Did the Battle of Bosworth place Henry Tudor *securely* on the English throne?

Question

I've been trying to work this out for a while. Did the Battle of Bosworth place Henry Tudor *securely* on the English throne? If it wasn't secure, why was that? thanks

Answer 1

It couldn't have placed him securely, because Henry Tudor had very remote, and very little claims to the Throne.

However, different factors did help him not to face any serious opposition.

1) There were no other serious contendors (pretty much everyone had died, or were killed)

2) He was the winner - people were probably relieved to get rid of Richard, so he was welcomed as a saviour.

But what really secured his position, in my opinion, was his marriage to Elizabeth York. Many people would have seen her as the natural and legitimate successor of her father and brothers, so marrying her, and thus connecting the Lancaster (the dynasty her father belonged), the York (her mother was from the Yorks) and Tudor dynasties.

Answer 2

If it wasn't for my Mothers side of the family the (Butlers), the original last name was Fitzwalter, but anyways.. The Tudor dynasty would have never existed if it wasn't for my Mothers side of the family helping him, always helping him, all the way up to King Henry VIII, thus giving my Mothers side more power when Henry VIII married My ancestor Anne Boleyn. So if it wasn't for us the Tudors would have lost the war of the roses and they would have been nothing in history.

Answer 3

It certainly did not place Henry securely on the Throne, and this accounts for so much of the subsequent Tudor paranoia and repression.

If the children of Edward lV were illegitimate, as claimed, then Richard of Gloucester (Richard lll )was the undisputed heir to Edward lV.  If they were not illegitimate then the children of Edward lV were the heirs to the throne.  The very tenuous claim that Henry Tudor had was by an illegitimate descent through John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynburn.

There is still much controversy over the Tudor regime.  If Richard was the legitimate heir then he had no reason to murder the Princes in the Tower.  However, there is no hard evidence here but such evidence as exists generally points to Henry getting rid of such Yorkist heirs as the Earl of Warwick and estalishing some sort of credibility by marrying Elizabeth of York (Edward lV's eldest daughter).  I am not a historian but wish I was because I find this period of history fasscinating but have forgotten quite a bit.  One thing is clear though, the remaining Yorkist heirs came to a sticky end under Henry.  I also find it sad that Richard was the very last English king that England had.

Answer 4

The first two answers were pretty good.  One additional point.  King Henry VII was on very good terms with one other 'contender', his uncle who had a better claim to the throne.   With the Lancaster side united behind them and his marriage to the best heir of York, he was in a very good position to assert his kingship.

Answer 5

Henry's decisive win at the Battle of Bosworth ensured that he had an unimpeded route to the crown, even though his claims to the throne were shakey at best and his "bar sinister" would legally have blocked any claims he might have had.

He then married the daughter of Edward IV to bolster his claims.  Unfortunately, Edward himself was illegitimate and therefore, according to law, any of his progeny would also have been illegitimate.

Therefore, the whole line descending from Edward should really be considered illegitimate and have no rights to the throne.

This would mean that the current line currently occupying the throne has no legal right to it.

The last legitimate monarch of England was, in fact, Richard III

Answer 6

The Battle of Bosworth was the last definitive battle in what was called the War of the Roses.

Some background--the War of the Roses was fought between the House of Lancaster (red rose) and the House of York (white rose).  This was a dispute over succession where both houses claimed the throne of England since both houses have similar origins.  

The Battle of Bosworth was fought between King Richard III and Henry Tudor--both contenders of the crown.  It ended in the defeat and death of King Richard, thus establishing the Tudor dynasty and ending the War between the two houses.  Although later on small skirmishes over the throne were still fought, none of them were successful.