CHALLENGING THE SUCCESSION
1485-1499
How effectively did Henry VII secure his throne in the years 1485 - 87?
WHY WAS HENRY VII AT RISK?
Tenuous link to the throne
Lacked Support of nobility
The Beaufort family (his mother’s side) were and illegitimate line of claim
Usurper - only really owed crown to success @ Battle of Bosworth - someone could be inspired by his
success and do the same thing to him
Rivals had stronger claims - John de la Pole (Richard III’s nephew) = potential Yorkist figurehead
-Edward Plantagenet (E.of Warwick, also a nephew, but only 10)
- the princes in the tower (Edward IV’s children - Edward & Richard)
- Edward IV’s daughters (couldn’t rule in own right, could pass claim to kids)
MEASURES TO SECURE THE THRONE…
Bosworth -
Henry could present victory as given to him by God/punishment for Richard from God
Richard III killed in battle = removed a political rival/focus for Yorkists
Richard’s advisors/powerful figures also dead (e.g Sir Richard Ratcliffe)
Henry backdated his reign -
Parliament declared his reign had begun on 21 st Aug (day before Bosworth) = all those who had
supported Richard were traitors & could be punished
Used Parli to cancel ‘Titilus Regius’ which had been passed by Richard III -
TR claimed Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid & their children were illegitimate.
If Henry had allowed TR to stand then it would have meant his marriage to Elizabeth of York (one of
Edward & EW’s daughters) would have also been illegitimate & so would be any children they had. He
needed legitimate heirs.
Once titilus regius was repealed he married Elizabeth of York (Jan 1486) = united the Yorkist and
Lancastarian factions, the birth of Arthur later that year = dynasty secured (God has blessed him)
, Use of Incentives & threats (carrots & sticks policy) -
INCENTIVES / CARROTS THREATS / STICKS
Patronage - e.g Jasper Tudor made Duke of Bedford Acts of Attainder - meant a family lost the right to
& rewarded with land for good service possess land - could be reversed, which meant they
were a carrot & a stick. However payment was
sometimes needed for reversal = monarchy get
money and control/manipulation of unconformist
nobles (56 acts passed 1485-87)
Order of the Garter - created 37 knight of the garter Bonds & Recognisances -
including the Earl of Oxford & Reginald Bray Bonds = written agreements were people promised
[S.B Chrimes says this was ‘the ultimate mark of to pay a sum if they failed to carry out a promise
honour favoured by Henry VII’] Recognisances = formal acknowledgement of a debt
or obligation, with the understanding to pay money
if the obligation was not met
Great Council - way of gaining agreement on Feudal Dues - include Wardship (where king takes
policies. Increased control because the noble had control of the estates of minors and profits from
been included in decisions so could not turn and them until they become of age) & Marriage where
critique Henry for the policy after. (e.g called in the King had to approve of the marriage of heirs and
1487 in response to Lambert Simnel) heiresses. (e.g Katherine Duchess of Buckigham
fined £7000 for marrying without permission)
King’s Council - 5 key councillors had aligned
themselves with Henry before Bosworth (e.g.
Reginald Bray, Giles Daubeney)
How serious was the threat posed by Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck?
THE NATURE OF CHALLENGE BY LAMBERT SIMNEL 1486-87:
Henry had 2 main rivals – Francis Lovell (claimed sanctuary in Colchester) and John de la
Pole. Yorkists used a figure head – Simnel who they could manipulate to focus opposition to
Henry.
Simnel was an imposter who was taught to act like a prince. But the Yorkists made a mistake
in saying he was the Earl of Warwick – Henry produced the Earl from the Tower to disprove
this
Rebellion still gathered pace, Simnel joined Lovell and de la Pole
Margaret of Burgandy (sister of Richard III) gave money and troops
2000 German mercenaries sailed to Ireland (traditional Yorkist base)
The rebels met with Kildare who was sympathetic to the Yorkist cause
Irish and English Yorkists crown Simnel King of England in Dublin & launch invasion
Earl of Northumberland did nothing when they crossed into Northumberland – problem for
Henry (highlights the lack of loyalty from the nobles = more significant threat)
Henry establishes his base at Kenilworth Castle & met rebels at Stoke (Battle of Stoke)(John
de la Pole was killed = last Yorkist claimant dead, threat neutralised)
How serious was the threat from Simnel & his supporters?
