Henry VII Flashcards
(111 cards)
1
Q
Who led the Lovell Conspiracy in 1486?
A
Francis, Viscount Lovell, and Humphrey and Thomas Stafford—all loyal supporters of Richard III.
2
Q
What caused the Lovell Conspiracy?
A
Dissatisfaction among Yorkists after Henry’s accession.
3
Q
What was Henry VII doing when the Lovell conspiracy emerged?
A
He was on a royal progress to the north to consolidate power and gain loyalty.
4
Q
How did Henry respond to the Lovell conspiracy?
A
Sent an armed force offering pardon or death.
5
Q
What happened to the Lovell conspirators?
A
Lovell fled to Flanders; Humphrey Stafford was executed; Thomas Stafford was pardoned.
6
Q
What was the result of the Lovell rebellion in Wales?
A
Suppressed by Rhys ap Thomas, a supporter of Henry.
7
Q
Who was Lambert Simnel and who did he pretend to be?
A
A young boy tutored by priest Richard Symonds, he claimed to be Edward, Earl of Warwick. Son of an Oxford joiner.
8
Q
Where and when was Simnel crowned?
A
Dublin cathedral on 24th May (Whit Sunday) 1487- historically Yorkist nobility, headed by the powerful Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, proclaimed Simnel king and provided troops for his invasion of England.
9
Q
Who supported Simnel?
A
Margaret of Burgundy – 2000 German mercenaries. The rebellion also received strong support from Yorkist sympathisers in Oxford and Ireland.
10
Q
What major battle resulted from the Simnel rebellion?
A
Battle of Stoke Field (1487). Many of Henry’s men held back from fighting until the outcome appeared clear, Victory took three hours, the fate of the monarchy had been decided by a battle whose result could just have easily been reversed, as seen by Earl of Northumberland’s action as he decided to move his largest private army in England move north, rather than south to aid the king.
11
Q
Why was the Simnel rebellion serious?
A
It occurred within a year of Henry taking the throne and attracted high-level Yorkist support, including the Earl of Lincoln (John de la Pole) and overall 8000 men.
12
Q
What was the consequence of the Simnel rebellion?
A
Led to the death of John de la Pole, earl of Lincoln, a genuine Yorkist contender for the throne, and a decisive victory for Henry, which affirmed his reign.
13
Q
What triggered the Yorkshire Rebellion?
A
Taxation for Brittany campaign (attempt to raise a subsidy of £100,000 for Brittany’s defence against France); poor harvest; exclusion from tax exemption.
14
Q
Who led the Yorkshire rebellion?
A
Sir John Egremont.
15
Q
What happened to the Earl of Northumberland during the Yorkshire rebellion?
A
Killed while trying to collect taxes.
16
Q
How was the Yorkshire rebellion suppressed?
A
Henry sent 8,000 men under Earl of Surrey.
17
Q
What was the long-term result of the Yorkshire rebellion?
A
Surrey was appointed Lieutenant of the North—helping consolidate Henry’s authority in a traditionally Yorkist region. For the remainder of his reign, Henry faced no more significant rebellions in Northern England.
18
Q
Who was Perkin Warbeck?
A
16 year old son of a boatman from the Flemish city of Tournai.
19
Q
When was the Warbeck rebellion?
A
1491-99
20
Q
Who supported Warbeck domestically?
A
Lord steward, Lord Fitzwalter, and lord Chamberlain (who controlled access tp the camber, the public, and private apartments), Sir William Stanley (arrested in 1495)
21
Q
Who did Warbeck claim to be?
A
Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York
22
Q
Which foreign rulers supported Warbeck?
A
Charles VIII (France), Margaret of Burgundy (trained him and recognised him as Richard), Maximilian (HRE), James IV (Scotland) - gave him 1,500 troops and his cousin, Katherine Gordon, in marriage. Overall, in 1492, his invasion force involved 15000 troops and 7 ships.
23
Q
How did Henry respond to the Warbeck threat?
A
Strengthened his spy network (placed spies in suspects’ households, interviewed the servants and chaplains), issued attainders, and diplomatically isolated Warbeck (e.g., Treaty of Etaples with France and Magnus Intercursus with Burgundy). On All Hallows’ Day, 1 November, 1494, Prince Henry was created Duke of York in Westminster Hall, followed by a celebratory mass in the chapel of ST Stepehen’s.
24
Q
Why did Warbeck’s 1495 invasion fail?
