Henry VII and Regional Issues

Question 1

Councils to govern regions

Answer 1

Henry VII established councils to maintain order over regions. These included the Council of the North, the Council of Wales and the Council of Ireland. As well as this, England owned a small part of France, called Calais. Council representatives were often unwelcome in different regions.

Question 2

Regional tensions

Answer 2

The King’s authority did not extend across all of England. Henry VII’s power was limited in some areas of Wales and the Palatines of Durham and Chester.

Question 3

Regional identities

Answer 3

Henry VII wanted to strengthen cultural ties across England. But this was met with resistance because there were still strong regional identities. For example, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Wales, Ireland and Calais all had distinct cultures.

Question 4

Cornish Rebellion 1497

Answer 4

Henry VII raised taxes in Cornwall to pay to defend England’s northern border against Scotland and Perkin Warbeck. Cornwall was a very poor region and rebellion erupted. This was the most serious rebellion of Henry’s reign. An army of rebels reached Blackheath, near London where there was a battle in June. Hundreds of the rebels were killed and the leaders executed. Perkin Warbeck tried to use Cornish discontent later in the year by landing in Cornwall and stirring up rebels in his cause.

Question 5

Yorkshire Rebellion 1489

Answer 5

Henry VII raised taxes in northern England for a conflict to protect the south coast.
Rebellion broke out in April 1489 leading to the murder of the King’s tax collector, the Earl of Northumberland. His murder was a direct attack on royal authority in an area with Yorkist sympathies. The rebels were defeated by forces led by the Earl of Surrey.
Henry pardoned most rebels. Henry did not raise another tax in the north of England.