1485-1499
How effectively did Henry VII secure his throne in the years 1485 - 87?
WHY WAS HENRY VII AT RISK?
Tenuous link to the throne
Lacked Support of nobility
The Beaufort family (his mother’s side) were and illegitimate line of claim
Usurper - only really owed crown to success @ Battle of Bosworth - someone could be inspired by his
success and do the same thing to him
Rivals had stronger claims - John de la Pole (Richard III’s nephew) = potential Yorkist figurehead
-Edward Plantagenet (E.of Warwick, also a nephew, but only 10)
- the princes in the tower (Edward IV’s children - Edward & Richard)
- Edward IV’s daughters (couldn’t rule in own right, could pass claim to kids)
MEASURES TO SECURE THE THRONE…
Bosworth -
Henry could present victory as given to him by God/punishment for Richard from God
Richard III killed in battle = removed a political rival/focus for Yorkists
Richard’s advisors/powerful figures also dead (e.g Sir Richard Ratcliffe)
Henry backdated his reign -
Parliament declared his reign had begun on 21 st Aug (day before Bosworth) = all those who had
supported Richard were traitors & could be punished
Used Parli to cancel ‘Titilus Regius’ which had been passed by Richard III -
TR claimed Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid & their children were illegitimate.
If Henry had allowed TR to stand then it would have meant his marriage to Elizabeth of York (one of
Edward & EW’s daughters) would have also been illegitimate & so would be any children they had. He
needed legitimate heirs.
Once titilus regius was repealed he married Elizabeth of York (Jan 1486) = united the Yorkist and
Lancastarian factions, the birth of Arthur later that year = dynasty secured (God has blessed him)
, Use of Incentives & threats (carrots & sticks policy) -
INCENTIVES / CARROTS THREATS / STICKS
Patronage - e.g Jasper Tudor made Duke of Bedford Acts of Attainder - meant a family lost the right to
& rewarded with land for good service possess land - could be reversed, which meant they
were a carrot & a stick. However payment was
sometimes needed for reversal = monarchy get
money and control/manipulation of unconformist
nobles (56 acts passed 1485-87)
Order of the Garter - created 37 knight of the garter Bonds & Recognisances -
including the Earl of Oxford & Reginald Bray Bonds = written agreements were people promised
[S.B Chrimes says this was ‘the ultimate mark of to pay a sum if they failed to carry out a promise
honour favoured by Henry VII’] Recognisances = formal acknowledgement of a debt
or obligation, with the understanding to pay money
if the obligation was not met
Great Council - way of gaining agreement on Feudal Dues - include Wardship (where king takes
policies. Increased control because the noble had control of the estates of minors and profits from
been included in decisions so could not turn and them until they become of age) & Marriage where
critique Henry for the policy after. (e.g called in the King had to approve of the marriage of heirs and
1487 in response to Lambert Simnel) heiresses. (e.g Katherine Duchess of Buckigham
fined £7000 for marrying without permission)
King’s Council - 5 key councillors had aligned
themselves with Henry before Bosworth (e.g.
Reginald Bray, Giles Daubeney)
How serious was the threat posed by Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck?
THE NATURE OF CHALLENGE BY LAMBERT SIMNEL 1486-87:
Henry had 2 main rivals – Francis Lovell (claimed sanctuary in Colchester) and John de la
Pole. Yorkists used a figure head – Simnel who they could manipulate to focus opposition to
Henry.
Simnel was an imposter who was taught to act like a prince. But the Yorkists made a mistake
in saying he was the Earl of Warwick – Henry produced the Earl from the Tower to disprove
this
Rebellion still gathered pace, Simnel joined Lovell and de la Pole
Margaret of Burgandy (sister of Richard III) gave money and troops
2000 German mercenaries sailed to Ireland (traditional Yorkist base)
The rebels met with Kildare who was sympathetic to the Yorkist cause
Irish and English Yorkists crown Simnel King of England in Dublin & launch invasion
Earl of Northumberland did nothing when they crossed into Northumberland – problem for
Henry (highlights the lack of loyalty from the nobles = more significant threat)
Henry establishes his base at Kenilworth Castle & met rebels at Stoke (Battle of Stoke)(John
de la Pole was killed = last Yorkist claimant dead, threat neutralised)
How serious was the threat from Simnel & his supporters?