A
His 1495 landing at Deal was repelled by local militia; in 1497, he attempted to capitalise on the Cornish Rebellion but lacked popular support and was forced to surrender.
25
What was Warbeck's fate?
Captured in 1497, imprisoned, tried to escape, executed in 1499.
26
What caused the Cornish Rebellion?
High taxes for Scottish campaign; tin mining restrictions. Protest against "evil counsellors" like Morton and Bray, headed by Michael Joseph (the Blacksmith) and Thomas Flamank, a local lawyer.
27
How many rebels were involved in the Cornish Rebellion?
Around 15,000
28
Who led the Cornish rebellion?
Lord Audley (only noble).
29
How did the Cornish rebellion end?
Crushed by Henry’s 25,000-strong army at Blackheath in June 1497. The army included 18 nobles (1/3 of nobility).
30
What evidence suggests that the Cornish rebellion did pose a threat?
Queen Elizabeth, Lady Margaret and the royal children were moved into the Tower.
31
Why did Edmund de la Pole have a strong claim to the throne?
He was the nephew of Edward IV and Richard III—son of John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, and Elizabeth of York (sister to Edward IV and Richard III), making him a legitimate male-line Yorkist heir.
32
What grievances did de la Pole have against Henry VII?
Henry denied him the dukedom of Suffolk after he was convicted of murder; he was disgruntled and fled abroad to Habsburg-controlled Low Countries.
33
Who were Suffolk's key supporters domestically?
His brother Richard, Thomas Killingworth, and Yorkist backsliders such as Sir George Neville, Sir John Wyndham.
34
What made de la Pole's threat more serious in 1500–1503?
Deaths of Henry’s son Edmund (1500), heir Arthur (1502), and wife Elizabeth (1503) left only 10-year-old Prince Henry as Tudor heir—weakening dynastic security.
35
What actions did Henry take against Suffolk?
51 Acts of Attainder in 1504, many against Suffolk’s supporters—the highest during Henry’s reign.
36
How was Suffolk neutralised?
In 1506, Philip of Burgundy (blown off course to England) agreed under the Treaty of Windsor to hand him over on condition his life was spared. He was imprisoned in the Tower.
37
What three key factors limited the Yorkist threat?
Lack of united foreign support
Insufficient domestic noble backing
Absence of a truly credible, empowered Yorkist claimant
38
How did Henry neutralise foreign support?
Treaty of Etaples (1492): Henry recognised Charles as the Duchy of Brittany in return for his refusal to shelter English rebels.
Magnus Intercursus (1496): Burgundy agreed to expel Warbeck
Treaty of Ayton (1497): Peace with Scotland ended James IV’s backing.
39
Why didn’t the Yorkists gain significant domestic support?
Nobility feared backing the wrong side; few nobles actively supported rebels due to risk of attainder and loss of property.
40
What was the Magnus Intercursus 1496?
A trade treaty which restored trade relations between England and Burgundy after previous embargoes, conditional upon Margaret's acceptance of the Tudor succession and the banishment of Warbeck.
41
Where was the Treaty of Ayton signed?
St Dionysius's Church in Ayton in Berwickshire
42
What were Acts of Attainder and how did Henry VII use them effectively?
Acts of Attainder were laws that stripped nobles of land and titles for disloyalty. Henry used them as both punishment and incentive: 9 passed, 5 reversed (4 with conditions), encouraging loyalty in hopes of reversal and social restoration.
43
What were bonds and recognisances, and how did Henry use them?
Legal contracts forcing nobles to pay large sums if they broke loyalty. Used to enforce obedience—e.g. Marquess of Dorset was bound for £10,000. 36 of 62 noble families were affected.
44
Why might financial control be seen as only partially successful?
Despite effectiveness, the spike in sanctions (51 Attainders between 1504–09 vs 0 between 1497–1500) shows nobles were still viewed as threats late in Henry's reign.
45
What policy did Henry VII introduce in 1485 regarding illegal retaining?
He made Lords and Commons swear not to illegally retain (keep private armies), and required licences from 1504, with fines of £5 per illegal retainer per month.
46
How was the policy on retaining enforced, and was it effective?
It was enforced with heavy fines—e.g. Lord Burgavenny was fined £70,000 in 1506. It discouraged visible retaining and raised revenue, though retaining was never fully abolished.
47
What was the Star Chamber and how did Henry use it?
A royal court set up in 1487 to prosecute powerful nobles without jury. It allowed swift punishment of corruption and treason (e.g. William Stanley, 1495, executed for supporting Warbeck).
