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Henry VII Facts & Worksheets

Henry VII was the first king or monarch from the Royal House of Tudor. He reigned as the King of England and Lord of Ireland.

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Henry VII was the first king or monarch from the Royal House of Tudor. He reigned as the King of England and Lord of Ireland and held the crown from August 22, 1485, until his death on April 21, 1509.

See the fact file below for more information on the Henry VII or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Henry VII worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

  • On January 28, 1457, Henry VII was born at Pembroke Castle.
  • Henry VII’s mother was Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond.
  • Henry VII’s father was Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond.
  • Unfortunately, Edmund died in 1456, three months before Henry VII was born. He was captured while fighting for Henry VI, in South Wales against the Yorkists.
  • Henry VII’s grandfather on his father’s side was Owen Tudor.
  • Owen came from the Tudors of Penmynydd, a noble and aristocratic family, living in and connected with the village of Penmynydd in Anglesey, North Wales.
  • Owen became recognized as he was made one of the “Squires to the Body to the King” after his military service at the Battle of Agincourt in the 15th century.
  • Owen secretly married Catherine of Valois, the widow of Henry V.
  • One of their children was Edmund, who was made Earl of Richmond in 1452.
  • Lady Margaret Beaufort was great-great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, fourth son of Edward III to his mistress, Katherine Swynford.
  • This meant that Henry’s claim to the English throne was from illegitimate descent, but fortunately, by 1843 Henry was the only remaining senior male Lancastrian claimant.
  • In addition, Henry’s Welsh ancestry attracted political support.
  • Jasper Tudor, the Earl of Pembroke and Henry’s uncle, took care of Margaret when she gave birth.
  • William Herbert, a Yorkist, took guardianship of Margaret and young Henry when Jasper went into exile abroad in 1461.
  • Herbert stayed until 1469, but was captured fighting for the Yorkists and executed by Warwick.
  • In 1470, Warwick restored Henry VI, and Jasper Tudor returned and brought Henry to court.
  • The following year, Edward IV regained the throne. The Lancastrians, including Henry, fled to Brittany.
  • Henry spent 14 years in Brittany under Francis II, Duke of Brittany.
  • Francis II fell ill and Henry was escorted to Breton. There, he feigned stomach cramps and fled to a monastery.
  • Henry was almost executed, but luckily, the townspeople favored him and Francis II recovered from his illness.
  • A small band of scouts was sent to rescue Henry.

CLAIMING THE THRONE

  • Margaret promoted Henry as an alternative to Richard III.
  • On December 25, 1843, Henry pledged to marry Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of Edward IV and heir.
  • Richard III tried to capture Henry from Brittany, but Henry managed to escape to France where he was warmly welcomed, then acquired supplies and troops as he prepared for a second invasion.
  • Henry led an army of 5,000 soldiers, landing at Mill Bay and marching to England.
  • On 22 August 1485, Henry had a plan to defeat Richard III and seize the throne.
  • He successfully defeated Richard’s Yorkist army at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Richard was killed.

REIGN

  • Henry declared himself king by right of conquest on August 21, 1485.
  • Henry, as king, was styled by the Grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland.
  • Henry became entitled to bear the Royal Arms of England on his succession.
  • After declaring himself as king, anyone who had fought for Richard against him was found guilty of treason.
  • Henry also legally confiscated the lands and property of Richard III, and at the same time restored his own land.
  • Henry spared Richard’s nephew, the Earl of Lincoln, who was also Richard’s designated heir.
  • Margaret Plantagenet, a Yorkist heiress, was also spared.
  • After the Battle of Bosworth, Henry ordered Robert Willoughby to go to Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire, to have Edward, Earl of Warwick, arrested and taken to the Tower of London in order to prevent further rebellion against him.
  • Henry VII’s official coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on October 30, 1485.
  • Henry married Elizabeth on January 18, 1486 at Westminster Abbey, honoring his pledge.
  • Their marriage united warring houses, and was symbolised by the heraldic emblem of the Tudor rose.
  • The Tudor rose is an emblem of a red and white rose, and was used by Henry after his marriage.
  • Henry VII was known for several administrative, economic, and diplomatic initiatives.
  • He implemented a supportive policy toward England’s wool industry.
  • His standoff with the Low Countries had long-lasting benefits to the English economy.

DEATH

  • On April 21, 1509, Henry VII died of tuberculosis at Richmond Palace.
  • He was buried next to his wife in Westminster Abbey, in a chapel he commissioned.

Henry VII Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Henry VII across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Henry VII worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Henry VII who was the first king or monarch from the Royal House of Tudor. He reigned as the King of England and Lord of Ireland and held the crown from August 22, 1485, until his death on April 21, 1509.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Henry VII Facts
  • Henry’s Biography
  • Words to Describe
  • Picture Clues
  • Correct Order
  • People in Henry’s Life
  • England: Before and After
  • Quotes About Henry
  • Royal House of Tudor
  • The King in His Reign
  • Play Fit for a Monarch

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Link will appear as Henry VII Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 20, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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