As Level History Paper, How Successful Was Henry Vii in Securing International Recognition
How successful has Henry VII in securing international recognition?
At the start of his reign Henry realised that International recognition was important, especially from major powers in Europe such as France as well as maintain relations with those he was already allied to such as Brittany. As a result he decided to invade Boulogne with 12,000 men, a campaign that he was sure would not end in retaliation as he had been informed that the French were preparing for war on the Italian peninsula. As a result the French agreed to sign the Treaty of Etaples. The treaty itself was a huge success for Henry as it forced the French to not only denounce the pretender Perkin Warbeck but also pay England a total of 159,000 pounds. The campaign and the treaty were both brilliant methods for henry to secure international relations. The campaign showed that he was a fighting king who wasn’t going to sit on his island and do nothing, and the treaty showed that he was a ruthless diplomat who knew how to work a situation to reap the maximum benefits for his kingship.
He was not blind to the threats closer to home, and secured his kingship with a union with Scotland, where he married his daughter, Princess Margaret to James IV of Scotland, along with signing the Treaty of Ayton. This was largely prompted by the negative events preceding it, namely as James IV attempting to back Perkin Warbeck’s rebellion. The fact that Scotland so readily abandoned Warbeck after being defeated by Henry and then quickly agreeing to recognise Henry as king of England after the rebellion shows a strong level of recognition being gained by Henry out of respect after the Scottish defeat. The marriage also helped him to secure international recognition by ensuring a long lasting peace between England and Scotland.
However, Henry didn’t always get his way. Early on in his reign he made an agreement with Maximilian of Burgundy to aid him in his campaign against the French and the Flemish so long as
At the start of his reign Henry realised that International recognition was important, especially from major powers in Europe such as France as well as maintain relations with those he was already allied to such as Brittany. As a result he decided to invade Boulogne with 12,000 men, a campaign that he was sure would not end in retaliation as he had been informed that the French were preparing for war on the Italian peninsula. As a result the French agreed to sign the Treaty of Etaples. The treaty itself was a huge success for Henry as it forced the French to not only denounce the pretender Perkin Warbeck but also pay England a total of 159,000 pounds. The campaign and the treaty were both brilliant methods for henry to secure international relations. The campaign showed that he was a fighting king who wasn’t going to sit on his island and do nothing, and the treaty showed that he was a ruthless diplomat who knew how to work a situation to reap the maximum benefits for his kingship.
He was not blind to the threats closer to home, and secured his kingship with a union with Scotland, where he married his daughter, Princess Margaret to James IV of Scotland, along with signing the Treaty of Ayton. This was largely prompted by the negative events preceding it, namely as James IV attempting to back Perkin Warbeck’s rebellion. The fact that Scotland so readily abandoned Warbeck after being defeated by Henry and then quickly agreeing to recognise Henry as king of England after the rebellion shows a strong level of recognition being gained by Henry out of respect after the Scottish defeat. The marriage also helped him to secure international recognition by ensuring a long lasting peace between England and Scotland.
However, Henry didn’t always get his way. Early on in his reign he made an agreement with Maximilian of Burgundy to aid him in his campaign against the French and the Flemish so long as