Henry VII & the Welsh Tudor Dynasty Knowledge Organiser

Key facts

1. 1 Henry Tudor (1457–1509) Born at Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Welsh on his father's side (Edmund Tudor) and descended from the Welsh prince Cadwaladr. King of England as Henry VII from 1485.
2. 2 Battle of Bosworth Field (22 August 1485) Henry's army defeated and killed Richard III, ending the Wars of the Roses. Henry was supported by a significant Welsh contingent who marched with him from Wales. The last English king to die in battle.
3. 3 Y Ddraig Goch (the Red Dragon) Henry Tudor flew the red dragon standard at Bosworth. After his victory, the dragon became associated with Wales. It was officially placed on the Welsh flag in 1959.
4. 4 The Tudor Dynasty Henry VII established the Tudor dynasty that ruled England (and Wales and Ireland) for 118 years: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, Elizabeth I.
5. 5 Union with England — Laws in Wales Acts (1535, 1542) Henry VIII formally incorporated Wales into England. Welsh law replaced by English law. Welsh language banned from official use — a controversial legacy.

• ▶ HENRY TUDOR WAS WELSH: born in Pembroke Castle. He used his Welsh ancestry to gather support in Wales for his campaign.
• ▶ HE MARCHED THROUGH WALES: Henry landed at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, on 7 August 1485, and marched north through Wales gathering Welsh soldiers.
• ▶ THE RED DRAGON: Henry flew the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr at Bosworth. His victory made the dragon a symbol of Welsh identity.
• ▶ POETRY AND PROPHECY: Welsh bards had long prophesied that a Welsh king would one day rule Britain. They celebrated Henry's victory as the fulfilment of this prophecy.
• ▶ A COMPLICATED LEGACY: Henry VIII's union with England later banned Welsh in official life. The Tudor period both elevated Welsh identity and suppressed the Welsh language.
• ▶ FAMOUS DESCENDANTS: Elizabeth I (Henry's granddaughter) was proud of her Welsh ancestry. The Elizabethan era saw great interest in Welsh history and culture.