History: A-Level
England, 1509-1603: Authority, nation and religion
BACKGROUND EXTENDED KNOWLEDGE
- Henry VI was king of England from 1422-1461 HENRY TUDOR: A BACKGROUND
- Indecisive & easily influenced by powerful nobility
- Mental breakdown (frequent bouts of dementia/ - Grew up as a fugitive in France & Brittany and knew little of his
catatonic states) in 1453 led to power vacuum/ disputes future kingdom beyond its Welsh border.
always seen under a lens of suspicion
over who should be his protector
- His claim was weak in two respects:
- Thus, outbreak of civil war between the rival houses o Descended through the female line, represented by “Lady
(York VS Lancaster), became known as “Wars of the Margaret Beaufort”
Roses” o His mother was illegitimate *his ancestor was not legally
o This was because, the Yorks grew resentful at married before child was born*
what they saw as the Lancaster’s exploitation of - Much of his family had been killed during the “Wars of the
the King’s weakened state remaining
- Henry deposed by Yorkist claimant (Edward I) who - The Yorkists wanted Richard III gone at any cost due to the
ruled until his death in 1483 division of the nobility/ suspicion of population about Richard due to
- Edward’s sons then usurped by their uncle, Richard III, disappearance of princes.
who was then killed by only surviving Lancastrian - They offered Henry Tudor the ability to claim the throne IF he
marries Elizabeth of York
claimant (Henry Tudor) I.e. Henry VII
- Became King after victory in Battle on 22nd of August 1485 in
- His claim to the throne was weak = battle of the Stroke
“Battle of Bosworth”, where he killed Richard III
That he was not Richard was enough for the public to accept him
How did he consolidate the Tudor dynasty?
, o Immediately detained Elizabeth of York & Earl of Warwick
Both could be seen as having a greater claieconm to the throne than Henry
o When he became King, he arranged for the coronation to take place before the first meeting of his parliament. (Oct 30
coronation, 7th November parliament meeting)
This demonstrated that his right to the throne was based on hereditary right & not only because Parliament had
sanctioned it
o Dated his reign a day before the Battle of Bosworth (21st of August)
Ensures that anyone who fought on Yorkist side could be designated a traitor
o Created the “Red Rose” of the Lancastrians to put his own line on par with the Yorkists
Then, turned the “Red Rose” into the “Tudor Rose” which “united” both family lines. This propaganda helped him
appear as a combination of both families (a representative) – further increasing his acceptance by the population.
o Got rid of immediate threat of relatives
(Sir William Stanley), Henry’s step-uncle, was accused of treason
o Assured the support of powerful individuals
Parliamentary Acts of Attainder against Yorkists who fought at Bosworth = property was forfeited to crown = increased
royal income
Enabled King Henry to grant land/ wealth to his supporters, strengthening his political position.
o Secured wealth through enhancing Royal income: Parliament granted Henry customs revenue (taxes on imports + exports) for life
o 1485: Marriage of Elizabeth of York, the legitimate first child of the King Edward IV
He did this last, as to wait until other steps of consolidation of power were completed.
This was done to ensure that his assumption of the crown was not brought about by his wife’s own claim to the throne.
o 1486: Accession of a male heir (Arthur), whose legitimacy could not be questioned.
o 1487- Battle of stoke field; Henry defeats the rebel Yorkists
o 1489: Marriage Treaty with Spain (Arthur to marry Catherine of Aragon)
Through having the King of Spain agree to the marriage treaty, the King is in effect legitimizing the Kingship of Henry
o 1502: Arthur dies: Henry becomes heir and grows closer to Arthur’s widow
o 1509: Henry marries Catherine of Aragon.
England, 1509-1603: authority, nation & religion
- 1509: accession of Henry VIII Acronym Bank: L.S. = Living standards
- 1603: Death of his daughter, Elizabeth I Q.E. = Queen Elizabeth S&E = Social & Economic
S&P = Social and Political K.H. = King Henry
A Rundown of Tudor History as of 1509 and until 1603
- Tudor dynasty had been established for only 24 years by 1509
,- After 30 years of political instability during “Wars of the Roses”, Henry VII (the SEVENTH) had taken the throne by force
Some viewed as a usurping
- It was an age of personal monarchy
WHERE EVERY MONARCH’S BELIEFS AND STYLE OF RULE LEFT ITS MARK ON ENGLISH POLITICS, SOCIETY AND
CULTURE.
THIS WAS BECAUSE THE MONARCH WAS IN CHARGE OF THE GOVERNMENT
Hence, rulers had to be PHYSICALLY ABLE to run all aspects of nation, needing to be an adult, male, physically strong, able to lead a
country into battle:
Explains why K.H. desperately wanted a male heir
- This is especially true for Henry VIII’s reign, as:
His desire for a legitimate son & heir caused long-term change to England’s religious beliefs
1509: England was a uniformly Catholic country (owed allegiance to the pope)
Countryside dominated by monasteries that acted as landlords + farmers
Yet, by 1603, Protestant Church of England was at war with its Catholic enemies
Word Bank:
Authority: the perceived right to exercise power (the
monarchs)
Power: the ability to coerce, force, or forbid (the
church)
, CH1 (Monarchy & Government) The Role of the Monarchy in Tudor England, 1509-88:
- Believed & enforced the Great Chain Of Being
Idea that emphasized how God created an ordered society using a hierarchal structure, and that obedience was owed to those
higher up the social scale.
The monarchs ruled by the “Grace of God” (dei gratia- abbreviated to D.G. on coins even today)
This meant that, although monarchs like Henry VI had been forced to abdicate or murdered, respect for the monarchy remained
high and this was seen as a last resort.
When rebellions did occur, they were aimed at the policies, “evil counsellors” or advisors, rather than the monarch
themselves.
Pilgrimage of Grace (1536) complained explicitly about persons of low birth
Western Rebellion (1549) reaction against religious policies of Edwards VI’s government (still called themselves the
Queen’s “most true and lawful subjects”)
- This meant that the monarchy passed by the rule of primogeniture (system of inheritance from father to eldest surviving male relative)
- Made decisions such as:
Whether to go to war or peace
summon + dismiss parliament at will
Upholding justice, laws and customs (this prevenst dictatorship)
However, if they tried to ignore the customs, traditions, laws made by parliament and rule entirely as they pleased, they risked
being labelled “tyrants” – face rebellion & usurpations, such as Richard II
For example, they could not raise taxation without the agreement of parliament (when K.H. tried to do this in 1525 with the non-
parliamentary Amicable Grant, serious rebellions followed)
Personal & Political Qualities of the Tudor Monarchs
Ruler History Character
Henry - Accession at 17 - Well-educated: spoke 4/5 languages¸ Wrote a book in Latin, poems, songs (Pastime
VIII - Until 1502, had been with Good Company)
(1509-47) brought up as a second - Even wrote a book in Latin “Defense of the Seven Sacraments” in response to Luther’s
son = not expected to attack on the Church
rule - Humorous and charismatic more liked than his father, who after the financial
- Had much more liberal burden of the “War of Roses” began to become more financially weary his people
education considered him too frugal
- Firmly in control of his government: no mere figurehead determined to achieve his
main aims
His ministers (Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell) did not rule on his behalf
England, 1509-1603: Authority, nation and religion
BACKGROUND EXTENDED KNOWLEDGE
- Henry VI was king of England from 1422-1461 HENRY TUDOR: A BACKGROUND
- Indecisive & easily influenced by powerful nobility
- Mental breakdown (frequent bouts of dementia/ - Grew up as a fugitive in France & Brittany and knew little of his
catatonic states) in 1453 led to power vacuum/ disputes future kingdom beyond its Welsh border.
always seen under a lens of suspicion
over who should be his protector
- His claim was weak in two respects:
- Thus, outbreak of civil war between the rival houses o Descended through the female line, represented by “Lady
(York VS Lancaster), became known as “Wars of the Margaret Beaufort”
Roses” o His mother was illegitimate *his ancestor was not legally
o This was because, the Yorks grew resentful at married before child was born*
what they saw as the Lancaster’s exploitation of - Much of his family had been killed during the “Wars of the
the King’s weakened state remaining
- Henry deposed by Yorkist claimant (Edward I) who - The Yorkists wanted Richard III gone at any cost due to the
ruled until his death in 1483 division of the nobility/ suspicion of population about Richard due to
- Edward’s sons then usurped by their uncle, Richard III, disappearance of princes.
who was then killed by only surviving Lancastrian - They offered Henry Tudor the ability to claim the throne IF he
marries Elizabeth of York
claimant (Henry Tudor) I.e. Henry VII
- Became King after victory in Battle on 22nd of August 1485 in
- His claim to the throne was weak = battle of the Stroke
“Battle of Bosworth”, where he killed Richard III
That he was not Richard was enough for the public to accept him
How did he consolidate the Tudor dynasty?
, o Immediately detained Elizabeth of York & Earl of Warwick
Both could be seen as having a greater claieconm to the throne than Henry
o When he became King, he arranged for the coronation to take place before the first meeting of his parliament. (Oct 30
coronation, 7th November parliament meeting)
This demonstrated that his right to the throne was based on hereditary right & not only because Parliament had
sanctioned it
o Dated his reign a day before the Battle of Bosworth (21st of August)
Ensures that anyone who fought on Yorkist side could be designated a traitor
o Created the “Red Rose” of the Lancastrians to put his own line on par with the Yorkists
Then, turned the “Red Rose” into the “Tudor Rose” which “united” both family lines. This propaganda helped him
appear as a combination of both families (a representative) – further increasing his acceptance by the population.
o Got rid of immediate threat of relatives
(Sir William Stanley), Henry’s step-uncle, was accused of treason
o Assured the support of powerful individuals
Parliamentary Acts of Attainder against Yorkists who fought at Bosworth = property was forfeited to crown = increased
royal income
Enabled King Henry to grant land/ wealth to his supporters, strengthening his political position.
o Secured wealth through enhancing Royal income: Parliament granted Henry customs revenue (taxes on imports + exports) for life
o 1485: Marriage of Elizabeth of York, the legitimate first child of the King Edward IV
He did this last, as to wait until other steps of consolidation of power were completed.
This was done to ensure that his assumption of the crown was not brought about by his wife’s own claim to the throne.
o 1486: Accession of a male heir (Arthur), whose legitimacy could not be questioned.
o 1487- Battle of stoke field; Henry defeats the rebel Yorkists
o 1489: Marriage Treaty with Spain (Arthur to marry Catherine of Aragon)
Through having the King of Spain agree to the marriage treaty, the King is in effect legitimizing the Kingship of Henry
o 1502: Arthur dies: Henry becomes heir and grows closer to Arthur’s widow
o 1509: Henry marries Catherine of Aragon.
England, 1509-1603: authority, nation & religion
- 1509: accession of Henry VIII Acronym Bank: L.S. = Living standards
- 1603: Death of his daughter, Elizabeth I Q.E. = Queen Elizabeth S&E = Social & Economic
S&P = Social and Political K.H. = King Henry
A Rundown of Tudor History as of 1509 and until 1603
- Tudor dynasty had been established for only 24 years by 1509
,- After 30 years of political instability during “Wars of the Roses”, Henry VII (the SEVENTH) had taken the throne by force
Some viewed as a usurping
- It was an age of personal monarchy
WHERE EVERY MONARCH’S BELIEFS AND STYLE OF RULE LEFT ITS MARK ON ENGLISH POLITICS, SOCIETY AND
CULTURE.
THIS WAS BECAUSE THE MONARCH WAS IN CHARGE OF THE GOVERNMENT
Hence, rulers had to be PHYSICALLY ABLE to run all aspects of nation, needing to be an adult, male, physically strong, able to lead a
country into battle:
Explains why K.H. desperately wanted a male heir
- This is especially true for Henry VIII’s reign, as:
His desire for a legitimate son & heir caused long-term change to England’s religious beliefs
1509: England was a uniformly Catholic country (owed allegiance to the pope)
Countryside dominated by monasteries that acted as landlords + farmers
Yet, by 1603, Protestant Church of England was at war with its Catholic enemies
Word Bank:
Authority: the perceived right to exercise power (the
monarchs)
Power: the ability to coerce, force, or forbid (the
church)
, CH1 (Monarchy & Government) The Role of the Monarchy in Tudor England, 1509-88:
- Believed & enforced the Great Chain Of Being
Idea that emphasized how God created an ordered society using a hierarchal structure, and that obedience was owed to those
higher up the social scale.
The monarchs ruled by the “Grace of God” (dei gratia- abbreviated to D.G. on coins even today)
This meant that, although monarchs like Henry VI had been forced to abdicate or murdered, respect for the monarchy remained
high and this was seen as a last resort.
When rebellions did occur, they were aimed at the policies, “evil counsellors” or advisors, rather than the monarch
themselves.
Pilgrimage of Grace (1536) complained explicitly about persons of low birth
Western Rebellion (1549) reaction against religious policies of Edwards VI’s government (still called themselves the
Queen’s “most true and lawful subjects”)
- This meant that the monarchy passed by the rule of primogeniture (system of inheritance from father to eldest surviving male relative)
- Made decisions such as:
Whether to go to war or peace
summon + dismiss parliament at will
Upholding justice, laws and customs (this prevenst dictatorship)
However, if they tried to ignore the customs, traditions, laws made by parliament and rule entirely as they pleased, they risked
being labelled “tyrants” – face rebellion & usurpations, such as Richard II
For example, they could not raise taxation without the agreement of parliament (when K.H. tried to do this in 1525 with the non-
parliamentary Amicable Grant, serious rebellions followed)
Personal & Political Qualities of the Tudor Monarchs
Ruler History Character
Henry - Accession at 17 - Well-educated: spoke 4/5 languages¸ Wrote a book in Latin, poems, songs (Pastime
VIII - Until 1502, had been with Good Company)
(1509-47) brought up as a second - Even wrote a book in Latin “Defense of the Seven Sacraments” in response to Luther’s
son = not expected to attack on the Church
rule - Humorous and charismatic more liked than his father, who after the financial
- Had much more liberal burden of the “War of Roses” began to become more financially weary his people
education considered him too frugal
- Firmly in control of his government: no mere figurehead determined to achieve his
main aims
His ministers (Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell) did not rule on his behalf
