Title: Henry VII
Genre: History
Year: 1972
Pages: 350
Origin: a tried and trusted library book
Nod Rating: 4 nods out of 5
Around four hundred years ago, Francis Bacon published a history of the reign of the first Tudor king, Henry VII. He wrote in glowing terms:
'(He is) one of the best sort of wonders: a wonder for wise men. (Henry) professed always to love and seek peace. For his arms, either in foreign or civil wars, were never unfortunate. He was of a high mind, and loved his own way; as one that revered himself, and would reign indeed. Had he been a private man he would have been termed proud: but in a wise prince, it was but keeping of distance, which indeed he did towards all; not admitting any near of full approach neither to his power or to his secrets. For he was governed by none.'Fast forward to the 1970s and a man came forth to test the long-enduring words of Bacon; that man was S.B. Chrimes (or Stanley Bertram Chrimes to his family). It was a book worthy of much chin stroking consideration, changing the way historians looked at Henry’s reign. Unlike the book by David Starkey on Henry’s son – reviewed during January 2013 – Chrimes is keen to point out that his study is not a biography, ‘since little evidence exists for the more personal and intimate side of Henry’s life’. Therefore, the book ‘might perhaps be best described as a study of the impact of Henry Tudor upon the government of England’.
The introduction, then, sets out a manifesto against the earlier swooning phrases of Bacon and others; Chrimes lamenting how so many had fallen under the sway of Bacon’s ‘seductive prose style’. His own study is an axe to many of the flowering myths created in the seventeenth century – and Chrimes acts as willing woodsman throughout three-hundred and fifty pages of analytical prowess.
With chief focus on the administrative functions of Henry VII’s reign – by the thorough examination of existing records and files – Chrimes gives a narrative account of the events leading to the battle of Bosworth; with focus on ‘The Personnel and Machinery of Government (including the King’s Council, Financial administration and parliaments); as well as ‘Statecraft’ (including law-making and enforcement, fiscal and financial policy, and much more). All is concluded in an extended epilogue (entitled ‘The King’s Grace’) in which Henry’s own personality and legacy is considered. Furthermore, inclusion of interesting sources, ranging from Henry’s companions in exile during 1483-85 to the papal dispensation for the marriage of Henry to Elizabeth in 1486.
Chrimes highlights central themes: that of Henry’s underdog life leading up to the dramatic events of 1483 when two kings made way to the unpopular Richard III; and of the security of the many threats faced down during the reign (including the infamous imposter Perkin Warbeck); and how Henry’s policies – foreign and financial – were all geared towards protecting and cementing his throne.
In the book’s foreword, George Bernard deems Chrimes as having written ‘authoritatively, presenting his conclusions as manifest common sense.’ And it is this “common sense” approach that makes Chrimes so enjoyable. Of course, many of his conclusions have since been superseded; but Chrimes himself was aware of the limitations that he was working with. He was able to state his conclusions having considered the evidence at his disposal; whilst leaving pointers and clues to future historians willing to pick up on his work and develop it further. In this manner, Chrimes is working as the historians’ historian: furthering the knowledge of our past and sharing his own findings.
“Common sense”, then, led Chrimes to play down the novelty of Henry VII’s reign; that his Welsh-ness was exaggerated; that the threats to his reign were never big; and that laws did not make him an innovative law-maker; and his taxes and money gains were never so great as to make him a malicious, swingeing king. Such an approach can be seen in his writing:
‘Though the surviving records are sparse and inadequate, and the problems of detail probably insuperable, the difficulty of envisaging the council under Henry VII has been greatly, though unnecessarily, enhanced by historians’ misconceptions and reluctance to accept existing evidence realistically’.The dichotomy with Bacon continues throughout the book and is brought to a head in the epilogue. Chrimes quotes Bacon in large chunks of text, attempting to establish meaning and context, as well as point out the truth: as far as any “truth” can be obtained from the surviving records and Chrimes’ own use of “common sense.” However, Chrimes’ own conclusion is fairly flattering, when considering his attempts over the previous three hundred odd pages to destroy myths:
‘In the ultimate analysis, the quality of Henry VII was not that of creator, but rather a stabiliser, for lack of whom the ships of State are apt to founder. For that quality, he stands out pre-eminent among British monarchs.’Chrimes’ Henry VII is a definitive work; useful for historians but also with high worth as an entertaining book to the every-day reader. History as it should be researched, written and enjoyed.
Buy it here
