On October 30, 1485, Henry Tudor was crowned King of England. The coronation marked the end of the Wars of the Roses, a series of bloody battles fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York for control of the English throne.
Henry Tudor was born on January 28, 1457, in Pembroke Castle, Wales. He was the son of Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, and Margaret Beaufort, a direct descendant of Edward III. Henry’s father died when he was just three years old, and his uncle Jasper Tudor became his guardian.
Henry’s claim to the throne was tenuous at best. He was a distant relative of the Lancastrian king, Henry VI, and his mother’s claim to the throne was through an illegitimate line. However, after the Yorkist king, Richard III, usurped the throne in 1483, Henry became the figurehead for the Lancastrian cause.
In August 1485, Henry landed in Wales with a small army of French and Scottish mercenaries. He marched through Wales and into England, gathering support along the way. Richard III mustered his army to meet Henry’s forces at the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485.
The battle was hard-fought, but in the end, Richard III was killed, and his army was defeated. Henry was victorious, and he was proclaimed king on the battlefield. He marched into London on August 28, 1485, and was greeted by cheering crowds.
Henry’s coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on October 30, 1485. He was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bourchier. The coronation was a lavish affair, attended by many nobles who supported Henry’s claim to the throne.
Henry’s reign was marked by a period of relative peace and stability. He married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV, in 1486, uniting the warring houses of Lancaster and York. They had several children, including Henry VIII, who would become one of England’s most famous monarchs.
Henry also established the Tudor dynasty, which would rule England for over a century. He strengthened the monarchy’s power and worked to improve the country’s finances. He also supported the arts and commissioned many works of literature and architecture.
In conclusion, Henry Tudor’s coronation on October 30, 1485, marked the end of a long and bloody period of English history. His victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field and subsequent coronation paved the way for a period of stability and prosperity under the Tudor dynasty.
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