He is known as one of the most controversial personalities in the history of England, the founder of the long-lasting royal line of Tudors. It was he, Henry VII, who ended the long-term Wars of the Roses (1455-1485). He established peace for a long, by the standards of those years, 24 years.
Origin
Henry VII Tudor, also known as the Earl of Richmond, was from an ancient family of royal blood, which, however, could never claim the throne due to the illegal marriage of Henry's ancestor - Owen Tudor - with Catherine of Valois (the widow of King Henry V). We will not go into the intricacies of royal bloodlines, we will only say that Richmond's grandfather was the founder of the House of Lancaster, John of Gaunt.
The child was desired and the only one of her mother, Marguerite Beaufort, who was widowed 3 months before giving birth. But immediately after the birth of the baby, on the orders of the mother, they sent him to Wales, and later to Brittany. From Brittany, the young count was transported to France. Thus, Margarita saved him from the Yorks, who were intent on destroying all potential Lancastrian heirs to the throne.
The path to the throne
The path to the throne was hard and bloody for him. Henry VII owes much to his mother. It was she who paved the way for his return with the army in 1483, marrying him to the heir to the throne, Elizabeth of York.
The triumphant return of Henry to his homeland was marked by his victory at Bosworth. Having destroyed the army of the ruling Richard III, Henry VII crowns himself right on the battlefield with a crown taken from the murdered ruler! Then he begins his procession to London, where the city, exhausted by the war, falls at his feet. The new king has been recognized! It was the best way out for England, because such a ruler was able to retain power and prevent new bloodshed. In 1486, Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York and combines the roses of their families into the famous red and white Tudor rose.
In power
Having come to power, Henry VII, interesting facts about which are covered in the article, begins his reign with the centralization of power, and also finishes off the remnants of the militant Yorkists, which was not so difficult. The king relies on the royal courts, giving them more and more rights every year.
His mother Margarita claimed power on an equal footing with him, but she did not conflict with her son, and the king, in turn, in every possible way pleased his mother, whose caresses he had been deprived of for many years. Margarita was allowed a lot, even putting the letter R next to her signature, which meant the royal title.
Fight against enemies
Trying to secure his position, Heinrich was still soft onto their potential enemies. So, he left some with him, punishing them only with positions like a cook or a floor cleaner, sent the more dangerous ones to prison, but executed only a few. But he had no tolerance for conspirators, and if someone did not want to take a second chance, he would certainly be sentenced to death. Henry Tudor did not like to watch executions.
Fine and taxes
But the most controversial and at the same time the most effective method of his struggle for a strong state was the introduction of a huge number of far-fetched fines and taxes. For this, Henry VII Tudor was called a mean, insatiable and noble tyrant. Some of the pen alties he imposed were for actions already committed. The king himself was very fond of giving his we althy vassals obviously impossible tasks in order to collect exorbitant fines from them. For the sake of replenishing the treasury, he also performed tricks with blackmail and ransom, putting the rich in prison, hinting to his relatives that for a certain fee he could release an innocent convict.
He played the same joke at a much higher level, when he demanded a round sum from Parliament for military operations in France. In fact, France was completely unprepared to fight and paid Henry VII double the amount to avoid war. To preserve the image, the king of England nevertheless fought a couple of battles, after which he “victoriously” returned to London.
Heirs
But you have to give him his due: without accumulating a huge fortune,It was Henry who strengthened the position of the crown, leaving his heirs a full treasury and well-fed officials who did not want to overthrow such a king.
What heirs did Henry VII Tudor leave behind? His children are three sons and four daughters. Speaking of heirs, it is worth mentioning two of his three sons: Arthur and Heinrich. Arthur was named after the legendary Arthur, in whom Henry Tudor persistently sought (and never found) his roots. The legend, created by the king's entourage, said that the newborn Arthur incarnated a great king from distant times in order to revive the former power of England. But the son was weak. He died young, a few months after an all-important dynastic marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The second son, Henry VIII, had to marry his brother's widow.
Also had four daughters Henry VII. Mary Tudor was married to King Louis XII of France, Elizabeth was married off to King James IV of Scotland and pursued a pro-English policy until the death of her father. They played a significant role in the formation of England. Brothers and sisters clashed a lot and after the death of their father they almost destroyed the fragile world built by Henry Tudor.
Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey
The monarch thought about death early, and back in 1503 he began construction, which still awes Londoners and admires tourists.
The Henry VII Chapel is located in Westminster Abbey. In itself, it is a rebuilding of the chapel of Henry III. For perestroikacrazy money! But the result justified the means.
The Henry VII Chapel is an example of the highest manifestation of late English Gothic. The building looks light, elegant and spacious. The chapel glows from within through the use of terracotta and white marble. The openwork of the building gives it heavenly calm and airiness. The abundance of arches, as well as the world-famous terracotta pendant vaults, have made it one of the most rented buildings.
In the chapel there is a so-called corner of poets. Among those buried there are Handel and Dickens, Oscar Wilde and William Blake.
Death and rest
King Henry VII Tudor died 10 years before the completion of the reconstruction of the chapel. It happened in 1509, death came from tuberculosis, which tormented the monarch for several years.
It is in this masterpiece of architecture that the king himself and members of the family of Henry VII are buried. His wife, children, distant heirs, and even rival queens Elizabeth Tudor and Bloody Mary Stuart found their last refuge within these walls. Their tombs are adorned with delicate sculptures by Pietro Torrigiano.
Meaning in history
Henry's personality is ambiguous and that is why it excites the minds of historians. Being resolute, he was known as cruel, but he was recognized as an excellent politician, reformer and economist. In the personality of the first of the Tudors, selfishness and devotion to the country, cruelty and flexibility were mixed together.
This was Henry VII - the great king of England, who laid the foundation for one of the most influential dynasties of all time.
