Wales and the early Tudors, c.1485 - c.1547

Henry Tudor was born in 1457 at Pembroke Castle in west Wales. He became Earl of Richmond after his father, Edmund Tudor, died. His mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, was descended from Edward III, giving Henry a claim to the throne.

Raised by his uncle, Jasper Tudor, Henry was educated as a nobleman. Jasper Tudor helped to protect Henry during the Wars of the Roses. This was a long fight for the English throne between two royal families, the Lancastrians and the Yorkists. The wars lasted from 1455 to 1485.

In the 1470s, Henry became the main Lancastrian claimant to the throne. In 1485, Henry launched an attempt to take the throne from Richard III, the Yorkist King. Growing up in Wales helped him gain Welsh support. Many believed he was the Mab Darogan, the legendary hero who would free Wales from English rule.

The final battles of the Wars of the Roses

Key people during the Battle of Bosworth

Richard III

Who was he?

• King of England and leader of the House of York.
• Henry Tudor's main rival.

Why was he important?

• Fought Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth (1485).
• Killed during the battle, ending Yorkist rule and making Henry VII king.

Jasper Tudor

Who was he?

• Henry Tudor's uncle, guardian and Earl of Pembroke.

Why was he important?

• Protected Henry during the Wars of the Roses.
• Helped Henry return to England in 1485.
• Fought beside Henry at Bosworth and helped win support.

The Stanley brothers

Who were they?

• Thomas and Sir William Stanley, powerful English nobles.
• Thomas Stanley was Henry Tudor's stepfather.

Why were they important?

• Stayed neutral until the battle.
• Joined Henry at the decisive moment.
• Their support helped defeat Richard III at Bosworth.

Henry’s seizure of the throne

After winning the Battle of Bosworth, Henry VII declared himself king before Parliament met. He then backdated the start date of his reign so that he could punish his enemies as traitors. He also married Elizabeth of York to unite the two rival families and to help secure his throne from the remaining Yorkists.

Henry VII and Wales

Marcher lords were powerful nobles who controlled areas along the border between England and Wales, known as the Welsh Marches. For centuries they had acted almost like independent rulers.

After his victory in Bosworth in 1485, Henry VII took control of the Marcher lordships. This reduced their power and strengthened Henry’s authority in Wales.

Charters of Privilege

Henry VII wanted the Marcher lords to support him after becoming king. He gave some Charters of Privilege to keep them loyal.

• These charters allowed some Marcher lords to keep their lands and rights.
• In return, the lords were expected to stay loyal to Henry VII.
• This helped reduce the chance of rebellion and strengthen royal control in Wales.

The Council of the Marches (1493)

In 1493, Henry VII brought back the Council of the Marches at Ludlow Castle. It helped him rule Wales more effectively.

Why did Henry VII re-establish the Council?

• Control Wales – It helped Henry VII govern Wales and the border areas.
• Keep law and order – The Council dealt with crime and settled disputes.
• Reduce the power of the Marcher lords – The Council made sure royal officials, rather than local lords, carried out the king's wishes.

Henry’s relationship with the Welsh gentry

Henry VII rewarded loyal Welsh gentry with important jobs and land. This helped him control Wales and increase his support from Wales.

Welsh gentry held important jobs at court, helping Henry VII govern Wales and stay in control. Two of the most important Welsh gentry at this time were Sir Rhys ap Thomas and William ap Gruffudd.

Sir Rhys ap Thomas

• Supported Henry VII at the Battle of Bosworth.
• Was awarded with land, castles and important titles.
• Became Constable of Brecon.
• Maintained law and order in south Wales for Henry VII.

William ap Gruffudd

• Helped Henry VII gather soldiers before the Battle of Bosworth.
• Was rewarded with land and important government jobs.
• Became Constable of Caernarfon Castle and Sheriff of Caernarfonshire.
• Helped Henry VII control north Wales and enforce royal authority.

Tudor Princes of Wales

Edward I started the tradition of giving his heir the title Prince of Wales in 1301. Henry VII continued this tradition by investing his eldest son Arthur in 1489. This strengthened Henry VII's links with Wales and secured the Tudor dynasty. In 1493, Arthur was sent to Ludlow Castle to learn how to govern Wales and the Marches.

After Arthur's death in 1502, his younger brother Henry became Prince of Wales. His investiture secured the Tudor succession and reassured people that England and Wales had a clear future king.

Henry VIII and Wales

Henry VIII became king in 1509 after the death of his father, Henry VII.

As king, he became concerned with the behaviour of the Marcher lords, believing they were protecting criminals and failing to enforce the law along the Welsh border.

How did he deal with the Marcher lords?

John Veysey's role

• Appointed by Henry VIII as Lord President of the Council in Wales and the Marches.
• Enforced the king's laws across Wales and the Marches.
• Settled disputes and reduced fighting between powerful local families.
• Strengthened the king’s power and reduced the power of the Marcher lords.
• Helped prepare Wales for further English control.

Mary as Princess of Wales 1525-1531

In 1525, Henry VIII named his oldest daughter Mary as Princess of Wales and heir to the throne. Based at Ludlow Castle, her role was mainly symbolic.

