30. What were the reasons for the War of the Roses? Who gave the war its name?

The War of the Roses was a dynastic conflict between two rival branches of the of the royal House of Plantagenet, the Houses of Lancaster and York. The House of Lancaster came to the English throne by force, when Henry IV made his cousin King Richard II abdicate and then seized the crown for himself. By the time of the War of the Roses, the throne was in the hands of the third Lancastrian king, mentally ill Henry VI. Duke Richard of York, another descendant of Plantagenet kings, was appointed Lord Protector, but he was removed by the Lancastrian party. This was the immediate cause of the conflict, but there were many background reasons that allowed the war to burst: Hundred Year's War resulted in loss of English possessions in France, and the Black Plague broke the established feudal relationships; the Crown was weak and there were many powerful nobles with their private armies, easily drawn into the conflict at one side or another. The name of the War of the Roses is based on the emblems used by the two sides, the red rose for the Lancastrians and the white rose for the Yorkists. At the end of the war, the House of Tudor established a combination of the red and white roses as its own emblem, symbolizing the unification of the two houses.

31. Characterise Henry VIII as a man and as a king

Henry Tudor (1509-1547), the son of Henry 7 and Elizabeth York became heir to the English throne After the death of his elder brother Arthur in 1502. Henry. assumed the throne after his father’s death in 1509. His father wanted to affirm his family alliance with Spain so he offered Henry to marry his brother's widow, Catherine of Aragon.

HENRY HIMSELF. When Henry VIII became king at the age of 18, he was slim, athletic handsome and highly intelligent. He spoke several languages, He loved music and wrote his own. He enjoyed dancing and entertainment. He held countless banquets and tournaments. He enjoyed all physical activities and excelled at most of them. Hunting, archery, tennis, jousting – the king made his court into an endless round of competition and celebration. As an old man, he was a terrifying figure. He was impatient, unpredictable moody, obese and suspicious, and suffered from fits of depression. hobbled by personal intrigues

HENRY AS A KING.

During the first part his reign Henry relied on Thomas Wolsey to rule for him, and had elevated him to the highest role in government: Lord Chancellor.

Henry's interest in foreign policy was focused on Western Europe, which was a shifting pattern of alliances centred round the kings of Spain and France, and the Holy Roman Emperor. He did fruitless and expensive campaigns against Scotland and France.

Henry VIII is known as the 'father of the Royal Navy.' He invested and increased its size from 5 to 53 ships.

Henry got married for 6 times in his life in his search for political alliance, marital bliss and because he was acutely aware of the importance of securing a male heir during his reign. After 6 marriages he had only 3 children, 2 of which were daughters( girls, in Henry’s logic, didn’t count). Only his 3rd wife Jane Seymour finally produced him a son Edward (Edward I in the future). As his first wife Catherine gave him only one child (Princess Mary), Henry grew frustrated by the lack of a male child. So he appealed to the Pope for annulment of his marriage in order to marry pregnant Ann Boleyn, but the Pope refused. So In 1533, Henry VIII broke with the church and the Reformation had started. The Anglican Church separated from the Rome Catholic Church. Henry changed the relationship between the king and the pope declared himself ‘ the only supreme head of the Church of England’ (Acts of Supremacy).Henry made the secularization of the Monasteries and gave these lands to gentry (дворянство). Near 800 monasteries were closed. Peasants(крестьяне) suffered because of the secularization The Reformation also lead to the rebellion of those who didn’t accepted the king to be supreme instead of pope. All the rebels were executed.

TO SUM UP. At all his reign was rather peaceful, only 1 rebellion took place.

• the Church of England became independent (and the Bible was written in English).

• the Navy was strengthened

• a lot of money was spent on wars with Scotland and France.