The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The consolidation of power
Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became King Henry VII of England following his victory over
Richard III’s forces at the Battle of Bosworth on 22 nd August 1485.
Tudor for the win Tudor going to lose
1483 Political upheaval Richard had fleet under Lovell at
Promise to marry Elizabeth of York Southampton
Supporters: Sir Giles Daubeney, Sir Robert A beacon system to give early warning in S
Willoughby, Sir James Blount and his Wales Richard based himself at Nottingham
prisoner Earl of Oxford – able to move quickly to any invasion
1484 Essex disorder threat.
Lord Stanley still refused to declare for
Rhys ap Thomas and Sir John Savage,
Henry Tudor, especially as Lord Strange,
nephew of Lord Stanley to back him in Wales
Lord Stanley's eldest son, was held hostage
Lord Stanley shagging his mum by Richard.
Beaufort connected to Sir Edward Courtenay
– Lancastrian support
Charles VIII had given 60,000 francs and
1,800 mercenaries
Key points of Bosworth:
1. Tudor landed and moved into central Wales where the Duke of Buckingham had been –
away from Ricardian loyalists in the South. Took Haverfordwest to show power and
began to recruit followers.
2. Bailiffs at Shrewsbury opened the gates after a message from Sir William Stanley.
3. Stanley left Lichfield just before Henry Tudor arrived, letting him billet troops in the
city.
, 4. Met Lord Stanley and William Stanley his brother at Atherstone although what was
discussed is not known.
5. Philibert de Chandee used his pikemen in an intricate manoeuvre to protect Henry
Tudor.
6. Richard's charge failed after killing Tudor's standard bearer, William Brandon.
7. Sir William Stanley intervened to save Henry Tudor.
He was proclaimed King of England on the battlefield by Lord Stanley.
Establishment of new dynasty: Tudors
He then went to Leicester, where Richard’s remains were interred, then to London where on
3rd August 1495 he was met by the lord mayor.
London public was wooed by pageantry and cheered Henry.
- Pageantry into London – deliberately mimicked Edward IV after battle of Barnet in 1471
– showed to be heir
Unpopularity of Richard III:
Disappearance of princes in the Tower
Meant that Henry was received with ceremony
Issues with Henry’s power:
o Weak claim to throne
» Descended through female line by his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort
» Line was from John of Gaunt’s third wife – their son John Beaufort had been born
before their marriage and was therefore illegitimate
» Victory on battlefield alone which brought him to power
o Existing enemies
Henry’s character and aims:
1471: Henry was 14, Edward IV regained power for the House of York at the Battle of
Tewkesbury – many Lancastrians died/were executed
o Henry fled to France, living as a fugitive in the Duchy of Brittany – knew dangers
of foreign support for imposters, group of trusted followers built in exile
Spoke several languages
No formal experience of estate financial management
Didn’t attend English court
No effective relationship with English political nation
Virtually unknown to English people
Thomas Penn: time as a fugitive proved to be useful political training
Geoffrey Elton: shrewd, calculating and long-headed; eager for money; high intelligence
and determination; steady and daily interest in affairs; restrained
Wallace MacCaffrey:
Wars of the Roses had been ‘an interval of instability’ – Crown was weakened
Henry was a stranger to England – no immediate relations or a reliable body of nobles
to turn to
Henry’s primary aim at the beginning of his reign was consolidating his power…
Dated his reign from 21st August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth, meaning
that anyone who had fought on the Yorkist side was a traitor (attainder)
Public rewarding of key supporters e.g. conferring 11 knighthoods.
Detained Elizabeth of York (daughter of Edward IV) and Earl of Warwick – claim to
throne.
Made it clear by proclamation that Richard III was dead
, Key appointments to Council and household e.g. Sir Reginald Bray made Chancellor of
the Duchy of Lancaster and Sir William Stanley made Chamberlain of the Household.
Arranged coronation for 30th October before the first Parliament on 7th November –
hereditary right to the throne, not because it was sanctioned by Parliament.
Coronation
Designed to impress foreigners and Englishmen and demonstrate God-given right to rule –
confirming decision of the battlefield.
Very traditional but shopped around for best prices as well – extravagance mixed with
financial prudence.
Parliamentary Acts of Attainder against Yorkists who fought at Bosworth – property was
forfeit to Crown, increasing royal income. Increased further when Parliament granted
Henry tunnage and poundage (customs revenues) for life.
