Henry VII was a Tudor king, and one of the most unpopular rulers in Britain. He was a complicated man, as most rulers are, and, unlike his son Henry VIII, did not leave much of a legavy behind. However, there are some interesting facts to learn about him, and we’re going to explore those in this article. Let’s get right into it.
7 Interesting Facts About Henry VII
1. Henry VII’s claim to the throne came from his mother and not his father.
It’s interesting to note that Henry VII’s claim to the British throne came from his mother and not his father. This was because his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, belonged to the House of Beaufort. Although Lady Margaret’s great-grandmother was her great-grandfather’s mistress, her uncle managed to legitimize Margaret, making her or any future childred heirs to the British throne.
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2. Henry VII was known for being a friendly and amiable person.
Former members of the British royal family have no always been known for their nature or temperament, but Henry VII was an exception. Various historical accounts often describe him as friendly, amiable, and very intelligent. Although his health was not always the best, his tutors and professors often stated that he had the makings of a good king, even before he took to the throne. They often stated that he was able to inspire confidence in others, and was decisive when he needed to be.
3. Henry VII was married to Elizabeth of York.
Although Henry’s claim to the throne was mostly secure, he further chose to settle his claim to the throne by marrying Elizabeth of York. She was Edward IV’s daughter, and Richard III’s niece. Interestingly enough, Henry married Elizabeth only after his coronation. His reasoning for this was strategic; he did it to ensure that he could rule on his own. It’s also worth noting that he married Elizabeth to get the public on his side, and ensure that they wouldn’t oppose a member of the Tudor family being king.
4. Henry VII maintained a close relationship with his wife and family.
Henry VII was known to be quite a stoic and reserved person, but showed intense grief and sorrow when his oldest son and wife died. His first son died of an unknown respiratory illness, and his wife died a year later. Although Henry did not often express much emotion around his subjects and courtiers, he surprised many by openly weeping at his son’s funeral.
He remained concerned about his wife’s health after she became sick, and often checked in on her during the course of his day. He also shut himself away from anyone for several days after his wife’s passing, thus indicating that their marriage was a happy and content one.
5. Henry VII improved the tax system.
It’s no secret to those that are interested in history that Henry VII was a huge fan of the tax system. After he came to power, he reworked the tax system and put in place a new and efficient that greatly affected the working class people. For instance, one of his systems stated that if a noble spent less, it must mean that he had saved enough to pay the higher taxes. On the other hand, if a noble spent more but did not save much, it also meant that his earnings were high enough to afford the new tax system.
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6. Henry VII’s wife died in childbirth.
After Henry and Elizabeth’s first son died, the couple had only one other son. Since they did not know if his succession would remain secure, they decided to have another child. Although Elizabeth got pregnant shortly after, her pregnancy was difficult, and she was sick throughout it. She went on to give birth to a daughter named Catherine, who died some days after she was born, and Elizabeth died from an infection nine days after giving birth.
7. Some accounts say that Henry VII was quite a miserly king.
Although Henry was intelligent and loved his family, he was also an unpopular ruler. One of the main reasons for this is that he was a miserly king who made a note of every single expense! However, in recent years, there has been new information which states that Henry VII was no as miserly as some accounts made him out to be. These accounts state that he was a patron of the arts, and that he spent a lot of money on various kinds of lavish gifts for his family. He also paid great sums of money to people to come and entertain him in his palace.
Conclusion
In this article, we took you through some fun facts about Henry VII and his life. Although his son, Henry VIII, is one of Britain’s best-known kings, it’s safe to say that Henry VII made his mark. We hope that you learned something new from this article, and that you will continue reading and researching about the British empire.
