Henry VII & Succession

Securing the Tudor Succession

To secure the Tudor dynasty, Henry VII needed to have a male heir. As well as establishing a line of Tudor succession, Henry VII needed to get rid of potential Yorkist heirs to the throne.

Lambert Simnel

Lambert Simnel pretended to be Edward, Earl of Warwick.
Simnel was welcomed in Ireland by the Earl of Kildare and was crowned king of England there.
Although the real Earl of Warwick was alive, a rebellion still erupted.
The rebels, led by the Earl of Lincoln fought Henry VII's forces at the Battle of Stoke in 1487.
Several leading Yorkists were killed and Simnel was arrested.
Henry VII capitalised on the death of leading Yorkists and gained oaths of loyalties from other Yorkists.

Perkin Warbeck

Perkin Warbeck pretended to be Richard, Duke of York, the younger son of Edward IV who had disappeared in 1483.
Warbeck was welcomed in France until the Treaty of Étaples and later Burgundy.
In 1497, Warbeck allied himself to King James IV of Scotland.
Warbeck landed in England and tried to gather support.
He was executed in 1499, along with Edward, Earl of Warwick.
Henry VII was able to make useful foreign alliances as he dealt with Warbeck.

Edmund de la Pole

Unlike Simnel and Warbeck, Edmund de la Pole had a genuine claim to the throne.
He had grievances against Henry VII, including losing some land to the Crown, having to pay a relief of £5,000 and being demoted from Duke to Earl.
Edmund de la Pole fled England for the Holy Roman Empire in 1501.
Henry VII arrested members of his family and friends.
In 1506, Henry VII negotiated the handing over of Edmund from the Holy Roman Empire. He agreed not to execute him.
De la Pole stayed in the Tower of London until he was executed in 1513.

Historical assessment

Historian Jez Ross (2012) argues that 'Henry VII was never in serious danger of losing his throne to either a rebellion or a conspiracy.' Two factors would need to combine to make this happen:
- 'First, those seeking the throne needed to be credible and viable alternatives to him.'
- 'Second, Henry VII had to be isolated and there needed to be enough domestic support for an invasion to ensure that it did not look like a self-interested act of political speculation by either foreign powers or isolated English malcontents.'

1Consolidation of the Tudor Dynasty 1485-1547

1.1Henry VII 1485-1509

1.1.1Henry VII's Consolidation of Power

1.1.2Henry VII & Succession

1.1.3Henry VII's Councils & Parliament

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Henry VII Part 1

1.1.5Henry VII & Justice, Finance & Policies

1.1.6Henry VII's Relationship with Foreign Powers

1.1.7Henry VII & Society

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Henry VII Part 2

1.1.9Henry VII & Regional Issues

1.1.10Henry VII & Economic Development

1.1.11Henry VII & Cultural Development

1.1.12End of Topic Test - Henry VII Part 3

1.2Henry VIII 1509-1547

1.2.1Henry VIII's Consolidation of Power

1.2.2Henry VIII & His Government

1.2.3Henry VIII & His Government 2

1.2.4End of Topic Test - Henry VIII Part 1

1.2.5Henry VIII & Succession

1.2.6Henry VIII's Relationship with Foreign Powers

1.2.7Henry VIII & Society

1.2.8End of Topic Test -Henry VIII Part 2

1.2.9Henry VIII & Society 2

1.2.10Henry VIII & Economic Development

1.2.11Henry VIII & Religion

1.2.12End of Topic Test - Henry VIII Part 3

2England: Turmoil & Triumph 1547-1603

2.1Instability & Consolidation 1547-1563

2.1.1Edward VI, Somerset & Northumberland

2.1.2Edward VI & Authority

2.1.3Edward VI & Relations with Foreign Powers

2.1.4End of Topic Test - Edward VI Part 1

2.1.5Edward VI & Rebellions

2.1.6Social Impact of Religious & Economic Changes

2.1.7Edward VI & Cultural Developments

2.1.8End of Topic Test - Edward VI Part 2

2.1.9Mary I & Her Rule

2.1.10Mary I & Relations with Foreign Powers

2.1.11The Social Impact of Religious & Economic Change

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Mary Part 1

2.1.13Elizabeth I & Her Rule

2.1.14Elizabeth I & Relations With Foreign Powers

2.1.15Impact of Economic, Social & Religious Change

2.1.16End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 1

2.2The Triumph of Elizabeth 1563-1603

2.2.1Elizabeth I & Court

2.2.2Elizabeth & Government

2.2.3Elizabeth I & Succession

2.2.4End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 2

2.2.5Mary Queen of Scots

2.2.6Relations with Spain

2.2.7End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 3

2.2.8Elizabeth I & Society

2.2.9Elizabeth I & Rebellion

2.2.10Elizabeth & Economic Development

2.2.11End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 4

2.2.12Elizabeth I & Religious Developments

2.2.13The English Renaissance

2.2.14Elizabeth's Last Years

2.2.15End of Topic Test - Elizabeth I Part 5

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