Henry VIII was the first English king to be called "Your Majesty.". Henry VII comes across as a talented micromanager and financier. When he met Richard III at Bosworth Field, Henry found that his army of dissidents and mercenaries was completely outnumbered. Indeed he was born in winter, on January 28th 1457, in Pembroke Castle, in Wales and that is one of the reasons why the Welsh dragon always formed part of his insignia. The King, normally a reserved man who rarely showed much emotion in public unless angry, surprised his courtiers by his intense grief and sobbing at his son's death, while his concern for the Queen is evidence that the marriage was a happy one, as is his reaction to Queen Elizabeth's death the following year, when he shut himself away for several days, refusing to speak to anyone. Stanleys betrayal led to a complete security overhaul and his privy chamber going into lockdown. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. After obtaining the dispensation, Henry had second thoughts about the marriage of his son and Catherine. Henry was devastated. It was no easy feat. Edward would have liked to rid himself of Henry, a rival to his throne, but Francis kept Henry safe. The first rising, that of Lord Lovell, Richard IIIs chamberlain, in 1486 was ill-prepared and unimportant, but in 1487 came the much more serious revolt of Lambert Simnel. [38], Unlike his predecessors, Henry VII came to the throne without personal experience in estate management or financial administration. ), The Reign of Henry VII. In 1502 the death of his heir Arthur left the dynasty's prospects with Arthur's 10-year-old brother, Henry. He spent money lavishly, held big parties. Martin Luther 95 thesis. More wrote that this King is loved and compared Henrys accession to the coming of a new season, a new spring following a winter of repression. [57], In 1506, Henry extorted the Treaty of Windsor from Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy. Four good reasons to indulge in cryptocurrency! Soon after his fathers burial on 10 May, Henry suddenly declared that he would indeed marry Catherine, leaving unresolved several issues concerning the papal dispensation and a missing part of the marriage portion. [29] Henry secured his crown principally by dividing and undermining the power of the nobility, especially through the aggressive use of bonds and recognisances to secure loyalty. But definitely rewarding! [17] Now supported by Francis II's prime minister, Pierre Landais, Richard III attempted to extradite Henry from Brittany, but Henry escaped to France. For many he remained a usurper, a false king. The Merchant Adventurers, the company which enjoyed the monopoly of the Flemish wool trade, relocated from Antwerp to Calais. [32], Next, in 1487, Yorkists led by Lincoln rebelled in support of Lambert Simnel, a boy they claimed to be Edward of Warwick (who was actually a prisoner in the Tower). I wasn't disappointed because, as usual, he did a great job with the narration. Life at court was merry under Henry 8th, a fresh new beginning likened to springtime. Why was Henry VII called the Winter King? Henry VIII Books Exploring the Best Books on Englands Most Infamous King, 18 February 1516 The birth of Queen Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Henry VII can look a dull king, so dull that Thomas Penn's title omits his name. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Catherine's mother Isabella I of Castile had died and Catherine's sister Joanna had succeeded her; Catherine was, therefore, daughter of only one reigning monarch and so less desirable as a spouse for Henry VII's heir-apparent. Luther made a protest against the Catholic practice of Indulgences. His spies and informers were everywhere. He led attempted invasions of Ireland in 1491 and England in 1495, and persuaded James IV of Scotland to invade England in 1496. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. If Penn's interpretation can sometimes seem slanted, its exposition would be hard to over-praise. Old rivalries simmered, however. Henry gained the support of the Woodvilles, in-laws of the late Edward IV, and sailed with a small French and Scottish force, landing at Mill Bay near Dale, Pembrokeshire. Penn went on to show Henry VIIs wax funeral effigy, which I saw on my recent trip to London, and which shows his fine-boned features and his crooked eye, but also a face bearing the signs of stress and illness. Iain Hollingshead reviews Henry VII: Winter King, a BBC Two documentary which examines how the first Tudor monarch came to power and went on to have a 23-year reign. Thus, the two warring houses were joined in marriage. February 7 Sir Francis Bryan loses an eye and Henry VIII has a new love, An interview with historical novelist Sandra Byrd, Henry VIII and His Six Wives event open for registration. Gaunt's nephew Richard II legitimised Gaunt's children by Swynford by Letters Patent in 1397. Philip died shortly after the negotiations. Hidden under the floor in St George's Chapel in Windsor, England where thousands of people walk every day, a forgotten tomb lies. I had an idea Henry VII was a force for stability; in fact he was a terrifying kleptocrat, abusing the law with arbitrary fines and imprisonment, scheming to effectively steal entire estates and wring every penny out of subjects as well as impose political control through financial means. Elizabeth of York was Queen consort of England as spouse of King Henry VII from 1486 until her death on February 11th, 1503. There's a lot of cloak-and-dagger stuff here, something Henry and certain of his counselors seemed especially skilled at, and it was those parts that I particularly enjoyed. ||sitemap_index.xml Their powers and numbers steadily increased during the time of the Tudors, never more so than under Henry's reign. 