Henry VII

Henry VII

1485

• 21st August --> Date backdated he was King so he could punish those against as traitors
• 22nd August --> Won Battle of Bosworth against Richard of York
• 30th October --> Coronation - before parliament/ marriage so showed he didn't need their help and could do it alone
• 7th November --> First Parliament. Legitimised his blood line, backdated reign and made Richard an usurper to his nephews (made him less liked and Henry more liked).
• Jasper Tudor appointed to Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
• Jps given power to arrest
• Act of Resumption allowed Henry to take back land given by previous monarchs

1486

• 16th January --> Papal Bull arrives allowing Henry and Elizabeth to marry. Pope states will excommunicate anyone who questions this
• 18th January --> Henry and Elizabeth of York marry - uniting houses and honouring deal made by their mothers
• April - May --> Lovell Rebellion. Tries to raise troops to remove Henry from throne but pardon offered which was taken. Thomas Stafford pardoned/ Humphrey executed/ Lovell fled to Flanders
• Start of the Simnel Rebellion --> Lamber Simnel posing as Earl of Warwick as directed by Richard Symonds. Crowned king of England by Lord Kildare and Irish nobles. Henry responded by declaring fewer lesser nobles as traitors, displaying the real Earl of Warwick, and placing Elizabeth of York under house arrest.

1487

• 16th June --> Battle of Stoke Field culminated Simnel threat. Margaret of Burgundy was fled to by Earl of Lincoln and Lovell. She sent 2,000 German mercenaries to help. Failed to attract support. Henry had 12,000 men whereas Lincoln had 8,000. Yorkists were forced to surrender after 3 hours. Symonds sent to Bishop's prison and Simnel worked in Royal kitchens. 28 nobles attained.
• Council Learned in Law established --> 12 specialised members (new men/lawyers). Acted as debt collecting agency and drew up bonds and recognisances.
• First law against retaining passed --> only lawful retaining allowed and fines per extra retainer.
• JPs given right to grant bail
• Henry begins to restore the Chamber - replaced exchequer as more flexible and good accounting system with Henry at centre
• First Parliamentary tax to pay for Battle of Stoke Field

1488

• July --> 3 year truce negotiated with France
• Start of the Breton Crisis. Henry sends 100 men to help mediate between France and Brittany. Bretons were defeated by France and the Treaty of Sable allowed France to claim custody of Anne of Brittany and right to annex Brittany
• Venetians impose huge duty on Malmsey wine

1489

• Yorkshire Rebellion --> didn't want to pay tax for Breton Crisis. Henry Percy was killed when collecting tax. They didn't have to pay it but the leaders were killed.
• Thomas Earl of Surrey (Yorkist who fought for Richard at Bosworth) was released from prison and put in charge of Council of the North due to Henry Percy's death. this was because he'd shown loyalty by turning down chance to join Simnel Rebellion
• Treaty of Medina Del Campo with Spain. Outlined marriage between Catherine and Arthur with Catherine's 100,000 crown dowry. Spain wouldn't support English rebels and they would support each other if they went to war with France (useful due to Breton Crisis). Help Spain get land in Pyrenees and England get land in Normandy (didn't happen). Reduced tariffs on trade.
• Treaty of Redon with Brittany - would send 6,000 men if Brittany paid for them
• Second Parliamentary tax to pay for War with France (Breton Crisis)
• Treaty with Denmark - English shipping rights in Icelandic waters

1490

• Spain recalled their 2,000 troops from Brittany and Maximilian recalled his men
• Treaty with Florence --> made Florence the only outlet in Italy for English wool- made Venetians back down and reduce duties on Malmsey wine as they hated Florence

1491

• Brittany accepted defeat and Anne married Charles VIII of France
• Hanseatic League conference in Antwerp --> Edward IV has exempted duties on good exported from English ports in return for access to Hans ports but had never been given this. Henry wanted to bypass the League and trade wool and cloth for grain in Northern ports. An act was passed forbidding foreign ships from carrying unfinished cloth, couldn't take money out of England or punish English merchants who captured Hans ships. Still refused access to Hans ports.
• Start of the Perkin Warbeck threat

1492

• Henry invaded France. Did it in Winter as had no intention of fighting and knew France were focussing on Italy so wouldn't want to fight either.
• Treat of Etaples --> no aid given to English rebels; pension begun which became 5% Henry's annual income; high duties present during the crisis were removed but France still got Brittany.

