Henry Tudor

His Life and Reign

1457

Born in Pembroke Castle, Wales, the only child of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond and Margaret Beaufort, a direct descendant of Edward III.

1462

Henry Tudor of Richmond is made a ward of Lord Herbert, a supporter of the newly crowned Yorkist King Edward IV.

1469

Lord Herbert is defeated by the Lancastrians and executed by the Earl of Warwick, who now sides with Henry VI.

1470

Henry VI regains the throne and Edward IV flees to Flanders.

1471

Henry VI and his only son Edward die and Edward IV becomes King again. Henry of Richmond becomes the main Lancastrian claimant to the throne. His uncle Jasper Tudor takes him to safety in Brittany.

1483

Following the death of Edward IV, his brother Richard claims the crown and Edward’s two sons disappear mysteriously from the Tower.

Enemies of Richard III begin to plot to replace him with Henry Tudor. Henry swears to marry Edward IV’s daughter Elizabeth if he is made King.

1485

Henry sails from France, landing in Wales. Henry and Richard meet in battle at Market Bosworth in Leicestershire, where Henry wins and is crowned King.

1486

Henry marries Elizabeth of York and they have their first child, Arthur.

1487

Lambert Simnel claims to be Edward IV’s nephew Edward of Warwick.

Elizabeth is crowned Queen.

1489

Yorkshire rebels against a new tax

1491

Perkin Warbeck claims to be Richard Duke of York, Edward IV’s missing son. He makes various challenges to the throne but is executed in 1499.

Henry VII’s second son, Henry, the future Henry VIII, is born.

1492

The treaty of Étaples is signed, making peace with France

1497

Rebellion breaks out in Cornwall.

1499

Edward Earl of Warwick, the nephew of Richard III, is executed.

1501

Arthur is married to Catherine of Aragon, arranged by the Treaty of Medina del Campo in 1489.

1502

Arthur dies and Henry becomes heir to the throne.

The Treaty of Perpetual Peace is signed with Scotland in an attempt to stop the ongoing warfare between the two countries.

1503

Elizabeth of York dies in childbirth.

1509

Henry VII dies suddenly from a stroke.