Essay
A* Early Tudors Henry VII Exemplar Essay 4
How successful was Henry VII in dealing with the Yorkist challenges to his throne?
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Henry VII practice essay 4How successful was Henry VII in dealing with the Yorkist challenges to his throne?
1. Lambert Simnel and other threats from Lovell and Stafford, calculated mercy deterred future
opposition, marrying Elizabeth of York, pre-dating his reign
2. Perkin Warbeck, had to adopt a foreign policy resting on non-intervention, he prioritised the
dynasty over all other concerns
3. Earl of Suffolk, Henry always reacted quickly and decisively, 51 people connected with the
Earl were attainted (demonstrating how the nobility was suppressed), money raised in other
areas made it possible to deal with Yorkist challenges
Yorkist challenges to the throne of Henry VII included three pretenders – Lambert Simnel,
Perkin Warbeck and the Earl of Suffolk – in addition to conspiracies among the nobility who had
served during the reigns of Henry’s predecessors. The very fact that the king survived all challenges
and was succeeded peacefully by his son suggests that he was overall successful in securing the
Tudor dynasty.
After victory in the Battle of Bosworth on 23rd August 1485, Henry took the throne as a
usurper whose kingship subsequently lacked legitimacy. In terms of dealing with immediate threats
to his unstable position, Henry was extremely successful as he acted decisively in marrying Elizabeth
of York and operated a policy of what many historians label ‘calculated mercy’ towards opponents.
The marriage to a prominent member of the House of York was a shrewd measure that certainly
reduced the level opposition to Henry among Yorkists, since they now had a queen who would
represent their interests. The policy of ‘calculated mercy’ was clearly evident in Henry’s reaction to
the Lovell and Stafford conspiracy, where the rebels were offered the choice of pardon instead of
being simply executed. Again, this marked a change from Henry’s predecessors and discouraged the
Yorkists from dissenting further, given that the new king showed respect for law and order. Henry’s
restoration of the Earl of Surrey’s estates demonstrates how he was prepared to forget Yorkist
loyalties in return for loyal service, which further stabilised the kingdom as the Yorkist nobility
largely accepted the reign of a Lancastrian king. As well as these ‘carrots’, Henry also offered ‘sticks’
as he pre-dated the reign to 22nd August, which meant that he could brand anyone who fought
against him at Bosworth as a traitor, thus providing the pretext for their punishment and removal as
a threat. Despite this, the support gathered by Lambert Simnel shows that opposition to Henry’s
kingship remained widespread. 8000 rebel troops were assembled and forced Henry to engage in a
battle in a field near Stoke in 1487; Henry’s reaction to this challenge was successful in the sense
that the royal army were victorious and Simnel was made a turnspit in the royal kitchen.
In the 1490s, Henry’s success in dealing with Yorkist challenges to his throne can be
measured by his choice to prioritise the dynasty over all other concerns, which made it possible to
defeat any threat from dissidents. Indeed, Henry should be credited with recognising the danger of
Perkin Warbeck so quickly; the pretender gained support from Europe’s leading royal families like
France and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as from Scotland, from which an invasion could easily
have been launched. Subsequently, his threat could have materialised into a genuine challenge to
Henry’s kingship. This did not happen because Henry acted with the upmost tact and efficiency – in
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