Second Cornish uprising of 1497 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Second Cornish uprising |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of England |
 Cornish gentry and Yorkists |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| King Henry VII Lord Daubeney |
Perkin Warbeck  as 'Richard IV' |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000 | |||||||
The Second Cornish uprising took place in September 1497. It started when a young man named Perkin Warbeck arrived in Whitesand Bay, near Land's End. Warbeck claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, one of the "Princes in the Tower," who was thought to be dead. This made him a "pretender" to the English throne.
Warbeck landed with only 120 men on two ships on September 7. He hoped to gain support from the people of Cornwall.
Contents
Why the Uprising Started
Warbeck knew that many Cornish people were unhappy. They had recently been defeated in the First Cornish rebellion of 1497 in June 1497. That rebellion was against very high taxes. These taxes were being collected to pay for a war against Scotland.
Warbeck promised to stop these unfair taxes. Because of this, he was welcomed warmly in Cornwall. He left his wife, Lady Catharine, in a safe place at St Michael's Mount.
Warbeck's Claim to the Throne
As Warbeck gained more followers, his supporters declared him 'Richard IV' on Bodmin Moor. This meant they believed he was the rightful king. Most of the important Cornish landowners, known as the "gentry," joined Warbeck's cause. They were still upset about their defeat earlier that year.
On September 17, a Cornish army of about 6,000 men entered the city of Exeter. The city walls were badly damaged during this time. After Exeter, the army continued its march towards Taunton.
King Henry VII's Response
When King Henry VII heard about the uprising, he sent his main general, Giles, Lord Daubeney, to stop the Cornish army.
As Lord Daubeney's scouts got close to Glastonbury, Warbeck became scared. He left his army and ran away. Warbeck was later caught at Beaulieu Abbey in Hampshire. There, he gave himself up.
The End of the Uprising
King Henry VII arrived in Taunton on October 4, 1497. Here, the remaining Cornish army surrendered to him. The main leaders of the uprising were executed. Many others were forced to pay a huge fine, which totaled £13,000.
Perkin Warbeck, who had claimed to be King Richard, was first held in Taunton. Then he was moved to London. In London, he was paraded through the streets on horseback. People shouted and made fun of him.
On November 23, 1499, Warbeck was taken from the Tower of London to Tyburn, London. He was pulled on a wooden frame called a "hurdle." At Tyburn, he read a statement admitting he was not King Richard. After that, he was executed.
See also
