- 1485-1509: King of England
- 1st English monarch of the Tudor dynasty
Henry VII Tudor, King of England, was born 28 January 1457 in Pembroke Castle, Wales, United Kingdom to Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (1430-1456) and Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) and died 21 April 1509 Richmond Palace, England, United Kingdom of unspecified causes. He married Unknown Breton concubine (c1455) 18 January 1486 JL in Westminster, England, United Kingdom.
Biography
King Henry VII of England was the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty, reigning from 1485 until his death in 1509.
After the Wars of the Roses, which were fought between the Houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne, Henry's mother Margaret had ambitions for him to become king. With the help of a small army, Henry landed in England in 1485 and defeated the Yorkist king Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses and becoming king.
As king, Henry VII worked to strengthen the royal authority, the economy, and the security of the kingdom. He was known for his frugality and was careful with his finances. He established the Court of Star Chamber to hear cases involving powerful nobles, and he used the Court of the Exchequer to collect taxes and punish those who did not pay.
King Henry VII of England would have primarily spoken English, as it was the language of the English court and the general population at the time. However, as a member of the royal family, he likely would have been exposed to other languages as well. For example, during his youth, Henry spent some time in France and would have likely picked up some French. Additionally, Latin was still the language of scholarship and the church at the time, so Henry would have been educated in Latin and would have likely been proficient in it.
Henry VII died on April 21, 1509, at the age of 52. He was succeeded by his son, who became King Henry VIII. Overall, Henry VII is remembered as a king who brought stability to England after a long period of civil war and paved the way for the Tudor dynasty to thrive.
Family Life
1st Marriage: Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York: Henry VII married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, in 1486. The marriage helped to unite the Houses of Lancaster and York and end the Wars of the Roses. They had four children together:
- Arthur, Prince of Wales (1486-1502), Prince of Wales, born in 1486 and died in 1502, m. Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of the powerful Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. This alliance helped secure England's position in Europe.
- Margaret Tudor (1489-1541), born in 1489 and married King James IV of Scotland - thru her lineage are the English Kings of the House of Stuart and the House of Windsor claim inheritance to the throne of England.
- Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and succeeded his father as King of England
- Elizabeth Tudor (1492-1494)
- Mary Tudor (1496-1533) - married King Louis XII of Orléans (1462-1515)
- Edmund, Duke of Somerset (1499-c1500)
- Katherine Tudor (1503-1503)
Other Relationships
- Roland de Velville (1474-c1533) - illegitimate son by an unidentified concubine
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Roland de Velville (1474-c1533) | 1474 | 1533 | Agnes Griffith (c1474) |
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Henry VII of England (1457-1509) | 28 January 1457 Pembroke Castle, Wales, United Kingdom | 21 April 1509 Richmond Palace, England, United Kingdom | Elizabeth of York (1465-1503) Unknown Breton concubine (c1455) |
See Also
Bibliography
- Chrimes, Stanley B. (1972). Henry VII (1st ed.). Methuen Publishing. ISBN 978-0-413-28590-4.
- Currin, John M. (November 2000). "'The King's Army into the Partes of Bretaigne': Henry VII and the Breton Wars, 1489–1491". War in History 7 (4). DOI:10.1177/096834450000700401.
- Elgin, Kathy (2013). Henry VIII: The Charismatic King who Reforged a Nation. Arcturus Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-782-12859-5.
- Gunn, Steven (August 2009). "Politic history, New Monarchy and state formation: Henry VII in European perspective". Historical Research 82 (217): 380–392. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2281.2009.00492.x.
- Guy, John (1988). "The Tudor Age (1485–1603)". In Morgan, Kenneth O.. The Oxford History of Britain. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-192-85202-1.
- Hunt, Jocelyn; Towle, Carolyn (1998). Henry VII. Longman History in Depth. New York: Longman. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-582-29691-6.
