Henry VII of England

Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1485 to 1509. His principal claim to the throne was through his mother, Margaret Beaufort, great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, third son of Edward III.

Fast Facts

1. Born: 1457
2. Won the Battle of Bosworth
3. Founder of the Tudor dynasty
4. Ended the Wars of the Roses
5. Father of Henry VIII of England
6. Notoriously tight with money¹

The Red Rose Falls

Henry spent much of the first part of his life in exile in Brittany, while the Yorkists Edward IV and Richard III held the throne. His mother encouraged English subjects to view Henry as an alternative to Richard III. He attempted to invade England in 1483, with French support. The attempt failed. It was not until two years later that Henry was in a strong enough position to challenge Richard. This time he was more successful. Despite being outnumbered, he beat Richard III in battle and began the Tudor era.

Claiming the Throne

Henry's claim to the throne was weak and he immediately took steps to strengthen it.² He married Elizabeth of York, combining the two houses of York and Lancaster, and passed a law declaring himself king before the Battle of Bosworth, thus making his enemies traitors. Through financial rewards and penalties, combined with restrictions on the nobility's right to maintain troops, he further undermined potential opposition.

Prudent or Greedy?

During his reign, Henry VII succeeded in enforcing law and order within England, modernizing royal government and stabilizing the court's finances. Many of the nobles resented this growth of central government and Henry's ability to line his coffers. Even the courtly literature of his son's reign disparages this lack of generosity and emphasizes Henry VIII's liberal hand. Yet, for all that, Henry left England secure and at peace when he died.²

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