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Henry VII - Coggle Diagram
Henry VII
Henry VII's Character and Aims - Henry VII's overarching aim was to end the political instability of the Wars of the Roses. When he took the throne in 1485, he could not have known that he would succeed. The fear of losing his throne to unreconciled Yorkists explains many of his actions.
Character
Henry VII was respected, efficient, intelligent and shrewd, but not popular. He also developed a reputation for greed.
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Margaret Beaufort (Henry’s mother), Jasper Tudor, the Earl of Oxford, John Morton and Richard Fox were his closest confidants.
Henry VII loved his wife, Elizabeth of York, but gave her no political influence.
Approach to Kingship
Henry VII involved himself in everything, even the details of day-to-day government.
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Aims
Henry VII's most important aim was to maintain a strong hold on his throne and pass it on to his heirs. To do this he had to:
Establish his right to the throne. By winning Bosworth, he had right of conquest but his own claim was weak.
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Claim to the Throne
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It was through his mother and she was descended from a once illegitimate branch of the Lancastrians.
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Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of Edward IV.
Edward, Earl of Warwick, who was Edward IV’s and Richard III’s nephew by their brother, George.
John, Edmund and Richard de la Pole, nephews of Edward IV and Richard III by their sister, the duchess of Suffolk.
Establishing the Tudor Dynasty - Henry VII was always aware that he could be usurped. To try and prevent this, he wanted to establish a Tudor dynasty. To do so, he needed to legitimise his own authority and have a Tudor line of succession.
Legitimising his reign
Henry VII dated his reign to 21st August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth.
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Parliament
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The date is important because Henry made sure he had already been crowned. This meant his authority was not dependent on parliament.
Marriage
On 18 January 1486, Henry VII married Elizabeth of York.
This was significant because it united the warring families of Lancaster and York. Any descendent would come from both houses.
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Because he was already king, Henry VII made sure his authority was not linked to Elizabeth's heritage.
Securing the Tudor Succession - To secure the Tudor dynasty, Henry VII needed to have a male heir. As well as establishing a line of Tudor succession, Henry VII needed to get rid of potential Yorkist heirs to the throne.
Lambert Simnel
Lambert Simnel pretended to be Edward, Earl of Warwick.
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Although the real Earl of Warwick was alive, a rebellion still erupted.
The rebels, led by the Earl of Lincoln fought Henry VII's forces at the Battle of Stoke in 1487.
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Henry VII capitalised on the death of leading Yorkists and gained oaths of loyalties from other Yorkists.
Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck pretended to be Richard, Duke of York, the younger son of Edward IV who had disappeared in 1483.
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In 1497, Warbeck allied himself to King James IV of Scotland.
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He was executed in 1499, along with Edward, Earl of Warwick.
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Edmund de la Pole
Unlike Simnel and Warbeck, Edmund de la Pole had a genuine claim to the throne.
He had grievances against Henry VII, including losing some land to the Crown, having to pay a relief of £5,000 and being demoted from Duke to Earl.
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In 1506, Henry VII negotiated the handing over of Edmund from the Holy Roman Empire. He agreed not to execute him.
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Historical Assessment
Historian Jez Ross (2012) argues that 'Henry VII was never in serious danger of losing his throne to either a rebellion or a conspiracy.' Two factors would need to combine to make this happen:
'First, those seeking the throne needed to be credible and viable alternatives to him.'
'Second, Henry VII had to be isolated and there needed to be enough domestic support for an invasion to ensure that it did not look like a self-interested act of political speculation by either foreign powers or isolated English malcontents.'
Henry VII's Council - Henry VII needed to build control over England. He developed councils to focus on specific issues or problems.
The Royal Council
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Although 227 men were listed, it was a much smaller group that met.
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Local Government
Henry VII had a much stronger hold over areas in the south and east of England than the north. He needed to make sure he had control over the potentially troublesome parts of the kingdom.
Henry VII recognised that he needed to have the cooperation of local noblemen (who could be more popular than him).
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For example, Wales was controlled by the Council of Wales.
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The Privy Chamber
The Privy Chamber was based in the most intimate of Henry VII’s private rooms. Its staff saw to the monarch’s personal needs, so had great access to him.
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The Privy Chamber was staffed by lower ranking members of the Royal Household, not nobles.
Henry VII increasingly relied on his Privy Chamber after the treason of Sir William Stanley and other leading members of his Household in 1495.
Historical Assessment
Historian Steven Gunn (2016) argues that the "new men" of Henry VII's reign were important in changing the way that Tudor monarchs governed:
'The strengths of the regime they helped to build enabled his son’s yet more ambitious undertakings and in some ways shaped their direction, in his assault on the church’s wealth and jurisdiction, his on-going centralization of power and elaboration of administrative machinery.'
Henry VII's Parliament - Henry VII summoned parliament seven times during his reign. He usually wanted extra taxation, Acts of Attainder or important but unpopular measures. Statute law had the support of the political classes: gentry, leading town citizens, nobles and higher clergy.
