals had a better connection to throne – i.e. Edward IV’s children – Edward and Richard (Princes in the tower)
- claim through mother: Margaret Beaufort – descendant of Edward III by marriage of John of Gaunt to Katherine
Swynford – their son John born before marriage and women which weakens the claim
- royal blood from father: Edmund Tudor – Edmund’s French mother Catherine had been married to Henry V before she
became the wife of Edmunds welsh father Owen Edmund (half brother of Henry VI) – Henry VII was half-nephew of king
- claim rested on his victory in battle – killed Richard III - sign that God approved Henry’s assumption of power
Keeping the throne
- Earl of Warwick still alive – nephew of Richard III, sent him to the tower
- married Elizabeth of York on 18th January 1486 – helped settle the debate between the York and Lancaster houses
- 1485 made houses of lords and commons swear on an oath they wouldn’t retain men illegally
- John de la Pole (Earl of Northumberland), Thomas Howard (Earl of Surrey) and Henry Percy (Earl of Northumberland) –
all pardoned as prepared to work with the new regime and loyalty only requirement to gain royal favour
Henry Tudor: securing the throne
Impact of Battle of Bosworth – 22nd August 1485 (part of the War of the Roses – battles from 1455 to 1487)
- Henry Tudor invaded from France and landed at Milford Haven – he killed King Richard III (York)
- Lord Stanley (Henry’s step father) was a powerful noble who had divided loyalty between Richard and Henry – in the end
supported Henry and shows to Henry that nobility cannot be trusted
- less than 25% nobility fought for Richard
Measures to secure his throne
- arranged for his coronation before the first meeting of parliament and before his marriage to Elizabeth – could never be
said that parliament made him king
- dated his reign from the day before Bosworth – Richard and etc could be declared of committing treason
- birth of son Arthur Sep 1486 – helped establish the Tudor era with the joining of York and Lancaster houses
- passed Act of Resumption 1486 – take all crown lands which had been granted since 1455 – more power to Henry
- 1485 made houses of lords and commons swear on an oath that they wouldn’t retain men illegally – banned nobles from
having private armies
Roles of the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions
- created a myth – he and family true leaders with the marriage with Elizabeth of York (daughter of King Edward IV) which
united houses
- although many Yorkist still alive after marriage dissuaded many Yorkists from challenging Henry
- surviving Yorkist nobility: killed – John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln) invited to join King’s council, remained loyal until 1487,
fled the court and killed at Battle of Stoke
Lovell and Stafford early rebellion
- Church offered protection from law up to 40 days – by 15 th century sanctuaries were becoming source of dispute
- Henry travelled north in April 1486 – rebels broke sanctuary
- Lovel headed north and planned to ambush King while Staffords travelled to Worchester to stir up rebellion
- Henry sent an armed force to offer the rebels the choice of pardon and reconciliation or if fought or lost = death
- rebels left – Lovel fled to Flanders and Staffords arrested and sent to Tower of London
- policy of ‘’calculated mercy’’ – severely towards ringleaders – successful
Challenges to Henry VII’s crown: Lambert Simnel 1486-87
Diplomatic problems
Henry Tudor: hold on the throne
Claim to the throne
- rivals had a better connection to throne – i.e. Edward IV’s children – Edward and Richard (Princes in the tower)
- claim through mother: Margaret Beaufort – descendant of Edward III by marriage of John of Gaunt to Katherine
Swynford – their son John born before marriage and women which weakens the claim
- royal blood from father: Edmund Tudor – Edmund’s French mother Catherine had been married to Henry V before she
became the wife of Edmunds welsh father Owen Edmund (half brother of Henry VI) – Henry VII was half-nephew of king
- claim rested on his victory in battle – killed Richard III - sign that God approved Henry’s assumption of power
Keeping the throne
- Earl of Warwick still alive – nephew of Richard III, sent him to the tower
- married Elizabeth of York on 18th January 1486 – helped settle the debate between the York and Lancaster houses
- 1485 made houses of lords and commons swear on an oath they wouldn’t retain men illegally
- John de la Pole (Earl of Northumberland), Thomas Howard (Earl of Surrey) and Henry Percy (Earl of Northumberland) –
all pardoned as prepared to work with the new regime and loyalty only requirement to gain royal favour
Henry Tudor: securing the throne
Impact of Battle of Bosworth – 22nd August 1485 (part of the War of the Roses – battles from 1455 to 1487)
- Henry Tudor invaded from France and landed at Milford Haven – he killed King Richard III (York)
- Lord Stanley (Henry’s step father) was a powerful noble who had divided loyalty between Richard and Henry – in the end
supported Henry and shows to Henry that nobility cannot be trusted
- less than 25% nobility fought for Richard
Measures to secure his throne
- arranged for his coronation before the first meeting of parliament and before his marriage to Elizabeth – could never be
said that parliament made him king
- dated his reign from the day before Bosworth – Richard and etc could be declared of committing treason
- birth of son Arthur Sep 1486 – helped establish the Tudor era with the joining of York and Lancaster houses
- passed Act of Resumption 1486 – take all crown lands which had been granted since 1455 – more power to Henry
- 1485 made houses of lords and commons swear on an oath that they wouldn’t retain men illegally – banned nobles from
having private armies
Roles of the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions
- created a myth – he and family true leaders with the marriage with Elizabeth of York (daughter of King Edward IV) which
united houses
- although many Yorkist still alive after marriage dissuaded many Yorkists from challenging Henry
- surviving Yorkist nobility: killed – John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln) invited to join King’s council, remained loyal until 1487,
fled the court and killed at Battle of Stoke
Lovell and Stafford early rebellion
- Church offered protection from law up to 40 days – by 15 th century sanctuaries were becoming source of dispute
- Henry travelled north in April 1486 – rebels broke sanctuary
- Lovel headed north and planned to ambush King while Staffords travelled to Worchester to stir up rebellion
- Henry sent an armed force to offer the rebels the choice of pardon and reconciliation or if fought or lost = death
- rebels left – Lovel fled to Flanders and Staffords arrested and sent to Tower of London
- policy of ‘’calculated mercy’’ – severely towards ringleaders – successful
Challenges to Henry VII’s crown: Lambert Simnel 1486-87
Diplomatic problems
