I love that you focus on the importance of Courtenay in the defeat of Warbeck. Henry was so intelligent in the marriages of Elizabeth of York’s sisters, Cecily, Anne and Katherine, Bridget the youngest becoming a nun. I have a biography of the Tudor Earls of Devon written in 1961 which laughably states that the marriage of Princess Katherine and William Courtenay was a love match. Hardly. William’s dear old dad was a faithful Lancastrian exile and was knighted on Henry’s return. That marriage cemented that loyalty just as Cecily’s to John Welles half brother of Margaret Beaufort and Anne’s to Thomas Howard the future 3rd Duke of Norfolk. Henry’s strategies on the marriage market are part of why he succeeded so well with most of his aristocracy after he came to the throne.
Queen Elizabeth played a significant role in her sister's marriage (you know, Henry VII's initial idea seemed to be to marry them into a foreign marriage)
Although Elizabeth of York was usually passive in Henry VII's court affairs, she did play an active role in safeguarding the interests of sisters. After the Bosworth incident, Cecily quickly reunited with Lord Wells, but the others remained single for nearly ten years, by which time the queen was stable enough to arrange things that would benefit them. After Anne married Lord Thomas Howard, Elizabeth signed a contract with Howard's father, the Earl of Surrey, arranging various lands and inheritance rights for Howard, appointed by her parliament, granted to her son Henry, half brother Dorset, and others of her choice, ultimately to be jointly used by Anne and Lord Howard. Elizabeth also arranged to pay an annuity of £ 120 to the Earl for Anne's food and servants, and to provide all Anne's clothes until the couple owned the land. When Edward Courtney's son William married the queen's sister Catherine, Edward Courtney also made a similar arrangement. Although the contract in this regard was not retained, the eleven people appointed to hold Courtney's land were the same as those ultimately appointed to hold Howard's land, so it is almost certain that this was also arranged by Elizabeth. Elizabeth has been supporting her sisters all her life, paying most of the maintenance of Catherine's children and the funeral expenses of Catherine's son Edward. She also regularly sent money to her sister Bridget, who was a nun in Dartford, although the money was far less than that given to her married sisters. Just like Elizabeth Woodville's sister Anne and her sister-in-law Mrs. Skiles, Elizabeth of York's sister Joanna L. Laynesmith, The Last Medieval Queens: English Queenship 1445-1503 may sometimes be her senior maidservants.
Despite her usually passive role in affairs of Henry VII's court, Elizabeth of York did take an active role in asserting her sisters' interests. In the aftermath of Bosworth, Cecily had been swiftly united with Lord Welles, but the others remained single for almost ten more years, by which time the queen was sufficiently established to arrange matters to their advantage. On Anne's marriage to Thomas, Lord Howard,Elizabeth made an indenture with Howard's father, the earl of Surrey, arranging for various of his lands and reversions, appointed by her council, to be granted to her son Henry, her half- brother Dorset, and others of her choosing, ultimately to the use of Anne and Lord Howard as jointure. Elizabeth also arranged to pay an annuity of Crzo to the earl for Anne's diet and servants and to provide all of Anne's clothes until the couple came into possession of the lands.199 A similar arrangement was made with Edward Courtenay at the time of his son William's marriage to the queen's sister Katherine, and although the indenture for this does not survive the eleven men appointed to hold the Courtenay lands were identical with those eventually appointed to hold the Howard lands, so this was almost certainly also arranged by Elizabeth.200
A great read, Nathen. Thanks for sharing! I'm sure you've answered this question elsewhere (I've seen your face alongside Matt Lewis's!), but I'd be really interested to know your thoughts on the recent 'new evidence' uncovered about the princes in the tower... I found it difficult to believe its credibility, personally, but this era is far outside of my research area so I have only a shallow understanding of events!
After his defeat in the Battle of Worcester, Charles II fled and hid, trying to escape England. Isn’t a retreat when facing insurmountable odds, sometimes the long term strategic advantage? Is it really a sign of a feeble heart and evidence Warbeck’s claim was not legitimate? Or is it just the sensible thing to do in the situation he found himself in.
(Just to be clear, I am not suggesting Warbeck was 100% Richard. In my humble opinion the jury is out still on that…I’m just wondering if his retreat is admissible evidence.)