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Parliament and Taxation
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Parliament did this for Henry’s foreign policy in 1489 (Brittany), 1491-2 (France).
However, when the Crown became wealthier, Henry VII became less dependent on Parliament.
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Henry VII and Justice - Henry VII wanted to restore law and order across England. Law and order had been weakened during the Wars of the Roses by corrupt landowners and over-mighty nobles.
Justices of the Peace
JPs were responsible for the implementation of laws, government policies and public order. There were about 18 per county.
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For example, from 1487 JPs could grant bail to people awaiting trial.
From 1495, they could vet juries and replace jury members thought to have been bribed.
Henry VII appointed JPs annually and increasingly chose less important landowners rather than bigger landowners.
The Star Chamber
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It was established to prosecute rioting, rebellion, retaining and the corruption of justice.
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The Star Chamber (as well as the Council Learned in Law) undermined Henry's reputation for justice, especially among the upper classes.
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The Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery heard cases on feudal land disputes and complaints about mistakes made by the Crown.
Although the king could not be sued, sometimes mistakes were acknowledged. The Court of Chancery dealt with them and gave compensation if necessary.
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Henry VII and Royal Finance - Henry VII's main aim was to increase the kingdom's wealth. To do this, he was very cautious and pragmatic.
Ordinary Revenue
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Feudal dues, which included relief (a tax paid upon inheriting land), wardship (control of the lands and revenues of underage heirs) and livery (paid by wards when they took control of their lands).
The rents, sales of crops and resources from Crown lands.
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Extraordinary Revenue :
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Loans and benevolences. Benevolences were ‘gifts’, given without expectation of repayment.
Feudal dues that were due on specific occasions, such as the marriage of the monarch’s daughter or knighting of his son.
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Improved Administration
Henry VII used the Chamber system more than the Exchequer. This was because it was more efficient and he had more control over it.
He kept a close eye on royal accounts, checking all entries. He introduced the Court of Audit to monitor wider government spending.
Henry VII's Domestic Policy - Henry VII’s domestic policy was aimed at securing throne and strengthening the Crown in England. He restored order after the Wars of the Roses and left Henry VIII with a healthy treasury.
Promoting Trade
Under the 1485 Navigation Acts, no English merchants were to use foreign ships to transport goods if an English ship was available. This boosted English shipping.
In 1489, the export of English raw wool was limited.
In 1496 Henry VII signed Magnus Intercursus, an important trade deal with Burgundy.
Improving law, order and stability
Henry VII increased Justice of Peaces' powers. For example, they could arrest poachers or hunters in disguise or replace jury members who had been bribed.
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The Star Chamber was established to deal with threats to England’s stability, although it was not used often under Henry VII.
Illegal Retaining
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Retainers were men who served the leading nobles. They wore clothes in the noble’s colours called livery.
Some nobles had hundreds of retainers who behaved like private armies. Keeping retainers was called maintenance.
Acts were passed against Livery and Maintenance. Henry VII set down quotas for nobles and required them to pay licences.
Increasing Crown Revenue
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He increased Crown lands through the Act of Resumption, attainders and the Council Learned in the Law.
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Henry VII's Relationship with Scotland and Other Foreign Powers - Europe was a very different place in 1485. Henry VII needed to secure England’s borders from its traditional enemies, Scotland and France. Making alliances with France’s rivals, especially Spain and Burgundy, would benefit England.
Spain
In 1489, the Treaty of Medina del Campo was signed between England and Spain. It agreed that:
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Prince Arthur would marry the Spanish Catherine of Aragon to cement the alliance. The marriage took place by proxy in 1499 and for real in 1501.
France
France took control of Brittany, which was against Henry’s interests. This was called the Breton Crisis.
The 1492 Treaty of Étaples that ended Breton Crisis gave Henry an annual income and a guarantee that France would not shelter any English rebels.
In 1496, Henry VII joined the Holy League, an alliance of France’s rivals in the continuing Italian Wars. But England remained neutral in the fighting.
Burgundy
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Richard III’s sister, Margaret of Burgundy, who hated Henry VII, was very influential in Burgundy. She had been married to its previous duke.
Margaret of Burgundy supported Perkin Warbeck until 1496, when Henry signed Magnus Intercursus with Philip, duke of Burgundy.
Scotland
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In summer 1495, Perkin Warbeck was welcomed by King James IV. Warbeck was given £1,200 p/a pension and marriage to James’ cousin.
In 1497, James IV and Warbeck disastrously invaded England. Henry VII and James signed the Truce of Ayton, which became the Treaty of Perpetual Peace in 1502.
In 1503, there was a marriage alliance between, Henry’s daughter, Margaret and James IV.
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Nobles and Commoners under Henry VII - English society was a hierarchy. The structure of society was believed to be ordained by God, called the 'Great Chain of Being'. This meant that everyone understood their place: who they were above, and who they were below.