1493

• Council of Wales re-established under Jasper Tudor with Arthur given the title Prince of Wales

1494

• Starts to reorganise Council of Ireland

1495

• Ponying's Law introduced in Ireland --> Irish parliament could only be summoned to pass laws with Henry's approval and any English laws had to be applied in Ireland
• JPs given powers to deal with corrupt juries
• England joined the League of Venice

1496

• 3rd Parliamentary tax --> pay for Perkin Warbeck threat
• England joins Holy League

1497

• Parkin Warbeck threat ended --> claim to be Richard IV from the Tower. Arrived in Ireland in 1491 but no support. Welcomed in French court in 1492 but Treaty of Etaples forced out. Went to Margaret of Burgundy. Went to Scotland and received a lot of support from James IV - given money; house in Royal household and married to cousin. Scotland invades England in 1497, failed resulting in Treaty of Ayrton and Warbeck's capture
• Magnus Intercursus --> removed trade embargo placed on Burgundy during the Perkin Warbeck threat. English merchants could sell goods wholesale anywhere in Burgundy's lands - except Flanders- without paying any tolls
• Treaty of Ayrton --> Ended the Perkin Warbeck threat. Truce between traditional enemies. Arranged a marriage between Margaret and James. Only become full peace treaty when Warbeck executed
• Unrestricted trade between France and England
• Cabot reached America but dies on journey - Henry acted as patron giving him £50
• Cornish Rebellion --> didn't want to pay tax for Scottish invasion. Marched into London with 15,000 men - questioned security - and the Battle of Blackheath Hill occurred. Leaders were executed.

1499

• Warbeck and Earl of Warwick executed after supposed attempt to break free from the Tower

1501

• 14th November --> Arthur and Catherine marry

1502

• 24tj January --> Treaty of Perpetual Peace. Signed with Scotland. First major peace since 1328
• April --> Prince Arthur dies of sweating sickness. Henry realise he needs another son in case anything happened to Henry
• Applies for Papal dispensation to allow Henry and himself to marry Catherine

1503

• February --> Elizabeth of York dies during childbirth. Henry heartbroken and becomes more erratic in his decisions. Wants t find a wife and over protective of Henry as only son and no way to get more.

1504

• Second act against Retaining --> need a license to retain from the King, however it was quite easy to get around paying the fee for the license
• Isabella of Spain dies - Ferdinand has less power and Philip of Burgundy gains more as is married to Joanna of Castille. Henry begins to court Philip
• Hanseatic League settlement Edward IV's terms restored but Henry back down as he feared the league would support the Yorkist Earl of Suffolk

1506

• Philip of Burgundy shipwrecked in England. This led to the Malus Intercursus - free trade between England and the Low Countries but they had to continue paying England.
• Treaty of Windsor --> Malus Intercursus and return of the Earl of Suffolk who was thrown into the Tower
• Philip of Burgundy dies. Malus Intercursus never put into place and Magnus returns. Ferdinand takes over Castille so gains more power. Henry had tried to isolate Ferdinand so now in a vulnerable position

1507

• Royal Printing Press established

1508

• League of Cambria formed --> France, Spain and Pope against Venice. England not invited. Not fully vulnerable as their attention was on Venice but if not, could lack security

1509

• John Cabot's son, Sebastian, tries to find the North-West passage around America to Asia. He discovers hudson Bay (Canada)
• Henry dies 21st April