BIRTH OF HENRY TUDOR ~ ENGLAND’S FIRST TUDOR KING
Henry VII is known for being the first Tudor King, and for being the father of King Henry VIII.
Henry VII was born on 28th January 1457, at Pembroke Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
His parents were Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort.
Born during the Wars of the Roses, Henry’s early life was turbulent.
His father had died before Henry’s birth, whilst his mother was only 13 when her first and only son was born.
Henry was later taken into the protection of his uncle Jasper, but his childhood continued to be defined by the Yorkist and Lancastrian wars.
In 1471 Henry and Jasper escaped to exile in Brittany.
Henry would eventually become the one to end the Wars of the Roses, and establish the Tudor dynasty.
On 22nd August 1485, at the Battle of Bosworth Field, Richard III’s Yorkist army was defeated.
King Richard was killed ~ and Henry became King of England.
Henry married Elizabeth of York ~ daughter of the Yorkist king Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, on 18th January 1486.
Elizabeth was the elder sister of ‘the Princes in the Tower’ who mysteriously disappeared, after being taken into the care of their uncle, Richard III.
Their marriage united the Lancastrians and the Yorks.
The Tudor rose is made up of the white rose of York, and the red rose of Lancaster, symbolising the unity of the two warring households.
Elizabeth had eight pregnancies, but only four children would survive past childhood~
Arthur~ 20th September 1486.
Margaret~28th November 1489
Henry~28th June 1491
Mary~18 March 1496
Edmund~21 February 1499 died 19th June 1500
Katherine~ born and died 2nd February 1503
On 14th November 1501, their eldest son and heir Arthur, married Katharine of Aragon.
Sadly, just five months later, Arthur died of the sweating sickness.
This left Henry in a difficult position.
The lack of a male heir old enough to take the throne, weakened Henry’s rule.
Henry’s younger son, the future Henry VIII, was only ten years old when his brother Arthur died.
It also meant that the time and effort put into preparing Arthur had been wasted, and that Arthur’s widow Katharine of Aragon, was now without a husband.
Henry and Elizabeth decided to try for another son, and Elizabeth quickly became pregnant.
The child, a girl named Katherine, was born on 2nd February 1503, at the Tower of London, and died on the same day.
Tragically, Elizabeth of York followed her baby to the grave nine days later, dying of a post-pregnancy infection on her 37th birthday.
Meanwhile, Katharine of Aragon’s father wanted back the dowry that he had paid for Katharine’s marriage to Arthur.
Henry did not want to give up the money, and very briefly considered marrying Katharine himself.
Eventually Katharine married Henry’s second son, the future Henry VIII.
The rest of Henry VII’s reign passed relatively peacefully.
He died on 21st April 1509, at Richmond Palace in Surrey.
His death was due to tuberculosis.
Henry was buried in Westminster Abbey next to his wife, Elizabeth.
As for Henry’s children, they all had full and interesting lives of their own.
His Son Henry VIII, is probably one of history’s most well known Monarch’s.
His daughter Margaret, became the wife of James IV of Scotland, and Grandmother to Mary Queen of Scots.
His daughter Mary, married Louis XII and briefly became Queen of France.
By Mary’s later marriage to Charles Brandon, she was the Grandmother of Lady Jane Grey, the nine days queen…..
? A Young Henry VII c.1470-1480
The Calvet Museum~Avignon France.
