What were the problems faced by Hennery VII of England?

In 1845 the throne of England was not a bed of roses when Henry VII came to power. He was encircled by the problems both external and internal.

Serious problems were there looking at the face of England, The kings were dancing to the tunes of the feudal lords, who were controlling the politics then. Internal and external policy of the state was weak.

There was no coherence in the political, social, economical and cultural fields. A powerful person was the need of the time to bring the things into order. Henery VII was the right choice of the time.

He started the required work accomplished by Queen Elizabeth. Conditions were fortunately favourable for Tudor Monarchs and they also wisely took advantage of the situation.

Problems of Hennery VII:

1. Dynastic Question:

Firstly, there was the dynastic question which Henery VII had to face. His claim to the throne was, by no means, strong and there were better claimants than he. Edward IV’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, his brother Clarence’s son, Edward, the Earl of Worksick, his sister Elizabeth’s son John, the Earl of Lincoln-all had a better claim than Henery VII.

Then there was the Youkist faction which was so eager for a change that is raised pretenders to oust Henery. The dynastic problem, thus, was a grave menace to Henery’s security.

2. Problem of law and order:

Secondly, there was serious problem of establishment of law and order in the realm, a century of order and civil war had disorganised the entire country. Habits of order were general among the high and low. “There is do country in the whole world” wrote a venetia observer, “where there are so many thieves and robbers as in England”.

The disbanded retainers of nobles, London workmen and apprentices, Cornish miners and farmers, all were restless and discontented. The habit of accepting the reign of law and of trusting the law for the redress of grievances had been terribly undermined.

The powerful took law in their hands and the rights of the poor were at the mercy of the rich. It had to be restored before England could resume her uninterrupted progress and that could only be restored by firm government.

3. Financial Problem:

Financial problem was the most serious problem which required prompt taking and immediate attention. The poverty of the Lancastrians was one of the reasons for their overthrow.

Hennery did not want that the same cycle should be repeated one again. He had, therefore, to move very cautiously in the matter. He made of his concern to see that nation was financially sound and king was not to depend on feudal lords.

4. Problem in the external field:

The English prestige was at low ebb in the external affairs. Ireland was always muti-nious. Scotland was an arch enemy of England. In the continental politics, England’s voice carried no weight.

Thus the position of Henery VII in 1845 was very precarious and delicate. But the young monarch was a ruler of great vigour and terrific energy and it is a solid proof of his abilities and greatness that he solved all the difficulties and laid firm and stable foundations of the Tudor dynasty.

How Hennery VII Solved all the Problmes?

(a) Solution of Dynastic Question:

Hennery VII first of all, devoted himself to set the dynastic question at rest, and establish his claim to the throne. He had already placed Edward, Earl of Warwick, in the London Tower.

To conciliate the Yorkist, he married the .Yorkist heiress. Elizabeth and got his right to the throne confirmed by the Parliament. But even now the Yorkists were not to he deferred.

They put forward impostors-Lambert Simuel who pretended to be the Earl of, Warwick; and Perkin Warbeck, who posed as Richard. Duke of York-one of the princes murdered by Richard III in the Tower.

Both these pretenders gave a hell of a time to Henery. However, while Simuel got some support from the Yorkist noble’s and as able to fight at Stoke (1487) a battle which practically destroyed the Yorkist faction; Warbeck had few English supporters and was easily defeated when he tried a landing.

Thus from 1487 onwards Henery VII’s throne was quite secure though the conspiracies in subsequent years worried him from time to time Settlement of this question helped a long way in strengthening the hands of Henery VII. Who could rule with confidence and depend upon the moral support of the people.

(b) Solution of law and order Problem:

Henery’s attention was next diverted to the establishment of law and order and restoration of good government in the country. This was done in two way?-(i) Change in social conditions; (ii) By taking adequate governmental measures.

