Why did Henry VII of England succeed Richard III of England?
Conquest, then confirmation by Parliament and marriage. Second cousins once removed — both descended from John of Gaunt, Richard through his mother Cecily Neville, Henry through his mother Margaret Beaufort.
The short answer
Henry Tudor took the crown by defeating and killing Richard III at Bosworth on 22 August 1485. His own blood claim was thin, so he had Parliament confirm his title and married Richard's niece Elizabeth of York in January 1486 to unite the rival houses.
Who they were
How power passed
Henry's descent ran through his mother, Margaret Beaufort, from John of Gaunt's legitimated Beaufort line — a line that had been barred from the succession. He dated his reign from the day before Bosworth so that those who fought for Richard could be treated as traitors, and he was crowned before Parliament met, so that his kingship rested on possession rather than on a parliamentary grant. The marriage to Elizabeth of York gave his children the Yorkist claim as well.
Key points
- Won the crown in battle at Bosworth Field, 22 August 1485
- Parliament recognised his title in November 1485
- Married Elizabeth of York, Edward IV's eldest daughter, in January 1486
- His own hereditary claim came through the Beaufort line and was weak on its own
Sources
- Henry VII of EnglandAccession, dating of the reign, marriage to Elizabeth of York
- Battle of Bosworth FieldDate and outcome of the battle
Explanation written and reviewed by HistorIQly · reviewed 2026-09-18. Part of the House of Tudor family tree. Background on Wikipedia.
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