(Cover image – © Unknown Artist – The National Portrait Gallery)
On the 28th of January 1457, a 13-year-old girl was about to experience the most traumatic event of her life; yet it was one that would shape the course of British history forever.
Her name was Margaret Beaufort, and as the storms and tides crashed around the secluded stone façade of Pembroke Castle in Wales, the future king of England, Henry VII, was born. This birth was one that would traumatize Margaret, both mentally and physically; contemporary writers commented on how fortunate it was for both mother and son to survive. Despite this awful ordeal, it created a bond so strong and powerful that it would lead to the most infamous dynasty in British history and would throw them both into one of England’s most tumultuous times: The Wars of The Roses.
Let’s explore the birth of Henry Tudor.
Margaret Beaufort was born with royal blood already running through her veins. Daughter of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and Margaret Beauchamp, her long-distance relation to John of Gaunt meant that she was a descendant of Edward III. Her family were well acquainted with the present king, Henry VI, and this placed her high up in society; promising her a secure future, with a noble husband. And noble husband she did get.
At the age of just one, Margaret was originally set to marry John de La Pole, son of William de La Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk. This was to be a future arrangement, granted by the king, but due to unknown reasons, the marriage was called off. Instead, Margaret found herself betrothed to Edmund Tudor, the half-brother of the king through their mother Catherine of Valois’s second marriage. This union would strengthen Edmund’s claims to the throne, marrying a future wealthy heiress such as Margaret, with connections to royalty, would further provoke his nobility. By marrying a man so close to the monarchy, this also strengthened Margaret’s status. At just 12-years-old, Margaret married Edmund, a man twice her age and who was so eager to gain an heir, that she became pregnant at the age of 13. This was a time where mother and infant mortality was exceptionally high and a period lacking in medicinal and scientific aid during childbirth. Margaret must have been overwhelmed with anxiety and fear for the safety of both her, and her child.
This was not the only stressful situation mounting itself into Margaret’s life. In 1456, she was left a widow. The political rivalry between the Houses of York and Lancaster had forced its way into Wales. Edmund had captured Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Carreg Cennen Castle; however, Yorkist armies marched their way through the Welsh border, capturing and imprisoning Edmund. During this time Edmund unfortunately caught the plague that was ravaging its way through Wales and died at Carmarthen Castle. This left Maragret in a vulnerable, dangerous position, without a husband to protect her she was isolated and about to go through the perilous affairs of childbirth alone; not to mention the fear of catching the disease that killed her husband. However, she would not be unprotected for long. Coming to her aid was her brother-in-law Jasper Tudor, whose devotion to family led him to becoming Margaret’s protector. His seat was in the grand Pembroke Castle of Wales, and this was where Margaret was to remain and endure the birth of her son. It was a wise choice of location for Margaret to stay, due to its secluded position on high rock, meaning she was well protected from Yorkist armies and plague.
Towards the end of January, both Margaret’s labour pains and her anxiety would have increased. Nothing would have prepared her for what was to come and the immense agony and struggle her poor, under-developed body would go through; not even her prayers and religious devotion. On the 28th of January, Margaret gave birth to her son: Henry Tudor. The trauma she faced from childbirth and the strain it took on her mental and physical health, meant she would not birth another child again. Despite all she went through, Margaret was overjoyed at the birth and miraculous survival of her son. This was the beginning of one of history’s most infamous and strongest mother and son relationships; her maternal love would last a lifetime. The first few weeks of motherhood allowed Margaret to bond with Henry. She was his only parent surviving, and this would have further increased the love between them.
When Henry Tudor was born, he arrived in one of the most violent periods of British history; an age of battle and family feuds. The Yorkist and Lancastrian tensions had been occurring for over half a century and, by Henry’s birth, they had not eased. Both houses had claims to the throne of England, predominantly through Edward III, and rivalry grew ever stronger due to the lack of power and strength of the current monarch, Henry VI. What was once a feud between two rival Plantagenet families, was now a race to gain political manipulation and power through the king. Henry’s birth was one of significance during this time; not only did he survive such a difficult birth but during this age of unrest and civil war, he was now the last and only heir to the House of Lancaster. This factor, alongside his distant relations to Edward III, would be very useful for him in years to come.