'Meeting between Francis I and Henry VIII at the Field of Cloth of Gold on 7 June 1520,' a painting by Friedrich August Bouterwek. Elizabeth had died in childbirth, so Henry had the dispensation also permit him to marry Catherine himself. Author of, Assistant Master and Professor of History, Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. [69] The wedding never took place, and the physical description Henry sent with his ambassadors of what he desired in a new wife matched the description of his wife Elizabeth. Much of the ruthless machinery of control was designed to deal with ongoing challenged like pretenders and Yorkist sleepers and expats. Since he was the second son, and not expected to become king, we know little of his childhood until the death of his older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales. Thank you for subscribing. Henry VII, also called (145785) Henry Tudor, earl of Richmond, (born January 28, 1457, Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Walesdied April 21, 1509, Richmond, Surrey, England), king of England (14851509), who succeeded in ending the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York and founded the Tudor dynasty . There were too many powerful noblemen and, as a consequence of the system of so-called bastard feudalism, each had what amounted to private armies of indentured retainers (mercenaries masquerading as servants). Henry came to the throne following the death of his father, Henry VII. [36] However, he spared Warwick's elder sister Margaret, who survived until 1541 when she was executed by Henry VIII. So Henry was a valuable bargaining tool, whose fate always depended on what relations were between England and France, always tainted by the recent Hundred Years War, and how Brittany sought to ward off threats to its own independence. I picked this audiobook up because it was narrated by Simon Vance. Well written and really interesting about an often ignored king. After his victory at Bosworth Field, Henry married Edward IVs daughter Elizabeth of York. [35] In 1499, Henry had the Earl of Warwick executed. In 1485, history was about to be changed for ever by a man who was a refugee, a fugitive whod spent half his life on the run and with barely a claim to the throne: Henry Tudor. I thought the book was well written, even though a bit dry is spots. Castles of . This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. Here was a young man who enjoyed jousting, who enjoyed chatting with the other knights in the tiltyard and with people of low degree. Moneywise, King Henry the VII was frugal and careful with money. The usual courts and justice system were totally circumvented, and there was no chance of appeal other than purchasing extremely high priced royal pardons. The rest, as we say, is history; Richard III was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth and Henry Tudor had arrived out of nowhere and avenged the death of the little princes in the tower, although there is some debate as to who was actually responsible for their murder. [76] He was succeeded by his second son, Henry VIII (reigned 150947), who would initiate the Protestant Reformation in England. The union was both symbolic and necessary. Henry VII The Winter King is also the title of a book by Thomas Penn, and a useful read. [47], Henry VII's policy was to maintain peace and to create economic prosperity. Still, as Penn observes, the national sense of relief in 1509 was palpable. He created the Tudor dynasty. The treaty marks a shift from neutrality over the French invasion of Brittany to active intervention against it. For inheriting an unstable throne, holding it for 25 year and leaving England relatively stable, Henry VII deserves his own biography and a lot more credit. He likens the beginning of Henry VIIIs reign to a metaphorical spring, a second coming of sorts because Henry VIII seemed to be the opposite of his father. [citation needed], In 1502, Henry VII's life took a difficult and personal turn in which many people he was close to died in quick succession. I am glad to say that I think it does, for it concentrates on the reign, and court, of Henry VII, giving a different slant to the well known story. [52] He also concluded the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with Scotland (the first treaty between England and Scotland for almost two centuries), which betrothed his daughter Margaret Tudor to King James IV of Scotland. On 7th August 1485, he dropped anchor at Mill Bay, Milford Haven, and when he reached the beach he prayed Judge me, O Lord, and favour my cause. The odds were stacked against him in his quest to take the throne of England. Accordingly, he arranged a papal dispensation from Pope Julius II for Prince Henry to marry his brother's widow Catherine, a relationship that would have otherwise precluded marriage in the Church. Based on the terms of the accord, Henry sent 6000 troops to fight (at the expense of Brittany) under the command of Lord Daubeney. She was a great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (fourth son of Edward III), and his third wife Katherine Swynford. France, Burgundy, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain and the Hanseatic League all rejected the treaty, which was never in force. Why is this ambitious? Its restoration by the Magnus Intercursus was very much to England's benefit in removing taxation for English merchants and significantly increasing England's wealth. [74] Margaret Tudor wrote letters to her father declaring her homesickness, but Henry could do nothing but mourn the loss of his family and honour the terms of the peace treaty he had agreed to with the King of Scotland. He was the first monarch of the House of Tudor. [24][17][25] He was 29 years old, she was 20. Henry responded to this threat by embedding spies into households. You can find out more on the conflicts between England and France, the Wars of the Roses and also the Tudors in our history courses. [43] According to the contemporary historian Polydore Vergil, simple "greed" underscored the means by which royal control was over-asserted in Henry's final years. [51], Henry VII was one of the first European monarchs to recognise the importance of the newly united Spanish kingdom; he concluded the Treaty of Medina