48
What were the weaknesses of these restrictions?
The Star Chamber's arbitrary power created resentment; Empson and Dudley abused it for financial gain, leading to anger and eventual unrest under Henry VIII.
49
What was restrictive patronage and why did Henry use it?
Henry awarded titles/rewards sparingly to prevent the rise of over-mighty nobles. Only 37 Knights of the Garter were created, prestigious but lacking power/land.
50
Give examples of nobles rewarded for loyalty under Henry VII.
The Earl of Oxford (loyal before and during Bosworth), Lord Daubeney (defeated Cornish rebels), and Sir Reginald Bray (key councillor) all received trust and honours.
51
How did the King's Council help Henry maintain control over the nobility?
It involved trusted nobles in policy-making, limiting their ability to later oppose decisions. Five of Henry’s key councillors had supported him before Bosworth, securing loyalty.
52
What limitations did restrictive patronage create?
Some nobles, like Stanley (Earl of Derby), felt alienated. Despite rewards, he focused on regional autonomy in Lancashire/Cheshire rather than integrating with Henry’s court.
53
Overall, how effective was Henry VII in reducing the power of the nobility?
Highly effective—he controlled nobility with a mix of fear (financial/military sanctions) and reward (patronage), resulting in no major noble-led rebellions after 1487.
54
What was the long-term impact of Henry VII’s noble policy?
He laid the foundation for a stronger, centralised monarchy. Despite resentment, nobles complied, and there were fewer independent power bases by 1509.
55
How did Henry VII make central government more efficient?
He relied on a small trusted inner group from the larger King’s Council of 200, including Morton, Fox, Dynham and five others, for quicker and more reliable decision-making.
56
What new courts and committees did Henry VII establish?
Court of Requests: requests from ordinary people
Court of General Surveyors: revenue from crown lands and king's feudal overlord lands
Council Learned in the Law: enforced royal rights, feudal dues, and bonds
57
What role did Parliament play under Henry VII?
Limited; called only 7 times (mostly at start of reign). Used mainly to pass attainders, confirm Henry’s claim, and define JP responsibilities. 10% of all statutes dealt with by Parliament involved the responsibilities of JP’s and their control within the provinces. In
58
What was the downside of the Council Learned in the Law?
It became infamous for harsh enforcement, particularly under Empson and Dudley. It bypassed the normal legal system since it was not a court and those summoned had no chance of appeal. Abolished in 1509.
59
How did Henry increase royal authority in the North?
He used a revitalised Council of the North under Earl of Surrey, with full judicial powers. London oversaw its actions, and Henry appointed its members himself, ensuring loyalty.
60
What changes were made in Wales?
In 1493, the Welsh Council was revived under Prince Arthur. Combined with weakened Marcher lords and Henry’s Welsh ties, this increased royal control.
61
How successful was Henry VII in Ireland?
Largely unsuccessful. Poynings failed to control Ulster; Henry had to revert to ruling through local magnates, restoring the unreliable Earl of Kildare as Lord Deputy.
62
How did Henry VII expand the role of Justices of the Peace (JPs)?
JPs could arrest and question poachers, try lesser crimes without jury, enforce statutes, remove untrustworthy jurors, and grant bail — enhancing their judicial power.
63
What were the limitations of local government reform?
No paid officials to enforce laws
Dependent on nobles and gentry for implementation
JPs relied on others to report crime, which many feared to do
Local offices often left unfilled due to unpopularity
64
Overall, how successfully did Henry VII strengthen government?
Henry was very successful at central and regional levels, strengthening royal control and administration. However, local enforcement remained weak, reliant on goodwill and uneven in effectiveness.
65
What financial system did Henry VII use and why?
After briefly trying the Exchequer, Henry returned to the more flexible Chamber system, managing crown lands, feudal dues, and pensions more efficiently by the 1490s.
66
How did Henry monitor royal income more effectively?
Introduced auditors and surveyors to track finances and reduce fraud, leading to tighter financial control.
67
How did Henry increase revenue from Crown lands?
Passed 1486 Act of Resumption - recovered all property granted away since 1455
Seized traitors’ lands
Expanded crown estate to 5x its size under Henry VI
68
How did crown lands income rise under Henry?
Crown lands income rose from £11,700 (1485) to £42,000 (1509)
69
What success did Henry have with the Duchy of Lancaster?
He increased its revenue tenfold through efficient management, showcasing the effectiveness of his financial strategy.
70
How did Henry exploit feudal dues?