Mary's court at Ludlow Castle showed Tudor power in Wales. It strengthened the Crown's power and prepared Mary for her future role. Although she was Princess of Wales, the Council in the Marches carried out the day-to-day government of Wales. In 1531, she lost her status after Henry sought to divorce Catherine of Aragon.

Troublesome Marcher lords

The Herbert family was one of the most powerful Marcher lord families in south Wales.

They:

• controlled large areas of Monmouthshire and Glamorgan
• ran their own courts and controlled justice on their lands
• resisted Henry VIII's attempts to increase royal control
• feuded with other powerful Marcher families, causing disorder

Their power also helped convince Henry VIII that he needed to do more to control Wales.

The Lordship of Magor

Magor was a Marcher lordship in Monmouthshire. Local lords had a lot of power and often ignored the king's officials. Henry VIII wanted to collect taxes, enforce the law and reduce the power of these local rulers. However, many people in Magor resisted his changes. This showed Henry that Wales needed stronger government and one legal system.

Why was Magor important?

• There was an important Marcher lordship in Monmouthshire.
• Henry VIII wanted greater royal control.
• Taxes were collected for the Crown.
• Local lords resisted royal authority.

The protest of Sir Rhys ap Gruffudd

After his grandfather died in 1525, Rhys ap Gruffudd expected to inherit his lands and titles. Henry VIII gave many to Walter Devereux instead. Rhys rebelled against Henry VIII. Rhys was defeated, and and executed for treason in 1531. This was a warning to others not to challenge Tudor authority.

By the early 1530s, Henry VIII had become convinced that he needed to do more to control and unite Wales, and to deal with the troublesome Marcher lords.

The Henrician Reformation

Henry VIII was a loyal Catholic. He defended the Pope after Martin Luther criticised the Catholic Church in 1517. However, in 1534 Henry made himself Head of the Church in England instead of the Pope. This became known as the English, or Henrician Reformation.

Key fact

Martin Luther began Protestantism in Germany, after criticising the Catholic church.

Why did Henry VIII start the Reformation?

Church reforms under Henry VIII

Annates Act (1532)

Henry stopped English bishops paying annates to the Pope. The money went to the Crown, increasing Henry's control and wealth.

Act in Restraint of Appeals (1533)

This law stopped people from asking the Pope in Rome to settle English legal and religious arguments. It allowed Henry VIII to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and strengthened his control over the Church.

Act of Supremacy (1534)

This law made Henry VIII the supreme head of the Church of England. This removed the authority of the Pope over religion in England and Wales.

Thomas Cromwell and the reasons for the dissolution of the monasteries

Thomas Cromwell led the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536–1541), closing religious houses and giving their land and wealth to Henry VIII.

Dissolution of Welsh monasteries

During the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Welsh monasteries were closed down.

Neath Abbey

Its land was given to Sir Richard Williams, ending centuries of monastic life.

Margam Abbey

Its lands were given to the Mansel family, but its church remained in use.

Tintern Abbey

Its buildings were stripped of valuables before becoming one of Wales' most famous historic ruins.

Strata Florida Abbey

Its stone was reused locally, leaving ruins that remain an important Welsh heritage site today.

Resistance to the Reformation

Many Welsh people remained loyal to the Catholic Church and opposed some of Henry VIII's religious changes. The Dissolution of the Monasteries was often unpopular in Wales, particularly because monasteries played an important social and religious role.

Yn y Llyfr Hwn (1546)

Protestant ideas from Europe and England did not spread easily in Wales. Most Protestant teachings were in English, and so were not understood by many Welsh people.

Yn y Llyfr Hwn was the first book printed in Welsh, written by Sir John Price. It made Protestant teachings available in Welsh, allowing more people to understand the Reformation. It also helped reduce resistance to Henry’s changes, because most Welsh people spoke Welsh, not English.

The Acts of Union

The Acts of Union were laws introduced by Henry VIII and his adviser Thomas Cromwell in 1536 and 1543.

The Acts of Union were introduced to:

• strengthen Tudor control over Wales
• bring Wales under English law and government
• reduce crime and lawlessness, especially in the Marches
• limit the power of the Marcher lords
• create one united kingdom under Henry VIII
• protect the Tudor dynasty from rebellion and Catholic opposition

Henry VIII appointed Rowland Lee, a religious bishop, to help him prepare Wales for the Acts of Union. In 1534, Rowland Lee became President of the Council of Wales, using harsh punishments to strengthen Tudor authority and enforce law and order.

Thomas Cromwell helped design the Acts of Union to make Wales easier to govern. Wales was divided into counties like England, with sheriffs and Justices of the Peace (JPs).

Sheriffs: appointed by Henry VIII to enforce the law, collect taxes and represent the Crown locally.

Justices of the Peace (JPs): local officials who enforced laws, kept order and dealt with minor crimes.

New courts were introduced including the following.

The Quarter Sessions

• These were local courts held four times a year to deal with serious crimes.
• They enforced English law across Wales.
• These were run by the JPs.

Court of Great Sessions

• The Court of Great Sessions was Wales' highest court.
• It dealt with the most serious criminal and civil cases.
• It applied English laws across Wales.

Impact of the Acts of Union

• Only those who could speak English could gain employment in the government or law sector.
• Wales gained Members of Parliament in the English Parliament.
• Wales became part of England's legal and political system.
• Many historians believe that these laws made Wales a part of England, rather than being united as an equal country.