Henry VII rebellion Yorkshire 1489

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  • Created by: 12jones_M
  • Created on: 14-02-19 12:10

Henry VII rebellion Yorkshire 1489

Causes

  • Henry VII has reputation for greed/ harsh control over money
  • 1. He announced a tax of a tenth to fund the defence of Brittany against the French in 1489.
  • 2. it was a new type of tax, based on income, so disliked.
  • 3. Henry Percy made a speech to an angry crowd at Topcliffe, Yorkshire to encourage people to pay and explain why it was so important. He was set upon by a mob and lynched.
  • 4. Reasons why the crowd was so upset;
  • North paid less tax for defence in past as they had to defend border with Scotland. Henry broke his custom. Outcry in Durham and York and they refused to pay. The north were loyal to Richard as he had lots of states and supporters.  The murder of Percies indicates hostility towards the charges and Henry VII. Also a concern as Percy helped to defend the border with Scotland. Henry was concerned it would lead to a pro-Yorkist rebellion,

Effects

  • Parliament of 1489 gave Henry a subsidy of £100,000 to defend Brittany from the French. However, King only received £27,000.
  • People in Yorkshire suffering from previous bad harvest.
  • Henry Percy put the case to Henry that the north should not pay.
  • Rebels turned to Sir John Egremount who was a Yorkist sympathiser and declared they would fight the king's evil councillors.
  • Henry accompanied Earl of Surrey to stop rebels, however the rebels fled and some were hung. Egremont escaped to Burgundy and the rebellion was easily defeated.
  • Henry was in future careful not to go against custom with taxation in the north. This limited Henry's foreign policy ambitions.

Overall summary

The Yorkshire rebellion was important because the rebels got what they wanted and it stopped Henry from changing the taxes. However, it meant that Henry lost his defence in the North against Scotland.

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