Fully used rights like wardship, marriage fines, and 'relief' payments, raising income from £350 (1487) to over £6,000 (1507).
71
What was a failure in ordinary revenue collection?
Customs duties (esp. tonnage and poundage) fell from Edward IV’s £70,000 to an average of £40,000 under Henry due to smuggling and trade disruption.
72
How did Henry use loans and forced contributions? (extraordinary revenue)
Raised £203,000 via loans (which had to be repaid)
1491 forced loan for French expedition brought in £48,500
These were effective short-term but couldn’t be repeated often
73
How did the Church contribute financially to the crown? (extraordinary revenue)
1489: Gave £25,000 for the French expedition
Sold church offices (e.g. £300 for archdeaconry of Buckingham)
Left bishoprics vacant, earning £6,000 annually from revenues
74
What other forms of extraordinary revenue did Henry use?
Feudal aid (e.g. £30,000 for Prince Arthur's knighting)
Treaty of Étaples (1492) gave France peace in return for £5,000/year
75
What was the overall state of Henry’s finances by 1509?
Annual income rose to ~£113,000, restoring royal solvency. However, compared to France's £800,000, England remained a financially limited monarchy.
76
What was the downside of Henry’s financial policies?
Overexploitation of bonds, church revenues, and forced loans bred noble resentment. By the end of his reign, he risked political backlash due to perceived financial oppression.
77
What was the main focus of Henry VII’s foreign policy?
Dynastic security
78
What was agreed under the Treaty of Étaples (1492)?
France would give no aid to English rebels like Warbeck and pay arrears from Treaty of Picquigny
Henry received £159,000 and a £5,000 annual pension (5% of royal income)
Henry accepted French control of Brittany
79
What was achieved with Scotland in 1486?
signed a three-year truce in 1486, whilst maintaining contacts at the Scottish court with Scottish nobility, led by the Earl of Angus who favoured England.
80
What else did Henry's policy towards Scotland involve?
- sheltered Scottish nobles ousted from power and aided the successful attempt in 1492 to overthrow the anti-English regents (brought the pro English Earl of Angus back to power and this resulted in the signing of the nine year truce between the two countries in 1493)
- The Treaty of Ayton was signed in 1497, completed after Warbeck’s execution in 1499. This was the first peace treaty signed between the two countries since 1328, agreeing to end the intermittent warfare
81
How did Henry use marriage alliances to secure his throne?
Treaty of Medina del Campo (1489/1498): Marriage of Arthur to Catherine of Aragon; Spain agreed not to support rebels
1503: Catherine betrothed to Prince Henry after Arthur’s death
Papal bull (1486) confirmed Henry’s legitimacy
82
What can be said about dynastic security as Henry's priority?
It can be said that this was only a priority until 1492, when Scotland was eventually secured and Henry's position appeared to be stronger and his policy more successful, with diplomatic focus shifting onto securing England's place on global stage and increasing royal revenue through trade.
83
Why did Henry restore the Hanseatic League’s privileges in 1504?
Feared Hanseatic support for Edmund de la Pole (Yorkist threat)
Restored favourable trading terms (Treaty of Utrecht) - immunity for Hanseatic franchises from the Tunnage and Poundage levy
Shows that even later on dynastic security remains a priority
84
What treaties boosted trade under Henry VII?
Magnus Intercursus (1496): Free trade with Burgundy
Malus Intercursus (1506): Very favourable to England. The treaty removed all duties from English textile exports, forced Philip to surrender custody of Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk to Henry VII. However, never ratified.
Navigation Acts (1485–6): Prioritised English ships. No English merchants were to use foreign ships to transport goods if an English ship were available.
Treaties with Denmark, Norway, and Florence improved access to Baltic and Mediterranean markets
85
How effective was Henry's foreign trade in economic terms?
The income from customs revenue rose from £33,000 in 1485 to £40,000 in 1509.
86
What were Henry’s actions in the Mediterranean and Baltic trade?
Imposed tariffs on Venice; signed treaty with Florence (1490) for Pisa cloth market
Attempted access to Baltic trade through Denmark, Norway, Riga
Ultimately forced to restore Hanseatic League’s privileges in 1504 due to dynastic concerns
87
How did Henry somewhat support Brittany?
Treaty of Redon (1489) by sending a small force of 6,000 troops to aid Anne of Brittany under the command of Lord Daubeney. However, he avoided full-scale war with France
88
To what extent did Henry VII succeed in promoting trade through foreign policy?
