During the reign of King Henry VII, England faced several major challenges to royal authority through rebellions and rival claims to the throne.
The Henry VII rebellions and Yorkist claims posed significant threats to the new Tudor dynasty. After defeating Richard III at Bosworth in 1485, Henry VII had to deal with multiple uprisings from Yorkist supporters who believed others had stronger claims to rule England. The most notable early rebellion came from Lambert Simnel, who pretended to be Edward Plantagenet, the Earl of Warwick. Though Simnel gathered support in Ireland and invaded England in 1487, Henry's forces defeated the rebels at the Battle of Stoke Field.
The Perkin Warbeck rebellion and foreign support emerged as an even greater challenge that lasted from 1491-1499. Warbeck claimed to be Richard of York, one of the princes who disappeared in the Tower of London. He received backing from powerful foreign rulers including the Holy Roman Emperor, the King of Scotland, and Margaret of Burgundy. This made his threat much more serious, as these allies provided money, soldiers and diplomatic support. The Cornish rebellion and taxes under Henry VII also caused major problems in 1497 when people in Cornwall rose up against Henry's heavy taxation policies. The Cornish rebels marched toward London but were defeated at Blackheath. While these rebellions ultimately failed, they showed how Henry VII faced constant challenges to his rule and had to work hard to secure the Tudor dynasty through both military force and clever diplomacy. He responded by strengthening his control through bonds and recognizances, using spies and informers, and building up the royal treasury to ensure he had resources to defeat future threats. These measures helped establish Tudor authority but also led to accusations that Henry was an overly strict and greedy king focused mainly on enhancing royal power and wealth.