del Campo, by which his son Arthur, Prince of Wales, was married to Catherine of Aragon. Through luck, guile, and ruthlessness, Henry VII, the first of the Tudor kings, emerged as rulerbut as a fugitive with a flimsy claim to England's throne, he remained a usurper and false king to many, and his hold on power was precarious. [67], Henry made half-hearted plans to remarry and beget more heirs, but these never came to anything. His supportive policy toward England's wool industry and his standoff with the Low Countries had long-lasting benefit to the English economy. There are an awful lot of books written about the Tudor era, both fiction and non-fiction, so you have to ask whether this book adds anything new. An ally of Henry's, Viscount Jean du Qulennec[fr], soon arrived, bringing news that Francis had recovered, and in the confusion Henry was able to flee to a monastery. With the English economy heavily invested in wool production, Henry VII became involved in the alum trade in 1486. He was probably baptised at St Mary's Church, Pembroke,[1] though no documentation of the event exists. [64] This made Henry VII's second son, Henry, Duke of York, heir apparent to the throne. [12], Henry lived in the Herbert household until 1469, when Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (the "Kingmaker"), went over to the Lancastrians. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In turn, Antwerp became an extremely important trade entrept (transshipment port), through which, for example, goods from the Baltic, spices from the east and Italian silks were exchanged for English cloth. The rebellion began in Ireland, where the historically Yorkist nobility, headed by the powerful Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, proclaimed Simnel king and provided troops for his invasion of England. It was really very well researched and painstakingly written. Elizabeth of York (11 February 1466 11 February 1503) was Queen of England from her marriage to King Henry VII on 18 January 1486 until her death. To say the least, Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England is quite an interesting read. The King was heavily guarded. He was the founder of the Tudor dynasty, and his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville brought together the too sides that were facing off during the Wars of the Roses (the Lancasters and the Yorks) basically uniting the two houses into a single family. He spent most of the next 14 years under the protection of Francis II, Duke of Brittany. His first chance came in 1483 when his aid was sought to rally Lancastrians in support of the rebellion of Henry Stafford, duke of Buckingham, but that revolt was defeated before Henry could land in England. Supported at one time or another by France, by Maximilian I of Austria, regent of the Netherlands (Holy Roman emperor from 1493), by James IV of Scotland, and by powerful men in both Ireland and England, Perkin three times invaded England before he was captured at Beaulieu in Hampshire in 1497. Most often asked questions related to bitcoin. The rebellion was defeated and Lincoln killed at the Battle of Stoke. Henry was the only child of Edmund Tudor , Earl of Richmond , and Margaret Beaufort . Both were survivors and as united in death as in life, as their tomb in Westminster Abbey illustrates. This book is a nonfiction look at King Henry the VII. Sometimes, Penn explained, charges against people were fabricated so that they would have to pay a fine, for example, a man who was charged with murdering a child and who was found guilty because the jury was rigged. Edmund was created Earl of Richmond in 1452, and "formally declared legitimate by Parliament". On the other side of the coin, instead of the cross, was a Tudor rose and the arms of England. [citation needed] Following the example of Edward IV, Henry VII created a Council of Wales and the Marches for his son Arthur, which was intended to govern Wales and the Marches, Cheshire and Cornwall. No. Updates? 1845. The father's government was an exercise in discoloration. Henry the eighth was a renaissance King. Get help and learn more about the design. He had brought the country to the brink of dynastic ambition, but not quite, so his closest advisers kept his death secret until St Georges Day, the annual meeting of the Order of the Garter. [15], By 1483, Henry's mother was actively promoting him as an alternative to Richard III, despite her being married to Lord Stanley, a Yorkist. Fittingly he dressed in expensive black. [72] Immediately afterwards, Henry became very sick and nearly died himself, allowing only his mother Margaret Beaufort near him: "privily departed to a solitary place, and would that no man should resort unto him. Henry VII (28 January 1457 - 21 April 1509) was King of England from his seizure of the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death in 1509. Not only was . What are the differences between Henry VII and Henry VIII? There he found more English fugitives, willing to invade England in support of Henry, and bearing news that Richard III had serious plans to marry the princess Elizabeth himself. I was disappointed by this it was decent but I think it was somewhat overhyped. When they married in 1396 they already had four children, including Henry's great-grandfather John Beaufort. [77][78] His mother died two months later on 29 June 1509. For me, history is alive and energizing - not something static and remote. The rebels were defeated (June 1487) in a hard-fought battle at Stoke (East Stoke, near Newark in Nottinghamshire), where the doubtful loyalty of some of the royal troops was reminiscent of Richard IIIs difficulties at Bosworth. The devastated King became so ill that he was close to death, but then he recovered and Penn explains that when he took control once more, he was remorseless. Overblown prose trumpeting his reign seemed to be the order of the day. [citation needed], Henry's most successful diplomatic achievement as regards the economy was the Magnus Intercursus ("great agreement") of 1496.