Foreign Policy Introduction
Compared to previous kings, Henry had a very defensive foreign policy.
He had no plans to assert himself in Europe, or even in France, where
English kings of the past had nearly always asserted a claim. This was him
attempting to maintain good relations.
When Henry came to the throne, he faced a series of challenges to his
reign. There was a threat of invasion not only from other claimants, but
from France and Scotland – England’s traditional enemies. With both of
these countries allied together, they could attack England on two fronts.
Henry’s claim to the throne was weak, and he was seen as a usurper by
many. This meant that not only could European leaders use this to exploit
him, but they could also support other claimants. England was also quite
financially weak at this time, and so he wanted to avoid costly war with
other countries.
Aims
To gain support and recognition for the Tudor dynasty from other
European nations.
To improve England’s economic position through trade.
To prevent a war/invasion (especially from France and Scotland).
As Henry was a usurper, getting recognition from major European families
was incredibly important, as it would further legitimise his rule.
The order in which Henry tried to deal with these problems:
1. Recognition of the Tudor dynasty
2. Stimulate overseas trade and defend English trading interests.
3. National security
Although this order was not used in every situation, it was generally the
case.
1485-92: a period when Henry followed a policy of diplomacy to secure the
throne. This was generally successful as he signed treaties and
trade agreements with France, Brittany, Scotland, Spain, and the
Holy Roman Empire. However, this was undermined by the
appearance of Lambert Simnel, who challenged Henry’s security
and the initial agreements he had made.
1493-1502: peace with Scotland was eventually secured. Henry’s position
appears to be stronger, and his policy more successful. He signs
several treaties with Spain, and his son, Arthur, marries Catherine of
Aragon.
1503-09: Henry’s position weakens, and he becomes more isolated. His wife
and son die within a year of each other. Spain decides to sign a
treaty with France instead of with England.
Brittany and France
, When France attempted to invade and take over the independent
Brittany, Henry was torn between who he should support. One the one
hand, the Duchy of Brittany had sheltered him in his exile, and if France
was to gain control of the area, all of the channel coast would belong to
France. However, France had funded Henry’s invasion in 1485, and he
didn’t want to anger them, as France was an incredibly powerful nation
and was allied to Scotland.
Scotland
Scotland was more of a nuisance than a threat. There were frequent
border raids, and it was expensive for the English to maintain the
expensive military bases on the border. However, although Scotland was
not that powerful on its own, its alliance with France meant that England
could be attacked in different places simultaneously.
Spain
Spain was a new major power in Europe, as the marriage of Ferdinand of
Aragon and Isabella of Castille brought their two kingdoms together. They
had ongoing conflict with the moors in Granada, and they wanted to
reclaim land from France in the north. This meant that they were likely to
come into conflict with France and were therefore likely allies for England.
Burgundy
Burgundy was incredibly important for English trade, as Antwerp (in
Burgundy) was a huge trading centre, particularly for wool and cloth.
However, Margaret of Burgundy, Richard III’s sister, continually supported
Yorkist claimants and dissidents, offering them money, shelter, and troops
to overthrow Henry. This was a direct threat to his rule, but the
importance of the cloth trade made action against Margaret/Burgundy
more complicated.
The Holy Roman Empire
Although it appeared to be large and strong, the power of the emperor
was limited, even though Frederick III and Maximilian did much to
strengthen it. It had claims to lands in Italy, so it focussed most of its
attention on that. The empire became of greater interest to England when
Maximilian married Mary of Burgundy.
Italy
Italy didn’t exist as a country in 1485, but was a collection of states, the
most important of which were Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, and the
Papal States. The rulers of France, Spain and the empire all had claims to
land there, so much of Europe’s attention in this time was focussed of
Italy, which made henry’s position less vulnerable.
Relationships with Other Countries
