Next month find out more on someone known as The Winter Queen! He created the Tudor dynasty. (ROYAL HISTORY) Directors Stuart Elliott Genres Documentary, International Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages English. It was really very well researched and painstakingly written. Henry VII was born on 28 January 1457 at Pembroke Castle, in the English-speaking portion of Pembrokeshire known as Little England beyond Wales. When he died, his only surviving son, Henry VIII, succeeded him without a breath of opposition. It was 1501. Hence, the king was plagued with conspiracies until nearly the end of his reign. I'm not giving this a star rating because I suspect it's me at fault not the book. It was a fantastic programme and I highly recommend Thomas Penns book on Henry VII Winter King. Alison Weir points out that the Rennes ceremony, two years earlier, was plausible only if Henry and his supporters were certain that the Princes were already dead. Then in 1491 appeared a still more serious menace: Perkin Warbeck, coached by Margaret to impersonate Richard, the younger son of Edward IV. Stephens, "affords some illustrations of the avaricious and parsimonious character of the king". Their chief task was to see that the laws of the country were obeyed in their area. Martin Luther 95 thesis. Henry, son of Edmund Tudor, earl of Richmond, and Margaret Beaufort, was born nearly three months after his fathers death. His history plays depicted the dramatic conflicts of the wars of the roses, which Henry's accession after his victory at Bosworth in 1485 brought to an end. It was the end of the union of Lancaster and York and many had only accepted Henry as King because of his wifes Yorkist roots, so Henry was once more on shaky ground with his old enemies resurfacing and raising armies. No. 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. Henry VII can look a dull king, so dull that Thomas Penn's title omits his name. His claim to the throne was tenuous and permanently contested. To be notified of special offers, news, new courses, and new tutors, please subscribe to our newsletter. Inadvertently, he provoked a revolution. 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. [54], Henry VII was much enriched by trading alum, which was used in the wool and cloth trades as a chemical fixative for dyeing fabrics. One of their sons was Edmund, Henry's father. When he met Richard III at Bosworth Field, Henry found that his army of dissidents and mercenaries was completely outnumbered. Happy 14th Birthday to the Anne Boleyn Files! "King Henry VII" redirects here. More than a biography of Henry VII, this book is really a highly detailed history of the last ten years of his reign, and how he meticulously and ruthlessly turned England into a police state ruled by what amounted to an organized crime syndicate. And yet this time removed was summer's time, The teeming autumn, big with rich increase, Bearing the wanton burden of the prime, Like widow'd wombs after their lords . They were third cousins, as both were great-great-grandchildren of John of Gaunt. Penn notes something else about the paeans on the son's accession: later in the Tudor period, apologists for the regime would remember Henry VII as the restorer of national peace and unity, but in 1509 it was the king's death, not his rule, that was held to have ended a long era of dark instability. It was propaganda to spread the message that he was the rightful King. [36] However, he spared Warwick's elder sister Margaret, who survived until 1541 when she was executed by Henry VIII. Penn pointed out that for over half a century no king had passed on the crown without turmoil and Henry knew that what had happened to Richard could happen to him. [citation needed], By 1509, justices of the peace were key enforcers of law and order for Henry VII. For many he remained a usurper, a false king. Swynford was Gaunt's mistress for about 25 years. Henry VIII Books livestream YouTube 18 February 2023, February 13 A queen and her lady-in-waiting are beheaded. Henry VII The Winter King is also the title of a book by Thomas Penn, and a useful read. 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. In 1621 Francis Bacon's history of. Henry Tudor is a familiar name to students of English history, especially the military side of it. The dispute eventually paid off for Henry. After his death, a commission found widespread abuses in the tax collection process. It was not until 1506, when he imprisoned Suffolk in the Tower of London, that Henry could at last feel safe. He created the sovereign coin to spread the message that he was King. