Henry VII

Henry VII of England was king from 1485 to 1509. He was the first ruler of the Tudor family, which governed England for more than a century. His claim to the throne came at the end of the Wars of the Roses, a series of conflicts between two royal houses, Lancaster and York.

Henry was born in 1457. His mother, Margaret Beaufort, was a member of the House of Lancaster. His early life was shaped by the wars between Lancaster and York, so he spent many years in Wales and later in Brittany, a region in what is now France. From there, he planned to return to England to challenge Richard III, who sat on the throne after the death of Edward IV.

In 1485, Henry landed in England with a small army. The two sides met at the Battle of Bosworth, where Henry defeated and killed Richard III. This victory made Henry the new king. To strengthen his rule, Henry married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV. This marriage joined the two rival houses and helped bring an end to the fighting.

As king, Henry VII worked to keep peace in the kingdom. He created careful systems for collecting taxes and managing money so that the Crown would not depend too strongly on powerful nobles. He also used royal courts to reduce private armies held by nobles. These steps helped him secure his position after years of civil conflict.

Henry also made plans for alliances outside England. He arranged marriages for his children with royal families in Spain and Scotland. For example, his eldest son, Arthur, married Catherine of Aragon. After Arthur died young, his brother, the future Henry VIII, later married Catherine as well.

Henry VII died in 1509 and was succeeded by his son, Henry VIII. Although Henry VII's reign was calmer than the years before it, some challenges remained. But his rule marked the beginning of the Tudor dynasty, which would include famous rulers such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.