I love that you focus on the importance of Courtenay in the defeat of Warbeck. Henry was so intelligent in the marriages of Elizabeth of York’s sisters, Cecily, Anne and Katherine, Bridget the youngest becoming a nun. I have a biography of the Tudor Earls of Devon written in 1961 which laughably states that the marriage of Princess Katherine and William Courtenay was a love match. Hardly. William’s dear old dad was a faithful Lancastrian exile and was knighted on Henry’s return. That marriage cemented that loyalty just as Cecily’s to John Welles half brother of Margaret Beaufort and Anne’s to Thomas Howard the future 3rd Duke of Norfolk. Henry’s strategies on the marriage market are part of why he succeeded so well with most of his aristocracy after he came to the throne.
Queen Elizabeth played a significant role in her sister's marriage (you know, Henry VII's initial idea seemed to be to marry them into a foreign marriage)
Although Elizabeth of York was usually passive in Henry VII's court affairs, she did play an active role in safeguarding the interests of sisters. After the Bosworth incident, Cecily quickly reunited with Lord Wells, but the others remained single for nearly ten years, by which time the queen was stable enough to arrange things that would benefit them. After Anne married Lord Thomas Howard, Elizabeth signed a contract with Howard's father, the Earl of Surrey, arranging various lands and inheritance rights for Howard, appointed by her parliament, granted to her son Henry, half brother Dorset, and others of her choice, ultimately to be jointly used by Anne and Lord Howard. Elizabeth also arranged to pay an annuity of £ 120 to the Earl for Anne's food and servants, and to provide all Anne's clothes until the couple owned the land. When Edward Courtney's son William married the queen's sister Catherine, Edward Courtney also made a similar arrangement. Although the contract in this regard was not retained, the eleven people appointed to hold Courtney's land were the same as those ultimately appointed to hold Howard's land, so it is almost certain that this was also arranged by Elizabeth. Elizabeth has been supporting her sisters all her life, paying most of the maintenance of Catherine's children and the funeral expenses of Catherine's son Edward. She also regularly sent money to her sister Bridget, who was a nun in Dartford, although the money was far less than that given to her married sisters. Just like Elizabeth Woodville's sister Anne and her sister-in-law Mrs. Skiles, Elizabeth of York's sister Joanna L. Laynesmith, The Last Medieval Queens: English Queenship 1445-1503 may sometimes be her senior maidservants.
Despite her usually passive role in affairs of Henry VII's court, Elizabeth of York did take an active role in asserting her sisters' interests. In the aftermath of Bosworth, Cecily had been swiftly united with Lord Welles, but the others remained single for almost ten more years, by which time the queen was sufficiently established to arrange matters to their advantage. On Anne's marriage to Thomas, Lord Howard,Elizabeth made an indenture with Howard's father, the earl of Surrey, arranging for various of his lands and reversions, appointed by her council, to be granted to her son Henry, her half- brother Dorset, and others of her choosing, ultimately to the use of Anne and Lord Howard as jointure. Elizabeth also arranged to pay an annuity of Crzo to the earl for Anne's diet and servants and to provide all of Anne's clothes until the couple came into possession of the lands.199 A similar arrangement was made with Edward Courtenay at the time of his son William's marriage to the queen's sister Katherine, and although the indenture for this does not survive the eleven men appointed to hold the Courtenay lands were identical with those eventually appointed to hold the Howard lands, so this was almost certainly also arranged by Elizabeth.200
A great read, Nathen. Thanks for sharing! I'm sure you've answered this question elsewhere (I've seen your face alongside Matt Lewis's!), but I'd be really interested to know your thoughts on the recent 'new evidence' uncovered about the princes in the tower... I found it difficult to believe its credibility, personally, but this era is far outside of my research area so I have only a shallow understanding of events!
After his defeat in the Battle of Worcester, Charles II fled and hid, trying to escape England. Isn’t a retreat when facing insurmountable odds, sometimes the long term strategic advantage? Is it really a sign of a feeble heart and evidence Warbeck’s claim was not legitimate? Or is it just the sensible thing to do in the situation he found himself in.
(Just to be clear, I am not suggesting Warbeck was 100% Richard. In my humble opinion the jury is out still on that…I’m just wondering if his retreat is admissible evidence.)