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Penn is not one to understate a case. Prince Arthur was born just eight months after his parents marriage, at Winchester, the seat of King Arthurs Camelot. [17] Now supported by Francis II's prime minister, Pierre Landais, Richard III attempted to extradite Henry from Brittany, but Henry escaped to France. After Wolf Hall, I wanted to find out about Henry VII, the lesser-studied father of Henry VIII, who founded the Tudor Dynasty. This is why he named the book the "Winter King". But now, sensitivity readers are pushing back . [59][60][61], He was content to allow the nobles their regional influence if they were loyal to him. His legacy was his son, Henry VIII, lucky old England Penn commented. [citation needed], After 1503, records show the Tower of London was never again used as a royal residence by Henry VII, and all royal births under Henry VIII took place in palaces. Before taking the throne, he was known as Henry Tudor, earl of Richmond. These bonds were enforced by the Council Learned in the Law, a council of legal advisers who were only answerable to the King. The Lancastrian Henry and his Yorkist wife Elizabeth strove to reconcile the factions, but unreconciled Yorkists, to whom he was no more than a usurper, harassed his reign. The house of York then appeared so firmly established that Henry seemed likely to remain in exile for the rest of his life. The father's government was an exercise in discoloration. Henry reigned for nearly 24 years and was peacefully succeeded by his son, Henry VIII. Watch for $0.00 with Prime. Interesting look at the founder of the Tudor dynesty. Henry, recognizing that Simnel had been a mere dupe, employed him in the royal kitchens. [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 had a populist touch and his reign started with pardons, reforms and justice. Wow, it was like being battered by facts without remission for good intentions. Henry was building a myth, the idea that he and his family were the true royal blood of England. 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. Together, they had seven children. By 1500, Henry felt safer and things were looking good. With the assistance of the Italian merchant banker Lodovico della Fava and the Italian banker Girolamo Frescobaldi, Henry VII became deeply involved in the trade by licensing ships, obtaining alum from the Ottoman Empire, and selling it to the Low Countries and in England. He had enough of that getting himself to the throne. [62], Henry VII used justices of the peace on a large, nationwide scale. Not only was . Henry VII: Winter King was aired last night on BBC2 and was the latest programme in BBC2s Tudor Court Season. Corrections? Detailed Information. The union was both symbolic and necessary. [75], Henry VII died of tuberculosis at Richmond Palace on 21 April 1509 and was buried in the chapel he commissioned in Westminster Abbey next to his wife, Elizabeth. [citation needed] Henry had been under the financial and physical protection of the French throne or its vassals for most of his life before becoming king. Anyone perceived to have any potential political power or social capital was rendered deeply indebted to the crown and at risk of complete financial ruin upon the whim of the king and his councillors. 3.5 Stars. Some of it is due to his personality--he played his cards close to the vest, unlike his son--and some of it is due to Tudor spin--they were, after all trying to bolster up the royal credentials for a man who didn't have that many. Yet Henry's techniques of power went beyond the needs of surveillance and survival. Sometimes when reading nonfiction of this type, I never know if it is going to be dry and dull or not. His bouts of grave illness brought the question repeatedly to the fore. Historians debate the extent of Henry's rapacity. [41] Henry also increased wealth by acquiring land through the act of resumption of 1486 which had been delayed as he focused on defence of the Church, his person and his realm. The portly Henry VIII, and the ill-fated destinies of most of his six wives, is one of the first historical figures primary-aged pupils are aware of.. Henry VII was king of England from 1485 to 1509. 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. While most of us are familiar with Henry VIII and Elizabeth I and we probably have a sense of the Wars of the Roses in England, but how many of us are familiar with Henry VII. If Penn's interpretation can sometimes seem slanted, its exposition would be hard to over-praise. 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. His claim to the throne was precarious and he wanted to portray Richard . Henry VII was also shown, but his black line just traced back to Owen Tudor, a chamber servant. The baby died and Elizabeth, herself, died on 11th February 1503, her 37th birthday. This book was way too focused on what happened, but not so much on the why or why it was important. The Treaty of Redon was signed in February 1489 between Henry and representatives of Brittany. [70] Henry VII falls among the minority of British monarchs that never had any known mistresses, and for the times, it is very unusual that he did not remarry: his son Henry was the only male heir left after the death of his wife, thus the death of Arthur created a precarious political position for the House of Tudor. Seriously, got nudged by my partner when I'd nodded off. [citation needed], Henry honoured his pledge of December 1483 to marry Elizabeth of York and the wedding took place in 1486 at Westminster Abbey. ||sitemap_index.xml The marriage between Arthur, Prince of Wales, and Catherine of Aragon would be the culmination of everything that Henry VII had fought for at the Battle of Bosworth, so in 1501 there was a fortnight of marriage celebrations and London was in a carnival mood. [48], Henry later concluded a treaty with France at Etaples that brought money into the coffers of England, and ensured the French would not support pretenders to the English throne, such as Perkin Warbeck. For him, it was never about glory and battle. [citation needed] John Cabot, originally from Genoa and Venice, had