Controlling the Nobility
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He did this through limiting land, stopping retainers (which noblemen used to gain bribes), giving bonds and recognisances to guarantee good behaviour.
As well as this, Henry VII did not offer patronage to many noblemen. For example, he made only three earls.
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Landlords and Tenants
There was a reciprocal relationship between wealthier landlords and their tenants (people who rented their land).
Commoners lived off the land of noblemen and were expected to be obedient to their landlord (deference). In return, the nobleman would protect their tenants (paternalism).
The Church and Henry VII - The Catholic Church was incredibly powerful under Henry VII. The Clergy were very influential in society and important to Henry VII's government.
The Church and Society
Not many commoners could understand the Bible because it was written in Latin. For this reason, art and imagery were very important for communicating the Church's message.
The Church's theological role was very important but it also served an important social function. The Church was a key figure in daily life and communal worship was very important to village identities.
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Churchmen
In England there were about 35,000 clergy, and 10,000 monks and nuns.
The Clergy had a hierarchical structure. At the top were cardinals, then archbishops, then bishops, then priests.
As well as these clergymen, there were monastic orders, who were monks and nuns.
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The Power of the Church
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The higher clergy were well educated and often held positions of government. For example, John Morton was Archbishop of Canterbury and Henry VII’s Lord Chancellor.
The Church supported Henry VII as King of England. As such, the duty of obedience to the king’s will was taught at local level through parish churches.
Regional Divisions under Henry VII - Henry VII's authority was fragile and this was seen in England's regional divisions. Henry VII made a big effort to stabilise the north (where Yorkists still existed).
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Regional Identities
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For example, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Wales, Ireland and Calais all had distinct cultures.
Social Discontent and Rebellion under Henry VII - Henry VII faced several rebellions and threats to the throne. Although Henry VII survived these attacks, they show how fragile the Tudor dynasty was.
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Trade Under Henry VII - Henry VII wanted to increase England's wealth. This would make the kingdom stronger. Henry VII believed improving trade was essential to achieve this.
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Economic Success
Historians have noted the incoherent nature of Henry VII's policies. They use this to argue that Henry was an opportunist and did not always have clear plan.
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Less successfully, English raw wool exports were down only 30%.
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But England’s trade was still very small compared with the Hanseatic League, Venice and Spain.
Henry VII and Exploration - Christopher Columbus, on behalf of Spain, discovered the New World in 1492. This led Henry VII to demand English exploration as well. But English exploration in the Americas was not very successful.
Exploring the Americas
From 1492, Spain developed rich colonies in southern America, providing it with resources and markets.
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Newfoundland and Hudson Bay were not wealthy. But Henry VII's successor, Henry VIII, ignored them.
Expansion of the Navy
Henry VII focused on building the English navy - would leave his successor, Henry VIII, nine ships.
Prosperity and Depression under Henry VII - Following the draining War of the Roses, Henry VII aim was to improve England's economy.
Recovering Economy
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Because the economy was vulnerable, England could be damaged by poor harvests or outbreaks of disease.
Enclosure
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This meant that agricultural land which was once common (available to any farmer) was now exclusively owned.
Farmers could work on a larger scale and try new farming techniques. This led to an increase in production and greater profitability.
But enclosure meant many poor farmers lost their land and livelihood, and were forced to move elsewhere.
Religion under Henry VII - Under Henry VII, Catholicism was the dominant religion. Religion and the Church was central to daily life for everyone in society.
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Church Problems
Under Henry VII, the Roman Catholic Church was popular although it did have its issues. These included:
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Pluralism – some clergy had more than one position in the church. For example, one bishop might have more than one bishopric at a time.
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Quality – some clergy did not observe their vows (including chastity) while others were ignorant of religion. Poorly educated priests were a problem because the Bible and services were in Latin.
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Humanism Influences and Henry VII - Humanism became popular in the Renaissance era. This had an impact on the intellectual culture in England.
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Humanism and Henry VII
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For example, scholars from Italy came and taught at English universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge.
Humanism and Religion
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Humanists also accused the Catholic Church of being corrupt. They claimed that clergymen were exploiting (taking advantage of) their parishes.
Although these ideas were important, the Catholic Church was still strong and traditional worship remained.
Influence of Erasmus
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Key works written by Erasmus include 'The Praise of Folie' (1509), which criticises the Catholic Church for corruption, and 'On the Freedom of the Will' (1524), which attacks Luther's theological ideas.
Arts and Learning during Henry VII's Reign - Henry VII wanted to support the arts in England. In doing so, Henry VII was able to communicate his power and strength.
The Printing Press
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In England, the first printing press was used in 1476.
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This helped ideas spread, for example those of humanists.
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The Arts
Henry VII was a patron of the arts. So he supported musicians, poets, artists and architects.
For example, John Skelton was employed to write poetry about England and Henry VII.
Henry VII commissioned grand buildings, such as Richmond Palace and a chapel in Westminster Abbey.
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