Henry VII - Pretenders, Claimants & Rebellions (1480s)

Surviving yorkists - most signifiant & dangerous was John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln. Richard III had named him heir following the death of Edward, prine of Wales. 1485 - John & brother Edmund were accepted at court, but would both go on to commit treason.

Lovell rebellion Easter 1486

Lovell, Humphrey & THomas Stafford were all minor noblemen who had fought for Richard III at the batte of Bosworth and fled into sanctuary.

Henry went on his progress of the realm. When he arrived in York he was warned of Francis, Lord Lovell's plan to attack, coinciding with Humphrey Stafford's attack on Worcestor.

Henry quickly instructed Bedford & other magnates to organise armys & confront any rebels. He ordered pardons to those who submitted & to avoid bloodshed.

Lovell deserted his army in the middle of the night, fleeing to Lancashire then to Flanders.

Humphrey Stafford was taken prisoner on the way to Oxford & executed at Tyburn. His brother, Thomas, was forgiven as he was following his evil brother.

Outcomes:

• Made impossible to plead sanctuary in treason cases
• Yorkists realised they needed a Yorkist prince for a successful rebellion
• Henry realised the weak position he was in internationally as he ws surrounded by countries who would benefit from supporting a Yorkist claimant
• Used measures to control his noblemen ( attainders, bonds & acts of resumption etc.) even tough they were already his close friends.

Lambert Simnel 1486/7

John Guy - the 'dynastic intentions' made it the most serious rebellion of Henry VII's reign.

10 year old from oxford, son of an organ maker. Richard Symonds (priest) suggested he should pretend to be Edward, Earl of Warwick. He trained him by teaching him Latin, French, skills for an aristocratic household, details of Yorkist life & the confidence of a king.

Crowned King Edward VI in Dublin in on 24th May 1487 by Gerald Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare. The dominant Earls of Kildare had decided to remain loyal to the Yorkist cause following the Battle of Bosworth.

John de la Pole & Lovell were in the congregation.

It's though that Henry may have known abou the pretender in 1486, being the reason for the…