Henry VII is the son of Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, and Lady Margaret Beaufort, who was the niece of King Henry VI of England. Henry was born when his mother was thirteen years old; he never met his father. Henry was raised as Earl of Richmond in Brittany, where he received an impressive education in preparation for royal life. Henry became King Henry VII after the Battle of Bosworth, against King Richard III, in 1485. Henry married Elizabeth of York, eldest child of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville, shortly thereafter.
Early Life[]
Henry Tudor was born at the end of January in the year 1457 to Margaret Beaufort, a thirteen-year-old girl who had been married at twelve to his father, Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond. The labor lasted for hours and Margaret Beaufort nearly lost her life during that time, but managed to survive. She was reportedly very devoted to her son, and always prioritized him.
Henry was sent to Brittany with his uncle, Jasper Tudor, to be raised and protected as well as educated. He would write to his mother, begging to be returned home, but his mother reportedly told him to stay in hiding and wait for his destiny.
Battle of Bosworth[]
Henry Tudor was summoned back to England after putting an army together in 1485, at the age of twenty-eight. Henry arrived from Brittany in England, where he reportedly kissed the ground in his joy at returning home to England. He amassed over five thousand men and fought against Richard III, killing him in battle, and effectively becoming King of England.
King of England[]
After the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485, Henry took the throne as King Henry VII. Although he had pledged to marry Elizabeth of York two years before, plans were delayed as he secured his kingdom.
Marriage[]
Henry honored his pledge of December 1483 and married Elizabeth of York in January 1486. Elizabeth became pregnant shortly thereafter, and gave birth to a son, Arthur. Three years later, a daughter, Margaret, followed. Two years after that, their son Henry was born, and five years later, their youngest to survive infancy, Mary, was born.
Reportedly, King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York had a happy marriage, although the latter had a strained relationship with Margaret Beaufort, who dubbed her "the mother-in-law from hell". The king was reportedly devastated when Elizabeth died in 1503, less than a year after their son Arthur was born, and became even more morose than he had originally been.
Issue[]
Henry VII of England had four children with his wife that survived infancy. They were Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales; Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots; Henry Tudor, King of England; and Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk. He is supposed to have another, Edward or Edmund, who is briefly mentioned by his son in the series. He also had a daughter, Elizabeth, who lived three years, and another daughter, Katherine, whom his wife died giving birth to.
One of his sons, either named Edward or Edmund Tudor, who was Duke of Somerset, was a third son mentioned by his son Henry to his second wife, Anne Boleyn, by saying, "My father had three sons. Three chances."
Death[]
The king was never the same after the death of his son, Arthur, or his wife, Elizabeth of York. He introduces Arthur to Catherine of Aragon in the first episode, and then is seen clutching his younger son, Henry, at Arthur's funeral with protection. He is said to be so protective of his younger son that he barely lets him out of his sight, and if the younger Henry wanted to venture out into the gardens, he had to do so via a private door in the king's rooms.
Henry telling the Spanish ambassador that Catherine's dowry must be fully paid before there is even a mention of Catherine's betrothal to Prince Henry
King Henry is later seen speaking to the Spanish ambassador, informing him that his son Henry does not wish to honor an engagement with Catherine for religious reasons. Then, to spite the ambassador, he brings up Eleanor of Austria, niece of Catherine through her older sister, Juana, by informing him that, since she is of marriageable age, he will seek a union there. This irks the ambassador, and the king is amused by this.
However, the king changes his tune for, upon his death bed, informs his son that he must marry Catherine for an alliance with Spain. His son honors this before saying goodbye to his father and leaving his bedside once he has gone.