Between 1485 and 1603, during the rule of five distinct Tudor kings, England experienced a formative period. Significant changes occurred during this time that had lasting effects on Britain.
Who preceded the Tudors?
The Plantagenets were the rulers of England prior to the Tudors taking over. The county of Anjou in France was the birthplace of this illustrious royal family. The reign of the House of Plantagenet in England began in 1154 with the accession of Henry II and continued until 22 August 1485. Henry VII defeated Richard III in combat, ending the Plantagenet dynasty of monarchs. At this critical juncture, the Plantagenet period came to an end and the Tudor dynasty came to power.
Due to the many historical branches and the difficulties in grasping the time’s background, studying the Tudor dynasty’s history may be a challenging endeavor for pupils. A thorough familiarity with the subject is necessary for the successful completion of theses and papers about this subject. Luckily, there exist niche services where you may consult experts. If you need help writing an academic paper on Tudor history, go here to view more info.
The origin and history of the Tudor name and dynasty
Who was the first Tudor, and where did this dynasty originate? Let’s explore this question.
Owen Tudor
With roots in the 13th century, Owen Tudor — originally known as Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur — is credited with founding the Tudor dynasty. Welsh courtier Owen Tudor, who was born before 1400, married Catherine of Valois twice after her first husband, King Henry V of England, passed away in 1422.
Edmund Tudor was one of Owen and Catherine’s three boys, born around 1430. The bubonic plague tragically claimed Edmund’s life on November 3, 1546, not long after he wed Margaret Beaufort. Born three months later posthumously, their son Henry would become well-known as Henry VII, the English Tudor dynasty’s founder.
- Born in 1431, Jasper Tudor was a major supporter and counselor of his nephew Henry VII upon he ascended to the throne in 1485.
- Though often recognized in Tudor history, their third son Edward is less well-known.
- Henry VII’s mother Margaret Beaufort was a major player in the English Civil War. Her lineage to King Edward III gave the Tudor claim to the English throne a significant royal heritage.
The Wars of the Roses marked the start of the Tudor dynasty
The violent dynastic struggles known as the Wars of the Roses, which broke out between the English crown and its nobility beginning in the middle of the 15th century, was where the Tudor dynasty first emerged. The main topics of this conflict, which lasted from May 22, 1455, to June 16, 1487, were various.
Many things stoked these disputes:
- The Duke of York, Richard, and his aspirations to become king,
- The ambitions of Richard, Duke of Gloucester to become a monarch,
- In an attempt to revive the Lancastrian claim, Henry Tudor,
- Anger at the death of his father motivates Edward of York to seek the throne.
- Henry VI’s illness-related disability,
- Economic hardships leading to widespread social upheaval,
- Feuds among the aristocracy over the approach of France’s military from England.
The Wars of the Roses were a time of great turmoil in English history. The white rose represented Lancaster and the crimson rose stood for York. These distinguishing emblems helped to define the fighting groups and their respective causes. Henry Tudor, a Lancastrian, ultimately prevailed against King Richard III at the decisive Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485, marking the end of these conflicts. The Plantagenets’ reign came to an end in this fight, and the Tudors began, however, some historians place the war’s conclusion in 1487, with Henry’s suppression of a Yorkist uprising led by Lambert Simnel.
Famously, Richard III’s bones were unearthed beneath a parking lot in Leicester in 2012, leading to the posthumous moniker “the car park king.” As a symbol of the new age under the House of Tudor, the Tudor rose combined the red Lancastrian and white Yorkist roses into one emblem, representing the merging of the two houses, which was represented by the union of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.
In what ways did the Tudor era influence modern Britain?
The Tudor period had far-reaching effects on modern Britain and continues to have an impact on many parts of current life. Some important ways in which the Tudor heritage is still felt in Britain are as follows:
- Royal Mail. “The King’s Posts,” the first national mail service, was established by Henry VIII and provided the foundation for what is now known as the Royal Mail. King Charles I later made this service available to the general public in 1635 by establishing the postal system, which is still in use today.
- The Anglican Communion. Henry VIII severed relations with the Catholic Church and established the Church of England, often called the Anglican Church, between 1534 and 1539. It is still a significant religious entity today. As of right now, it stands for over 85 million individuals in over 165 different nations.
- Royal Navy. Henry VIII officially founded the Royal fleet, expanding its strength from fifteen ships to forty-five by 1545, although Henry VII had already begun to expand the fleet. The Royal Navy was able to establish itself as a major player in international maritime affairs because of this basis.
- Financial Institutions. The first London-based stock exchange was established in 1571 by Sir Thomas Gresham. Due in large part to this institution, London was able to surpass Antwerp and become the European financial center, a position it has maintained ever since.
- Security Services. A network of European spies was to be established by Sir Francis Walsingham, who was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I between 1586 and 1587. The groundwork for contemporary intelligence organizations was laid by this network, which was the first counter-intelligence structure in England. It also featured instruction in cypher-breaking and forgeries.
From administrative and ecclesiastical frameworks to security and financial systems, the Tudor dynasty’s inventions and institutions have left an enduring impression on contemporary Britain.