External Links
- wikipedia:en:Henry VII of England
- Henry VII of England at thePeerage
- Henry VII of England - Geni.com
- Henry VII of England at Find A Grave
- English Kings 1066-1603 - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
- The Beaufort Family
- E. M. G. Routh, Lady Margaret: A Memoir of Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond & Derby, Mother of Henry VII, 1924: e-text
- "Gotha" table of descendants
- Henry VII at the official website of the British monarchy
- Henry VII at the official website of the Royal Collection Trust
Gairdner, James (1891). "Henry VIII". In Sidney Lee. Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900. 26. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 67–94.- Tudor Place page on Henry VII
- Discussion of marital bed by Janina Ramirez and Jonathan Foyle: Art Detective Podcast, 15 Feb 2017
Ancestry Trees
- Charlemagne Family Ancestry
- Rurik Family Ancestry
- Rollo Family Ancestry
- Alfred the Great Family Ancestry
- House of Normandy
- Plantagenet Family Line
- Capetian dynasty
- House of Lancaster
Contemporary References
Some of the best contemporary references for Henry VII of England, include:
- Polydore Vergil's "Anglica Historia": This is a history of England written by Polydore Vergil, an Italian humanist who worked in England during the reign of Henry VII. Vergil was an eyewitness to many of the events of the time and his history provides valuable insights into the politics and society of the era.
- "The Annals of England" by John Stow: This is a chronicle of English history written by John Stow, a London-based antiquary who lived from 1524 to 1605. Stow's work covers the reigns of many English monarchs, including Henry VII, and provides a detailed account of the events of the time.
- "The History of the Reign of Henry VII" by Francis Bacon: This is a biography of Henry VII written by Francis Bacon, a prominent English philosopher, statesman, and author who lived from 1561 to 1626. Bacon's work is one of the earliest biographies of Henry VII and provides valuable insights into his life and reign.
- "The Life and Times of Henry VII" by Neville Williams: This is a more recent biography of Henry VII written by Neville Williams, a historian who lived from 1915 to 1994. Williams' work is based on extensive research and provides a comprehensive overview of Henry VII's life and reign.
Original Citations
Anglica Historia
from "Anglica Historia" by Polydore Vergil, a contemporary reference, in its original Latin. This passage describes the restoration of peace and stability to England after a long period of civil unrest and how King Henry VII, like his predecessors, faced many challenges at the beginning of his reign but ultimately succeeded in establishing a peaceful and stable government.
"Erant multi quibus hoc regni et libertatis restitutio, quae post longam turbam incolumi pace composita in luctum et calamitatem inciderat, displicebat; quippe quae partium dissensione gesserat, partium victoria fuerat stabilita. Sed interim rex ipse incolumis fuit; quemadmodum olim rex Henricus quartus in principio suae regni turbas multas pateretur, postremo vero stabilivit rem publicam et victoriam reportavit. Nunc vero Henricus septimus, utriusque regni partis studiis occupatus, spem alit tranquillae pacis, tam intra quam extra regionem."
Translation: "There were many who were displeased with the restoration of the kingdom and liberty, which, after a long period of turmoil, had fallen into mourning and calamity, for it had been established by the victory of one party over another. However, in the meantime, the king himself remained unharmed; just as King Henry IV had suffered many tumults at the beginning of his reign, but ultimately established the republic and emerged victorious. Now, however, Henry VII, occupied with the interests of both parts of the kingdom, harbors the hope of a peaceful tranquility, both within and outside the region."
Chronicle of London
This passage from "The Chronicle of London" by Richard Arnold, a contemporary reference, in its original Middle English with translation, describing the birth of King Henry VII of England. It includes his birthplace and parents, and provides details about his baptism, including the names of his godparents.
"The viij day of Janyver, the yere of our Lord MCCCLXIII, was born in the town of Pembroke in Walys a man child, the whiche hight Henry. His fader was Edmund Erle of Rychemond, and his moder hight Margeret, daughter unto the noble erle of Somersett. And he was cristened in the same towne of Pembrok, and his godfaders was the bisshop of Caunterbury and the erle of Warwik, and his godmoder was the bisshop of Ely."
Translation: "On the eighth day of January in the year of our Lord 1457, a male child was born in the town of Pembroke in Wales, who was named Henry. His father was Edmund, Earl of Richmond, and his mother was named Margaret, daughter of the noble Earl of Somerset. He was christened in the same town of Pembroke, and his godfathers were the Bishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Warwick, and his godmother was the Bishop of Ely."
Royal Succession Chart
Henry VII of England (1457-1509) Born: 28 January 1457 Died: 21 April 1509
| ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Richard III |
King of England Lord of Ireland 1485–1509 |
Succeeded by Henry VIII |
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by Edmund Tudor |
Earl of Richmond 1457–1461 |
Forfeit |
Footnotes
Footnotes (including sources)
| ₪ Wedding |
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| ₪2 Wedding 2 |
Thurstan, Rtol, Phlox, Robin Patterson, MainTour
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