Henry VII was a cautious, calculating ruler who united the Houses of York and Lancaster through his marriage to Elizabeth of York. As the first Tudor king, he took the throne in 1485 after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses. Henry was an outsider as a Welshman raised in exile who brought stability to England after the civil war tore the country apart. He established the Tudor dynasty through his heirs and left England with strong royal authority.

1. The Founder of the Tudor Dynasty

2.  Shrewd, calculating, intelligent, deep
 Cautious, distrustful, distant
 An outsider, a foreigner
 Brought up in France in exile – foreigner
 Unknown in England – outsider
 Guarded his emotions, inscrutable
 Hard working, eye for detail, careful
 Avaricious, greedy
 Cultured, educated
 Faithful to his wife
 Close, tight-knit circle of friends

3.  England torn apart by civil war
 England divided but war-weary
 Wars of Roses: York v. Lancaster
 Henry: House of Lancaster
 Took throne in battle 1485
 Law and order broken down
 Henry VI weak King – nobility strong
 Overmighty subjects fought each other
 Did as they saw fit
 Wales under English rule, Ireland also (in theory)
 Henry Tudor – Welsh heritage
 Scotland independent

4.  York kings before Henry VII (Lancaster)
 Edward IV
 Robust, popular, died suddenly
 Two sons: Edward and Richard
 Strengthened England’s finance’s and
government
 Edward V?
 Boy king (12) never crowned –
murdered?
 Princes in the Tower = Edward V and
Prince Richard (10)
 Richard III
 Edward IV’s brother
 Murderer of his own nephews?
 Popular in York / north
 But elsewhere was rebellion

5.  Not strong!
 Mother = Margaret Beaufort
 Descended from Edward III
 But through an illegitimate line
 John of Gaunt and Catherine Swynford
 Not married when children born
 Though made legitimate by Act of Parliament
during reign of Richard II
 However Henry VII added a rider: that the heirs of
the Beauforts could not inherit the throne
 So Henry descended through female,
illegitimate line

7.  Born to 13 year old mother
 Separated aged 4 – forced to flee
 Went to Herbert, Earl of Pembroke
 1471 Herbert killed; Henry VI and son also
 Henry now Lancastrian heir – fled to Brittany
 Henry grew up outsider in Brittany
 At duke’s court watching intrigues and politics
 Duke weak ruler – nobles duplicitous
 1584 Duke’s minister did deal hand Henry 
Richard III
 Henry fled to France
 Stayed at French court
 Again saw courtiers not to be trusted
 Decided rulers must be distant, suspicious

8.  Strong, determined, intelligent, religious
 Later married Thomas, Lord Stanley
 Was to play important role in Henry’s government
 Fought her son’s corner in England
 Played key part in conspiracies against Richard III
 Drummed up support with English nobles for him
 Deal with Elizabeth Woodville – Yorkist
 Mother of Princes in Tower
 Agreed marry her daughter, Elizabeth, to Henry
 Thus her grandchildren  throne
 And unite Houses of York and Lancaster

9.  22nd August 1485
 Richard III (York) against Henry
Tudor (Lancaster)
 Richard’s army double Henry’s
 Yet Henry won through
 Richard’s support not strong
though
 Henry won valuable ally
 Right at last moment
 Sir William Stanley
 And 3,000 men
 Wars of the Roses finally over
 Or did that happen in 1487...?

10. Pluses Minuses