First Parliament declared Henry hereditary monarch, attainders reversed/passed, Act of
Resumption – reclaim all land owned by Henry VI
January 1486: Henry married Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV – assumption of
the Crown due to his own claim.
Royal propaganda on the union of the two houses of Lancaster and York e.g. the Tudor
rose was a combination of their two emblems.
September 1489: birth of Prince Arthur
Legislation passed in first Parliament to ensure maintenance of law and order – new
oaths of loyalty especially for Justices of the Peace and annulment of Richard III's Act
making Edward IV's children illegitimate – necessary for marrying Elizabeth of York.
Used experienced clergymen for smooth takeover of power e.g. Thomas Rotherham,
Archbishop of York, to be first Chancellor of England and later Treasurer.
Had time to bring in Morton to be Chancellor and Yorkist Lod Dynham to be permanent
Treasurer.
The same pattern of relying on experienced clerics for continuity was shown in the use of
Bishop Peter Courtenay to be Privy Seal until Richard Fox, a fellow exile, took over.
Elizabeth of York
o Married by the Archbishop of York, Thomas Bourchier, on 18 th January 1486.
o Mother to eight children, four survived to adulthood
o Generous if prudent – remade dresses but rewarded servants and looked after four
sisters.
o May have been overshadowed by mother-in-law, Margaret Beaufort
o Died on her 38th birthday shortly after difficult childbirth, 11th February 1503 and buried
in Westminster Abbey.
Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy
o Sister of both Edward IV and Richard III
o Married to Charles the Bold of Burgundy – key to the Anglo-Burgundian alliance
o Interpreted by traditional Tudor historians as the key foreign opponent of Henry VII
stemming from her obsession with Yorkist revenge on Tudor. Revisionists however
stress her limited financial and military help, only 5,000 men and two fleets. Also relied
on Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire and Philip of Spain – they were willing to allow
her to front their conspiracies.
o Focused on the Low Countries, not on England. As a widow for 26 years she relied on
others.
, Tudor Propaganda
o Extremely impressive – this explains why we still refer to Lambert Simnel and Perkin
Warbeck as 'Pretenders'.
o Tudor rose used as a symbol of reconciliation.
o King Arthur legend based on Winchester Round Table used as namesake for his eldest
son – deliberate use of symbol of honourable kingship
o Heir to Cadwaladr, last of the Welsh kings, used to add to mystique of Henry.
o Beaufort portcullis used in iconography to provide direct descendance from Edward III.
o Endowed window at King's College Cambridge and campaigned for Henry VI to be
canonised – named second son after him to enhance Lancastrian image.
Issue #1: Tudor Dynasty
Many Yorkists still regarded him as a usurper
Potential Yorkist claimants e.g. Earls of Warwick and Lincoln, Edward IV’s nephews
Pretenders who were either Edward V or his brother Richard (the ‘princes in the Tower’)
Influence of Margaret of Burgundy, the dowager duchess of Burgundy – funds enabling
her to help Yorkist claimants
John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, heir of Richard III after the death of Edward, Prince of Wales –
in 1485 he and his brother Edmund had made peace with Henry but this was not to last.
Issue #2: The Lovell rebellion – Viscount Lovell and the Staffords, 1486
o Led by Francis, Viscount Lovell (key supporter of Richard III) and Humphrey Stafford
o Lovell tried to raise a rebellion in Richard’s heartland of support in the North Riding of
Yorkshire
o Stafford tried to draw upon Yorkist supporters in the Midlands
o Crushed by Jasper Tudor
o Lovell managed to escape to Flanders
o Stafford was captured and executed, though his younger brother and accomplice
Thomas was pardoned
o Sanctuary no longer allowed in treason cases
Significance: little Yorkist support in previous heartlands
Result: Easily suppressed
Issue #3: Lambert Simnel and the rebellion of the Earl of Lincoln
Following the Lovell rebellion, Yorkists realised they needed a figurehead who could claim to
be a Yorkist prince and financial support to generate a military threat to Henry.
Figurehead: Lambert Simnel, passed off as Earl of Warwick (imprisoned by Henry)
Plot created by John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln (a claimant himself).
Henry’s response was to display the real Earl of Warwick in London.
Lincoln fled from Henry’s court to join Lovell at the court of Margaret of Burgundy in the
Netherlands, persuading her to support Simnel’s bogus claim to and pay for an invading force
of mercenaries.
Henry’s response:
