How did Henry VII establish his right to the throne?
Event/Action Significance
Henry was coronated on 30th Established Henry as the rightful King of England so
October 1485 his position was more secure and opposition to him
had less legitimacy
Henry called his first Parliament Parliament recognised him as king (since it was after
on 7th November 1485 and dated his coronation) and – because he predated his reign –
his reign to 21st August 1485 (the the people who fought for Richard at Bosworth were
day before Bosworth) traitors
Henry married Elizabeth of York Placated the Yorkists, partially alleviating the threat
on 18th January 1486 of Yorkist opposition
In March 1486, Henry began a This made Henry a ‘visible’ king and gave him the
progress through the country opportunity to spread propaganda to glorify his
position
Henry had four children with This gave Henry direct heirs so any other claimants
Elizabeth – Arthur (September that emerged had a weaker claim to the throne and
1486), Margaret (1488), Henry also gave Henry a dynasty
(1491) and Mary (1496)
Henry delayed Elizabeth’s This showed that Henry was king in his own right and
coronation until 25th November was king because of his own claim to the throne,
1487 (almost two years since rather than his wife’s
their marriage)
Henry dealt with threats, Threats were dealt with to make sure his rule was
including ‘traitors’ from secure but Henry wasn’t too harsh so he seemed
Bosworth: Edward, Earl of powerful but merciful as well
Warwick (nephew of Richard III)
was imprisoned in the Tower,
John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln,
named heir by Richard III)
professed his loyalty to Henry
and was later invited to join the
Council, Earl of Surrey (fought for
Richard at Bosworth) was kept in
prison until 1489 when Henry
was satisfied that he was no
longer a threat, Duke of Suffolk
(Lincoln’s father) professed his
loyalty to Henry and so was
spared, and Earl of
Northumberland (was with
Richard III at Bosworth but did
not fight for him) was imprisoned
until the end of 1485 when he
was released and allowed to
resume his role as Lieutenant of
the North as an opportunity to
Event/Action Significance
Henry was coronated on 30th Established Henry as the rightful King of England so
October 1485 his position was more secure and opposition to him
had less legitimacy
Henry called his first Parliament Parliament recognised him as king (since it was after
on 7th November 1485 and dated his coronation) and – because he predated his reign –
his reign to 21st August 1485 (the the people who fought for Richard at Bosworth were
day before Bosworth) traitors
Henry married Elizabeth of York Placated the Yorkists, partially alleviating the threat
on 18th January 1486 of Yorkist opposition
In March 1486, Henry began a This made Henry a ‘visible’ king and gave him the
progress through the country opportunity to spread propaganda to glorify his
position
Henry had four children with This gave Henry direct heirs so any other claimants
Elizabeth – Arthur (September that emerged had a weaker claim to the throne and
1486), Margaret (1488), Henry also gave Henry a dynasty
(1491) and Mary (1496)
Henry delayed Elizabeth’s This showed that Henry was king in his own right and
coronation until 25th November was king because of his own claim to the throne,
1487 (almost two years since rather than his wife’s
their marriage)
Henry dealt with threats, Threats were dealt with to make sure his rule was
including ‘traitors’ from secure but Henry wasn’t too harsh so he seemed
Bosworth: Edward, Earl of powerful but merciful as well
Warwick (nephew of Richard III)
was imprisoned in the Tower,
John de la Pole (Earl of Lincoln,
named heir by Richard III)
professed his loyalty to Henry
and was later invited to join the
Council, Earl of Surrey (fought for
Richard at Bosworth) was kept in
prison until 1489 when Henry
was satisfied that he was no
longer a threat, Duke of Suffolk
(Lincoln’s father) professed his
loyalty to Henry and so was
spared, and Earl of
Northumberland (was with
Richard III at Bosworth but did
not fight for him) was imprisoned
until the end of 1485 when he
was released and allowed to
resume his role as Lieutenant of
the North as an opportunity to