Soon after his birth, Henry’s mother was betrothed to her third husband, Henry Stafford, the son of the powerful Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Stafford was an individual with equal support for both York and Lancaster, meaning that not only Margaret was protected, but also her son. This was a union that was arranged by Jasper Tudor to ensure the safety of mother-and-son during an unpredictable and terrifying time. Despite the safety provided for her son, Margaret would now be separated from Henry; whilst Margaret resided at Woking Palace with her new husband, Henry was to remain at Pembroke Castle, under the care of Jasper Tudor. Margaret would frequently visit him alongside her husband, but this separation must have been difficult for her, after all they went through and the relationship that had bloomed between them. Margaret would continue to write to Jasper, enquiring after the health and growth of her only son. Despite these arrangements, there were greater issues surfacing.
In 1461, the Lancastrians faced an enormous loss at the Battle of Towton. The Yorkists were victorious; Edward IV was now king of England, son of Richard, Duke of York. This disastrous outcome for the House of Lancaster led to the fleeing of Jasper Tudor to Scotland; a decision to rally support and also ensure his safety. Henry Tudor was now under the care of Sir William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and avid Yorkist supporter, after he captured Pembroke Castle. As a Lancastrian, Margaret must have been filled with anxiety for the safety and welfare for Henry; this was a time where Margaret would have kept her political views and interests to herself. Her son’s survival was everything.
Henry Tudor bid farewell to his mother as he was transported to Raglan Castle; the seat of Sir William Herbert. This was a magnificent fortress, providing a place of luxury and comfort for Henry as he grew into childhood. Both Herbert and his wife, Anne Devereux, provided Henry with kindness and the upmost care. Henry would not be lonely in regard to children of his own age; the Herberts had children of their own and this would have allowed Henry to enjoy his time at Raglan; despite claiming in his later years that he felt like a prisoner. Raglan Castle would also provide the backdrop for Henry’s education and his intellectual development.
Margaret remained in contact with her son through letters and messengers; referring to Henry as “my dear heart” and perhaps even sending gifts; a mark of her motherly affection. She would have been informed then of her son’s excellent education and success in his studies; described by his tutor Andrew Scot as having a “great capacity for learning” and “mental quickness”. Her son attained “noble manners, such a charmful grace of royal expression”. Despite her sadness at not being the one to raise him, Margaret must have been thrilled and extremely proud of her son. However, the situation was to take a turn for the worse.
In 1470, Lancastrian efforts bought Henry VI back into resurgence; the Earl of Warwick launched a rebellion to remove the Yorkists from the throne. However, this move was unsuccessful. At the Battle of Barnet, it was another victory for the House of York and for the safety of her son and to protect his inheritance, Margaret needed to consider the situation for her son. Devastatingly, her husband Lord Stafford died during the battle; leaving her and Henry dangerously unprotected. With no other choice, she urged Jasper Tudor to take Henry abroad to France, where he would live in exile under the protection of Francis II, Duke of Brittany. Henry Tudor would not see his mother for fourteen years.
Whilst she remained in England filled with sorrow at the distance between her and her son, Margaret made plans of her own to secure nobility, not predominantly for her, but for Henry. She married Thomas Stanley, a noble and wealthy politician that would bring Margaret into the centre of Edward IV’s court and his wife, Elizabeth Woodville. This was an example of strong, motherly love; Margaret would stop at nothing to secure the future of her son and grant him with a noble position. She politically manoeuvred her way around the court, winning the favours of those in power, and her efforts were greatly successful.
Whilst Henry Tudor grew into a young man overseas, his mother aligned with Elizabeth Woodville, to rid themselves of the new Yorkist king Richard III, and in 1485, it would be Margaret’s own flesh and blood to do so. Ending the years of murder, deceit, violence and backstabbing; Henry Tudor defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned Henry VII; marking a new dynasty and age of the Tudors. This was an outcome enforced by his mother, Margaret Beaufort, whose devotion to family and strong, maternal love made sure that her son’s future was one of safety and success.
This is one of history’s greatest stories of mother and son survival.
References:
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Lady-Margaret-Beaufort/
Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Nicola Tallis, Michael O’Mara Books Limited
https://rebeccastarrbrown.com/2017/01/28/margaret-beaufort-the-birth-of-henry-tudor/
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