What were Henry’s foreign policy aims?
Maintain good relations and defence
No intention of restarting the Hundred Years War with France🇫🇷!
Why did Henry want to maintain positive relations with foreign powers?
National security
Recognition of the Tudor dynasty
Defence of English trading interests
What was Brittany?
A fiefdom of the French crown which had enjoyed effective independence
When did France invade Brittany?
1487
Why did Henry summon parliament in 1489 after the French invasion of Brittany?
To get extraordinary revenue to raise an army against the French
Had a sense of obligation to the Bretons
Feared that direct control of Brittany could increase a potential French threat to England
What was the treaty with England and Brittany?
The treaty of Redon of February 1489
What was involved in the treaty of Redon?
The duchess Anne would pay for a small English army to defend Brittany from the French threat
How did Henry try and strengthen his position against France in 1489?
An alliance with Maximilian the holy Roman emperor elect
He was a widower and had contracted a marriage by proxy with Anne so had no desire for the duchy of Brittany to fall into French hands
What was France?
The most powerful European country
Why was the English army marooned in Brittany?
Anne feared the futility of prolonged resistance to the French
She surrendered and married Charles VIII
How did Henry’s first foreign adventure fail?
Perkin Warbeck sought French backing for his claim to the English throne
Maximilian lost interest
How did Henry recover his position with France?
Launched an invasion of France in 1492
The French quickly sought a peace settlement
Henry knew Charles was more interested in an invasion of Italy
When was the treaty of etaples signed?
November 1492
What did Charles VIII agree to in the treaty of etaples?
Withdraw support for Warbeck
Pay a pension
Where did the bulk of England’s exports go through?
The ports of the Netherlands 🇳🇱 like Antwerp
Came under burgundy’s jurisdiction
Who was Margaret, duchess of burgundy?
Sister of Edward IV and Richard III
leading upholder of the Yorkist cause
Why did relations between England and burgundy deteriorate?
Due to the hospitality which Maximilian and Philip were offering Warbeck
What did Henry do to ease the matter of Burgundy’s support to Warbeck?
Embargo on English trade with Burgundy
What was the issue of Henry’s trade embargo?
Showed Henry was prepared to sacrifice the commercial interests of London and east coast merchants which didn’t help his popularity in these areas
How were the relations between England and Burgundy restored?
Warbeck left Burgundy
Henry and Philip agreed the Intercursus Magnus in 1496 which brought the trade embargo to an end
What did Henry demand in the Intercursus Malus of 1506?
A trade deal which would have given a stronger trading position to English merchants in the Netherlands. Wasn’t enforced though
What were 3 outcomes of the Treaty of Windsor (between England and Burgundy)?
Proposed marriage alliance between Henry and Philip’s sister, the Archduchess Margaret
Intercursus Malus
Philip agreed to hand over the Earl of Suffolk
What was Spain?
Powerful state ruled over by Ferdinand and Isabella
What did the Treaty of Medina del Campo of 1489 give Henry?
Mutual protection in the event of an attack
Agreed not to harbour rebels or pretenders
Marriage alliance between Arthur, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Aragon (married in 1501)
What were the failures of the Treaty of Medina del Campo?
Ferdinand reluctant to allow the marriage as long as Warbeck was a threat
Arguments of size of Catherine’s dowry
What did the death of Arthur in 1502 mean for Henry and Ferdinand’s relationship?
Ferdinand reluctant for Catherine to marry Prince Henry. He didn’t need an English alliance and the marriage would require a papal dispensation (costly!)
What did the death of Isabella in 1504 mean for Henry and Ferdinand’s relationship?
Ferdinand made a less significant political figure so Henry lost enthusiasm for the marriage. He supported Juana not Ferdinand in the succession struggle in Spain
What caused the Treaty of Windsor?
Juana and Philip of Burgundy set sail for Spain in 1506 but ship wrecked at sea so took refuge in England
Why was Philip of Burgundy’s death disastrous for Henry?
Juana went mad due to grief
So Ferdinand became regent of Castile
Ferdinand ensured the marriage between Prince Henry and Catherine wouldn’t happen
When did King James IV offer hospitality to Perkin Warbeck?
1495
What hospitality did Warbeck receive from Scotland?
A pension
An aristocratic marriage
When did James encourage Warbeck to cross the border with an army?
1496
In what way did Warbeck’s invasion fail?
The army was small and received no support from the people of Northumberland
Quickly retreated back over the border when word was received that an English force was making its way north
What did the 1497 Cornish rebellion mean for Anglo Scottish relations?
It was clear that it was in the interests of England and Scotland to secure an immediate truce
When and why was Warbeck executed?
1499
Anglo Scottish relations improved so James had no diplomatic use for Warbeck
What did the Treaty of Perpetual Peace of 1502 between England and Scotland agree?
James should marry Henry’s daughter Margaret
What was the Pale?
The area of land surrounding Dublin
Where Henry’s power extended as far as
Who had power over Ireland?
The descendants of the Geraldines and the Butlers
Who was the dominant figure of Irish power?
the Earl of Kildare, leader of the Geraldines
Lord Deputy of Ireland since 1477
Why was the Earl of Kildare feared by Henry?
Kildare supported Lambert Simnel whom he crowned king of Ireland in 1486
Supported Warbeck in 1491
How did Henry quieten the influence of Kildare?
Ruled the Pale through an Englishman rather than relying on the unreliable Irish aristocracy
Appointed Prince Henry as Lieutenant of Ireland and Sir Edward Poynings as his deputy
How was Poynings successful in establishing royal authority in Ireland?
Threat of force
Use of bribery
Required the Irish parliament to pass Poynings’ Law in 1495
What was Poynings’ Law?
Laid down that the Irish parliament couldn’t pass law without the prior approval of the English crown
Why did Henry end up using Kildare as his deputy?
Poynings too expensive
Warbeck returned to Ireland in 1495 and amassed a force that besieged the town of Waterford
When did Kildare decide to serve Henry loyally? How?
1496
Secured the submission of the various Irish chieftains
Why was Kildare eager to support his former enemy Henry?
Kildare able to use his office to rebuild his family’s fortunes