England 1485-1559: the Early Tudors
Exam board: OCR
Course Code: Y106
Section B: England 1485-1547
1. What was Henry VII’s government like?
- Henry’s claim to the throne and threats to his rule
- relations with the nobility, royal finances and government
2. How did Henry VII manage his foreign policy?
- Relationships and treaties with Burgundy, France, Scotland and Spain
3. What role did Wolsey play in Henry VIII’s government and foreign affairs?
- Henry VIII’s divorce and how he changed the Church
4. What was Henry VIII’s reign like after 1529
- Religious change & opposition
- Thomas Cromwell, faction fighting, foreign policy and wars
Recommended books/films?
Title
The White Queen
Author
Philippa Gregory
*recommended
The White Princess
Philippa Gregory
Winter King
Thomas Penn
Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel
Title
The White Queen
Produced by
BBC – 10 episodes
(especially 9-10)
The Tudors
*recommended
BBC. 4 series (10
episodes per series)
Wolf Hall
BBC – 6 episodes
(especially 1-2)
The Other Boleyn
Girl (2008)
BBC Films
Value
told from the point of view of Elizabeth Woodville, this book will
give you a valuable wider context of the period and understand
Henry’s claim to the throne.
told from the point of view of Henry VII’s queen, Elizabeth of
York (Elizabeth Woodville’s daughter) this book will give you a
wider context of the reign of Henry VII and understand Henry’s
rule and the threats he faced.
A definitive and accessible account of the reign of Henry VII that
will alter our view not just of Henry, but of the country he
dominated and corrupted, and of the dynasty he founded.
Charting the rise of Thomas Cromwell, the son of a blacksmith
who became the most influential courtier and lawyer and
statesman at Henry VIII’s court.
Value
This is a BBC adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s book by the same
name. The last two episodes in particular chart Henry VII’s rise
to the throne.
Series 1 chronicles the period of Henry VIII’s reign in which his
effectiveness as King is tested by international conflicts as well
as political intrigue in his own court. Wolsey plays a major part
in the series, acting as Henry's trusted advisor.
Series 3 focuses on Henry's 3rd marriage and the birth of his son,
his reaction to religious uprisings, and the downfall of Thomas
Cromwell.
this BBC adaptation charts Thomas Cromwell’s rise to power in
Henry VIII’s government. The first two episodes in particular
discuss Wolsey’s demise and the power of the Boleyn faction,
although the whole series is relevant for our unit.
The tale follows the history of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne
Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII. Before his relationship with
Anne, Henry favoured her sister Mary. The film outlines their
relationship and then the downfall of Anne, giving an
understanding of the power of the King and the context of the
period. Based on Philippa Gregory’s fiction book by the same
name.
Summer preparation tasks:
Task 1: Create a royal family tree. (Tip – research/plan it out in rough first. Do not simply copy a family tree from
the internet – you must know who the people are). You may need to create two separate family trees. It must
include the following people:
-
King Edward IV, his wife and children (only Edward V, Richard and Elizabeth)
King Edward IV’s two brothers, their wives and children
King Edward IV’s sister and her marriages
-
Margaret Beaufort, her first husband, her third husband (William Stanley) and his family
Her son Henry, his wife and children
Colour-code in red the people related to the ‘House of Lancaster’. Colour in white (or grey) the people related to the
‘House of York’.
Challenge: Work out how Margaret Beaufort is related to the royal family. You may need to trace the family back to
King Edward III.
Task 2: Create a timeline charting Henry VII’s reign. It should include:
-
His birth, exile to France, and his invasion (the Battle of Bosworth)
The date of his coronation, marriage, birth of children
Date of wars/battles (Attempted war with France, Battle of Stoke)
Invasion and capture/execution of Warbeck
The dates Henry signed the following treaties: Medina del Campo, Redon, Etaples, Ayton, Magnus
Intercursus, Malus Intercursus [N.B. these may be written the other way around, i.e. ‘Intercursus Magnus’]
The death of his wife. The marriage and death of his son(s)
Colour-code based on: a) things that strengthened his rule (e.g. truces/agreements with other countries), b) things
that threatened/damaged his rule, (e.g. Warbeck invasion, death of son).
Challenge: Do the same for Henry VIII, charting his marriages, wars, and key changes he made to the church.