(i) Change in the social situation:

In his task Henery was to a very great extent, helped by the new social develop­ments which have taken or were taking place in England Firstly, the great nobles, whose lawlessness and whose bands of armed retainers had been the chief source of disorder, had almost destroyed one another.

Secondly, the middle classes of town and country were heartily with the king against the nobles; squires, merchants and yemen were acquiring greater wealth and better trained intelligence and they all wanted the establishment of peace and order in the country.

(ii) Measures taken by the king:

Henery first devotee his attention towards destruction of powerful barons, who with their retainers were responsible for disorder and anarchy in the country, as they could overawe the members of the Jury of the ordinary local courts, In order to end their influence a new court, the star chamber, consisting of the members of the Privy Council, Was created. It dealt with the question of treason, libel, disobedience to proclamations, cases reserved by the king, and the punishment of juries for wrong verdicts.

(1) Star chamber at work:

This court did much to the weakening of the baronical power with which the ordinary courts could not cope. For instance, the Earl of Oxford was fined 15,000 for keeping retainers. Secondly, the powers of bare s were also broken by laws.

(2) By laws:

Henery broke the back of the baronical power by laws against livery and maintenance which sought to abolish the system of keeping retainers.

(3) Exclusion from high offices:

Then, the king excluded from his council all the barons and denied them all important offices which were filled by newly created barons who were dependent on the king.

Thus the king successfully ended the influence of feudal lords from his court and public service. This on the one hand ended the prestige of feudals and on the other hand immensely enhanced the prestige and position of the king.

(4) Justifies of peace:

The ordinary day today administration was entrusted to unpaid country gentlemen, who were eager to help the king. They were called justifies of peace. Through them. Henery VII establishes law and order and carried on day today administration.

Such was the administrative machinery which Henery VII established. The king and the Privy Council ruled through the Star Chamber and the justices of peace. Parliament was virtually given a secondary position although there, was no attempt to deprive it of its legal powers.

Thus was the founda­tion of Tudor despotism laid. It is a tribute to Henery VII that he not only suppressed disorder and anarchy but also established an efficient administration.

(c) Solution of Financial Problem:

Henery VII also restored the finances of the state. As Parliament was always reluctant to grant money, Henery relied little on this source of income and asked Parliament for grants only five times during his reign.

But he amassed wealth from other sources such as confiscation of estates of the barons who were destroyed during the wars of the Roses, fines imposed on rebels and law breakers, etc.

In the latter part of his reign he or rather his agents resorted, to some illegal means of securing moneys, through fines and forced loans or ‘benevolences’. The name of Empson and Dudley became notorious in this connection.

And finally, the king was very economical, He avoided wars and ran the administration with extreme frugality owing to all these measures, the king amassed an enormous fortune and left at his death £ 1,800,000 in bullion. The possession of this wealth partly accounts for the great power of Henery VII.

Henery VII and External Field:

In Ireland:

In Ireland Henery VII attempted to establish English Control. In 1489 Sir Edward poynings was appointed Deputy Governor, of Ireland. Although Poynings did not succeed much outside the {district of Pale, he did important work within it. At the Parliament of Drogheda certain laws were passed by which private war and keeping of retainers was forbidden.

Besides, the so-called “Poyning’s law” was passed which provided (1) that the Irish Parliament should not be summoned without king’s consent; (2) that laws passed by the Irish. Parliament must be sanctioned by the king; and (3) that were passed by English Parliament were to be valid in Ireland, as well.

General:

By his foreign policy Henry attempted to avoid war and promoted through diplomacy commercial interests of Great Britain, He also passed Navigation Laws which helped the trade and commerce to flourish. By his skilful important European power and paved way for the foreign policy of Wolsely and Henery VIII.

Conclusion:

By the aforesaid measures Henery VII laid the foundations of the Tudor dynasty. There were greater personalities amongst the Tudors than that of Henery VII. His son and his son’s daughter elipsed his name but the fact remains that the foundations for the glory of Henery VIII and Elizabeth were laid by none else than Henery VII.