Hey, this is Heather from the Renaissance English History Podcast, and this is your Tudor Minute for July 3.
Today in Tudor history, in 1495, Perkin Warbeck landed in Deal, in Kent. Perkin Warbeck’s rebellion was one of the biggest threats that the young Tudor dynasty had to fight off in its early years. Just a decade after Henry VII defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field, and married Elizabeth of York, daughter to Edward IV and ending the Wars of the Roses, he was fending off threats from multiple angles, as those who were upset at the Tudor win wanted to fight back for the Yorkist cause. They settled on Perkin Warbeck, who pretended to be the younger of the Princes in the Tower, sons of Edward IV. He had support from Europe, mostly from rulers who wanted to undermine England, and he came off as a royal and dignified man, even marrying into Scottish nobility.
When the rebellion failed and Warbeck was captured, he was initially treated well by Henry. He confessed to being an imposter, and was immediately released from the Tower, given a room at Henry’s court, and present at royal banquets. He was kept under guard, and wasn’t allowed to sleep with his wife. After 18 months, he tried to escape, and was immediately recaptured. He was held in the tower, and tried to escape again, and was hanged in 1499, 4 years after first landing in England.
So that’s your Tudor Minute for today. Remember you can dive deeper into life in 16th century England through the Renaissance English History Podcast at englandcast.com.
Links:
Tudor Rebellions Series