Moderate success overall: gains were notable but limited by external resistance and dynastic considerations
89
Did Henry VII’s foreign policy protect England’s safety?
Immediate threats neutralised, but long-term isolation weakened England’s position
90
How did Henry introduce stability to England's financial administration?
By keeping the same financial advisors throughout his reign. For instance, except for the first few months of the reign, the Baron Dynham and the Earl of Surrey were the only Lord High Treasurers throughout his reign
91
How did the Magnus Intercursus benefit England?
Established fixed duties, which aided English export of wool and granted reciprocal tarde priviliges to both the english and the Flemish. Impartial jsutice for british merchants in Burgundian courts.
92
What prompted Henry VII to embargo trade with the Burgundian Netherlands in 1494?
Margaret of Burgundy’s support for the pretender Perkin Warbeck.
93
What did Henry do to legitimise his reign?
Backdates his reign to the day before Bosworth, making Richard III a usurper at Bosworth and all those who had backed Richard were by definition traitors. He also asserted his own claim to the throne, sidestepping the issue of blood and lineage and did not rely on Elizabeth of York for legitimacy.
94
What was Henry's trusted circle?
Cardinal-chancellor Morton; Richard Fox, bishop of Durham; chief financial administrator, Sir Reynold Bray; Earl of Surrey, Thomas Howard; chamberlain Giles lord Daubeney.
95
Who was Henry's chamber treasurer?
John Herton, responsible for king's account books, which listed income, expenditure, bonds and debts.
96
What was the plot about Earl of Warwick, even after Warbeck was captured?
January 1499, Ralph Wilford, student at Cambridge, was groomed by a local priest to believe he was the Earl of Warwick. Captured in February and hanged.
97
When and where (and how) was Warbeck hanged?
23 November 1499. At Tyburn, he was hauled up a ladder to the scaffold, forced to confess, and then killed.
98
When was Warwick beheaded?
28 November 1499, at Tower Green.
99
When did Henry finally feel safe?
After the execution of both Warbeck and Warwick in 1499.
100
Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of..
Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castle
101
Who created the council learned in the law and when?
Sir Reginald Bray in 1495.
102
What was the significance of the Council Learned in the Law?
defended Henry's position as a feudal landlord, maintain the King's revenue and exploit his prerogative rights. It dealt with the king's fiscal matters and enforced payments of debts. It proved to be much more efficient than the Exchequer and made the system of bonds and recognisances work so effectively. Also it was an expression of King's will, so important for maintaining authority.
103
When was the siege of Bologne?
Took place during the autumn of 1492. Henry VII of England had led an expeditionary force of 12,000 troops across the Channel to Calais and began to besiege the French port of Boulogne on 18 October.
104
How did Henry legitimise his wife?
had Parliament repeal Titulus Regius, the statute that declared Edward IV's marriage invalid and his children illegitimate
105
What did Henry do to strengthen the navy?
He commissioned Europe's first ever – and the world's oldest surviving – dry dock at Portsmouth in 1495
106
How did Henry promote alum trade?
With the assistance of the Italian merchant banker Lodovico della Fava and the Italian banker Girolamo Frescobaldi, Henry VII became deeply involved in the trade by licensing ships, obtaining alum from the Ottoman Empire, and selling it to the Low Countries and in England
107
What did Henry do against livery and maintenance?
He passed laws against "livery" (the upper classes' flaunting of their adherents by giving them badges and emblems) and "maintenance" (the keeping of too many male "servants"). These laws were used shrewdly in levying fines upon those that he perceived as threats.
108
Why were changes to local administration (JPs) still partially effective?
JPs were unpaid which meant a smaller tax bill for law enforcement. Local gentry saw the office as one of local influence and prestige and were therefore willing to serve. Overall, this was a successful area of policy both in terms of efficiency and as a method of reducing the corruption endemic within the nobility of the Middle Ages.
109
What is some useful statistic about Henry's councillors?
From 1485 to 1509 there were a total of 227 royal councillors. But at any one time there were no more than 150 and only some of these attended a meeting of the Royal Council where attendance usually totalled about 40 members.
110
What is some evidence for corruption of the Star Chamber?
In 1504, Sir Richard Empson became Chancellor of the Duchy and President of the Council Learned. He rigorously asserted royal feudal rights and later admitted that he made up feudal dues in more than 80 cases.
111
What was the sign of the potential potency of the navy?
The ‘Regent’. She weighed 600 tonnes and carried 225 cast-iron guns each of which weighed 250 pounds.
