1483-85

Question 1

What happened in 1483?

Answer 1

• coronation of Richard III + his wife Anne Neville
• last sighting of the princes in the tower
• Richard III embarks on a progress through England = heads north to York where money is lavished on what some describe as a ‘second coronation’
• death of Louis XI - Charles VIII becomes king of France
• Richard’s only legitimate son, Edward of middleham, is made prince of wales
• October = Buckingham’s rebellion

Question 2

Strengths of Richard III 1483-85

Answer 2

• Parliament (Jan-Feb 1484) = titulus Regis confirmed legitimising his claim to the throne + marks the political deaths of the princes in the tower, act of attainder issued against 100 rebels from Buckingham’s rebellion, nobility swear oaths of allegiance to Edward of middleham
• some loyal noble supporters = Duke of Norfolk, earl of Northumberland, earl of Surrey
• Elizabeth Woodville agrees for her daughters to leave sanctuary + be under R’s protection
• failure of Buckingham’s rebellion
• policy of pardoning nobles/gentry involved in Buckingham’s rebellion

Question 3

Weaknesses of Richard III 1483-85

Answer 3

• accusations of ‘tyrannical’ rule after Buckingham’s rebellion = plantations, attainders, executions
• death of Ed of Middleham 1484 = risk of short-lived dynasty so nobility think twice before fully supporting
• death of R3’s wife Anne Neville 1485 = not going to be having any more children in the near future
• damaging consequences of Buckingham’s rebellion = Henry Tudor gains support of 500 exiles + French support (2,000 mercenaries)
• rumours R3 plans to marry his niece (Elizabeth of York) = had to deny public ally implying a weak position/narrow power base
• lack of noble supporters = increasingly reliant on gentry e.g. Catesby + Ratcliffe

Question 4

Richard’s ‘tyrannical’ rule

Answer 4

• Richard III planted his northern affinity in the south, with two thirds of all newly appointed sheriffs south of the Thames and the Severn were ‘new comers’ from the North
• enforced benevolences and forced loans, which southerners viewed as tyrannical, which was effectively capitalised in Tudor propaganda
• Richard’s behaviour portrays a king who is trying to retain control of the throne, with instability being caused by Buckingham’s rebellion

Question 5

Support for Henry Tudor

Answer 5

• Nov 1484 = French king declares that Henry Tudor is the rightful heir of Henry VI + the Lancastrian kings + the French promise Tudor 4,000 soldiers + £4,500
• June 1485 = obtains a private loan from the councillor of Charles VIII + recruits 1000-2000 French soldiers + Charles contributes £8000 + encourages subjects to provide Tudor with financial support
• 1 august 1485 = modest Tudor invasion force of around 2500 men + seven ships sails from France with jasper tudor, earl of Pembroke, earl of Oxford, sir Edward Woodville

Question 6

Henry Tudor’s invasion

Answer 6

• 7 august = makes landfall in southwest wales
• 15 august = Tudor army enters England + advances on Shrewsbury = meets no opposition but also doesn’t attract much support
• 16 august = john howard, Duke of Norfolk (one of R’s key supporters) gathers troops in Suffolk
• Lord Stanley still loyal to Richard, but married to Margaret Beaufort = acts cautiously, doesn’t join Tudor but doesn’t oppose the invading army = R uncertain of Stanley’s loyalty + is holding his son/heir hostage for security

Question 7

Leading up to the battle of Bosworth

Answer 7

• 20 august = William Stanley potentially boosts Tudor’s forces by arriving with 500 troops + escorting Tudor into Lichfield
• 20 august = Richard leaves Nottingham + arrives in Leicester joined by Norfolk + Northumberland with their forces = army size unknown but certainly larger than Tudor’s

Question 8

Battle of Bosworth

Answer 8

• 22nd august 1485
• Tudor victory = Henry VII was proclaimed king on the nearby Crown Hill
• Richard III killed
• reliant on the last minute support of Lord Stanley = Stanley brothers having around 6,000 men between them.