The Consolidation of Power Flashcards
(52 cards)
What did king Henry VII’s reign victory at the Battle of Bosworth mean for England?
•The victory against Richard 3rd terminated Plantagenet rule in England and saw the establishment of a new dynasty - The Tudor dynasty
When did Henry gain victory over Richard 3rd?
•At the battle of Bosworth in 22nd August 1485
Was Henry’s grasp of power successful at first?
•No, it was insecure
Why was Henry establishment of power insecure?
•He has virtually no discernible claim to the throne
•He had many enemies who wanted to see him dead
Why was it essential for Henry to consolidate his power?
•It was essential for Henry to consolidate his power by establishing his dynasty to ensure that any rivals got the throne were dealt with efficiently
Why was his claim to the throne weak?
•He was descended through the female line represented by his mother, Lady Margret Beaufort
• More importantly, the line came from John Gaunte third wife whose son, John, had been born out of wedlock and therefore seen illegitimate
What alone brung him kingship?
•His victory in the battlefield
Why was there no serious anger against Richard’s Death
Why did the London public, wooed by pageantry and ceremony, cheer for Henry?
•Although the display of a new monarch and wealth was remarkable
•In truth, by this point, Richard had became such sn object of suspicion because of the disappearance of the princes of the tower, it didn’t matter who Henry was or how slender his claim was to the throne
When did Henry make the journey to London where he met the Lord Mayor?
•3rd September 1485
Why did Henry flee to France when he was 14?
•In 1471 Edward IV regained power for the House of York in the battle of Tewkesbury in which many Lancastrians (Henry’s family) died or were executed
•He then fled to France where he lived as a fugitive in the Duchy of Brittany
What did historian Thomas Penn say about Henry as a fugitive?
•Henry’s ability to think like a fugitive proved to be useful political training for his future as ruler
What was Henry’s primary aim when he first took the throne?
•Consolidate his power to ensure he kept the throne
•He did this by a number of political actions combined with military success
What immediate actions did Henry take to consolidate his power?
•He dated his reign from 21 August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth, thereby ensuring that anyone who fought in the Yorkist side could be designated a traitor and Henry could influence them
•He publicly rewarded many of his key supporters eg conferring knighthoods
•He arranged to have the Earl of Warick, Edward IV’s nephew, detained as he could be seen as having a much greater claim to the throne
•He made key appointments to his council and household eg making Sir Reginald Bray chancellor of the Ducky of Lancaster and Sir William Stanley Chamberlain of the Household
Who is sir William Stanley?
•The brother of Thomas Stanley, the Earl of Derby,
•Henry’s Step uncle
•Was rewarded with the post of Lord chamberlain following bosworth
•This gave him considerable political influence
•Later accused of treason, a big shock
What later actions did Henry take to consolidate his power?
•Arranged his coronation to take place on 30th October before the letting of his first parliament on 7 November - in doing this he demonstrated that his right to the throne was based on hereditary right and not because of parliamentary sanction
•He passed Parliamentary acts of Attainder (declared a landowner guilty of rebelling against a monarch ; they lost their title, lands and even lives. Their heirs were disinherited) against Yorkists who had fought at Bosworth
•This was further enhanced when Parliment granted Henry the customs revenues of tonnage and poundage for life
What did Henry do in January 1486 and what was the significance of this event?
•He married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of King Edward IV
•By waiting until the other steps towards the consolidation of power has been completed, Henry was able to ensure that his assumption of the crown was not brought about by his wife’s claim to the throne
•However he was able to exploit in Royal propaganda the union of the two houses- Lancanster and York
•This marriage led to the last vital step in securing the dynasty- The birth of an heir, Prince Arthur in September 1486
Were Yorkists satisfied with Henry?
•Many Yorkists were not satisfied with his marriage to Elizabeth
•Still regarded him as a Usurper
Which figure did Henry fear the most and why?
•Margaret Of Burgundy
•The sister of Edward IV and Richard III
•She never reconciled to the Tudor takeover and as the dowager Duchess of Butgandy she had access to funds which enabled her to encourage the ambitions of Yorkist claimants
What was the first (minor) rising against Henry that occurred at Easter 1486?
•The Viscount and the Stafford rising
•Led by Francis, Viscount Lovell who had prospered as a key supporter of Richard III
•Also led by Humphrey Stafford
How did the Lovell and Stafford rising begin?
•Lovell tried to raise a rebellion in Richard III’s heartland of support — The North Riding of Yorkshire
•Simultaneously, Stafford tried to raise forces against Henry, drawing upon a Yorkist area in the midlands
What happened to Lovell and Stafford
•Lovell managed to escape from the kings forces but Stafford was captured and executed
•Staffords you her brother, an accomplice, was pardoned
Why was the Lovell and Stafford uprising a failure?
•There was a lack of enthusiasm
•Even at the most popular Yorkist areas
•Very easily suppressed
After the Lovell rebellion what 2 strategy’s did the yorkists realize they needed to employ to become more successful?
•They needed a figure head who could claim to be a Yorkist Prince
•Needed financial support to generate a significant military threat to Henry