heard that ships from Bristol had discovered uncharted new found territory far west of Ireland. Henry had only been accepted as King because the Princes in the Tower, the sons of Edward IV, were dead, so when Yorkist exiles groomed Perkin Warbeck to pose as one of the princes and raised an army it was a huge threat. [55] Since alum was mined in only one area in Europe (Tolfa, Italy), it was a scarce commodity and therefore especially valuable to its land holder, the Pope. 1) The number of books on Henry VII can basically be counted on one hand 2) This is Penns first book. In that, he was quite successful, but he was neither loved nor admired. He entertained thoughts of remarriage to renew the alliance with Spain Joanna, Dowager Queen of Naples (a niece of Queen Isabella of Castile), Queen Joanna of Castile, and Margaret, Dowager Duchess of Savoy (sister-in-law of Joanna of Castile), were all considered. My obsession is European history from the 12th through 17th centuries - especially British history - so of course, when I was offered the chance to review this book, my interest was piqued immediately. Local gentry saw the office as one of local influence and prestige and were therefore willing to serve. Updates? All the information is from Thomas Penn. [citation needed] The first was the 1486 rebellion of the Stafford brothers, abetted by Viscount Lovell, which collapsed without fighting. 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. That is, suspicious, insecure and crafty but also determined, patient and fiercely proud of his Lancastrian ancestry. Henry needed an heir to secure his reign and fortunately an heir came quickly. That was to prevent the King of France capturing him and letting him loose on the English as a rival. His father, Henry VII, was a cold, calculating man (he wasn't called "the Winter King" for nothing), a greedy monarch who during his last years on the throne had squeezed every last drop. Here was a young man who enjoyed jousting, who enjoyed chatting with the other knights in the tiltyard and with people of low degree. Henrys Chamber Accounts show payment to strangers and people across the sea, who appear to have been part of a network of spies and informers who kept an eye on potential troublemakers and alerted the King. 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. 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. Henry responded to this threat by embedding spies into households. For Henry VII, it was all about the money and stability. [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. [65] Henry VII was shattered by the loss of Elizabeth, and her death impacted him severely. From his victory over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, to his secret death and the succession of his son Henry VIII, the film reveals the ruthless tactics . Both parties realised they were mutually disadvantaged by the reduction in commerce. Henry VII ruled - as Machiavelli, just after his reign, was to advise usurpers to do - through fear rather than love. However, such a level of paranoia persisted that anyone (John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, for example)[27] with blood ties to the Plantagenets was suspected of coveting the throne. He was the last king of England to win . 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. The Field of Cloth of Gold: Royal Revelry. On one side of the coin, instead of a profile of his face, there was a full length depiction of Henry sat on his throne with his crown and sceptre. 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. [47], Henry VII's policy was to maintain peace and to create economic prosperity. This meant that Henry had been the rightful King in the battle and that Richard had been the usurper, and those who supported him had been traitors. Based on the terms of the accord, Henry sent 6000 troops to fight (at the expense of Brittany) under the command of Lord Daubeney. The king's own death seven years later had to be kept secret until his nervous entourage had ensured the succession. The country was in a perpetual state of emergency and Henrys subjects were scared and resentful. 7.1 59min 2013 16+. The 17 year-old Prince Henry became King Henry VIII and started a different era. For me, history is alive and energizing - not something static and remote. What are the differences between Henry VII and Henry VIII? In 1497 Warbeck landed in Cornwall with a few thousand troops, but was soon captured and executed. A King from upstart usurper to renaissance monarch to Machiavellian schemer. It is a sobering reflection for professional historians that the apparently unpromising territory of Henry's reign has recently produced two memorable books, both of them written outside their ranks: this one, and Ann Wroe's biography of the pretender, Perkin (2003), a longer work on a shorter subject. However, King Henry the VIII was much more self-centered as most of his spending was inappropriate and did not benefit England much. Henry VII comes across as a talented micromanager and financier. 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. These laws were used shrewdly in levying fines upon those that he perceived as threats. He had, Bacon added, much to be suspicious about, "his times" being "full of secret conspiracies and troubles". Henry's original head was cut out of the painting and replaced at some point after the work's creation. 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 . [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. Though this was not achieved during his reign, the marriage eventually led to the union of the English and Scottish crowns under Margaret's great-grandson, James VI and I, following the death of Henry's granddaughter Elizabeth I. Stanley placed Richards circlet on Henrys head, he was now King. [35] In 1499, Henry had the Earl of Warwick executed. I was disappointed by this it was decent but I think it was somewhat overhyped. Penn explained how Henry reworked recent events to suit him. 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. He became paranoid and made the decision that if his people couldnt love him then they should fear him. [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. Who could have expected that he would rule for 24 years, die in his bed, bequeath the first orderly succession to the throne for nearly a century, and found a famous dynasty? This was accomplished through the targeted imposition of fines and bonds through extrajudicial councils. The author does a good job drawing on his sources and bringing the characters to life while staying true to the history, but the subject matter is just not inherently as sexy as Henry VIIIs or Elizabeth Is reigns. However, as France was becoming more concerned with the Italian Wars, the French were happy to agree to the Treaty of Etaples. He invited artists, musicians and scholars to live at his court. Unfortunately, since all I really wanted to know about was learning about Henry the 7th and his family as people - the things that happened to them, what kind of people they were, etc. The fact that a Cockney could provide a recognisable representation of him gives away part of his enduring appeal; in national memory, Henry was one of the lads, the only English king to have. Possession of something the French King wanted also made the Duke of Brittany safer in his own duchy. [5], The descent of Henry's mother, Margaret, through the legitimised House of Beaufort bolstered Henry's claim to the English throne. [6] Henry IV's action was of doubtful legality, as the Beauforts were previously legitimised by an Act of Parliament, but it weakened Henry's claim. Penn ended the programme by visiting the tombs of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in Henrys chapel at Westminster Abbey, a chapel that remains at the heart of political life. For instance, except for the first few months of the reign, the Baron Dynham and the Earl of Surrey were the only Lord High Treasurers throughout his reign. Happy St Davids Day! [citation needed], Henry's most successful diplomatic achievement as regards the economy was the Magnus Intercursus ("great agreement") of 1496. Castles of . His host was Francis, the Duke of Brittany, who saw Henry Tudor as a pawn in the game between Edward VI and the King of France. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. [citation needed] Nonetheless, by 1483 Henry was the senior male Lancastrian claimant remaining after the deaths in battle, by murder or execution of Henry VI (son of Henry V and Catherine of Valois), his son Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, and the other Beaufort line of descent through Lady Margaret's uncle, Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset. [25][80], Historians have always compared Henry VII with his continental contemporaries, especially Louis XI of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon. On the other side of the coin, instead of the cross, was a Tudor rose and the arms of England. Pembroke Castle, and later the Earldom of Pembroke, were granted to the Yorkist William Herbert, who also assumed the guardianship of Margaret Beaufort and the young Henry. Though outnumbered, Henry's Lancastrian forces decisively defeated Richard's Yorkist army at the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485. When Richard III became King, Henrys strategy, planned by Margaret Beaufort, the mother whom he had not seen for years, was to declare in public, in Brittanys Rennes Cathedral, that he would marry Edward IVs daughter Elizabeth, then in sanctuary with her mother, and thus bury the enmity between Lancaster and York by making her his queen. Henry VII was the King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizure of the crown on 22 August 1485 to his death. [14] In November 1476, Francis fell ill and his principal advisers were more amenable to negotiating with King Edward. Edmund was created Earl of Richmond in 1452, and "formally declared legitimate by Parliament". The Great Debasement (1544-1551) was a currency debasement policy introduced in 1544 England under the order of Henry VIII which saw the amount of precious metal in gold and silver coins reduced and in some cases replaced entirely with cheaper base metals such as copper. There were some sections I had to skim because I didn't feel they were relevant to the storyline, but mostly I was hooked into this very complex King. Consultant editor for the. [39] Despite this, during his reign he became a fiscally prudent monarch who restored the fortunes of an effectively bankrupt exchequer. 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. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. The Winter King is also the title of a book by Thomas Penn, and a useful read. So 4 stars. I wasn't disappointed because, as usual, he did a great job with the narration. He rewrote history by backdating his reign to 21st August 1485, the day before the Battle of Bosworth Field. Gaunt's nephew Richard II legitimised Gaunt's children by Swynford by Letters Patent in 1397. Henry Tudors claim to the throne was, therefore, weak and of no importance until the deaths in 1471 of Henry VIs only son, Edward, of his own two remaining kinsmen of the Beaufort line, and of Henry VI himself, which suddenly made Henry Tudor the sole surviving male with any ancestral claim to the house of Lancaster. Many of the entries show a man who loosened his purse strings generously for his wife and children, and not just on necessities: in spring 1491 he spent a great amount of gold on a lute for his daughter Mary; the following year he spent money on a lion for Elizabeth's menagerie. After obtaining the dispensation, Henry had second thoughts about the marriage of his son and Catherine. In response to this threat within his own household, the King instituted more rigid security for access to his person. Henry VII was king of England from 1485 to 1509. Henry VII was born in Pembroke Castle , Wales, on January 28 th, 1457. 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. What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen! Wolf Hall this is not. In my never-ending quest to read possibly every single published book on the Tudor monarchy, I spied this little gem a few weeks ago and picked it up. She was Edward's heir since the presumed death of her brothers, the Princes in the Tower, King Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. By 1900 the "New Monarchy" interpretation stressed the common factors that in each country led to the revival of monarchical power. [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. [21], Henry devised a plan to seize the throne by engaging Richard quickly because Richard had reinforcements in Nottingham and Leicester. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Henry then cemented his claim to the throne and his dynastic ambitions by marrying Elizabeth of York and bringing the Houses of Lancaster and York together; the red rose and white rose combined to become the Tudor rose. At any rate, the Wars of the Roses had ended with a victory by which the winner took all, and regardless of his somewhat dubious Plantagenet ancestry. Why is this ambitious? He had finished his palace of Richmond, he was controlling his allies and keeping an eye on his enemies, and now was the time to finalise the marriage agreement between England and Spain. Henry IV had confirmed Richard IIs legitimation (1397) of the children of this union but had specifically excluded the Beauforts from any claim to the throne (1407). I don't read a lot of NF because I usually find it to be tedious, but The Winter King certainly wasn't that. Doubtless the plotters were encouraged by the deaths of Henrys sons in 1500 and 1502 and of his wife in 1503. If you are new the era, this wouldn't the first book I would pick up because it does flip flop around a bit in the beginning-but if you want to understand the players that ultimately have a significant impact on Henry VIII, this is the book for you. I've never read much on the reign of Henry VII - mostly because to really get to grips with his policies, you first have to get to grips with his exhaustively complicated financial policies - but Penn provides a wonderful accessibility through his writing, which provides valuable context to the man who founded England's most famous dynasty. Elizabeth married Henry after his victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field, which marked the end of the Wars of the Roses. He stabilised the government's finances by introducing several new taxes. Wales was historically a Lancastrian stronghold, and Henry owed the support he gathered to his Welsh birth and ancestry, being agnatically descended from Rhys ap Gruffydd. However, with the help of the forces of his step-father, Lord Stanley, he defeated Richard and Richard was killed on the battlefield. A fresh look at the endlessly fascinating Tudorsthe dramatic and overlooked story of Henry VII and his founding of the Tudor Dynastyfilled with spies, plots, counterplots, and an uneasy royal succession to Henry VIII. Thomas Penns Winter King in a brilliant mash-up of gothic horror and political biography. Luther gained support for his ideas and Europe became . Richard III's death at Bosworth Field effectively ended the Wars of the Roses. For instance, the Stanley family had control of Lancashire and Cheshire, upholding the peace on the condition that they stayed within the law. 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. Present were exiles from Richards court, friends of Edward IVths queen, but King Richard was able to bribe the ageing Duke of Brittany to relinquish Henry in return for funds to fight an increasingly hostile French king, whereupon Henry Tudor flew to the French court for sanctuary. But Henry had a crucial asset: his queen and their children, the living embodiment of his hoped-for dynasty. His regime was magnificent, yet terrifying and oppressive. Henry VIII, (born June 28, 1491, Greenwich, near London, Englanddied January 28, 1547, London), king of England (1509-47) who presided over the beginnings of the English Renaissance and the English Reformation.