After the defeat of the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury, 1 May 1471, Henry fled to Brittany with his uncle Jasper, and later to France, where they made plans, with other Lancastrian exiles, for the invasion of England. His victory at The Battle of Bosworth 22 Aug 1485, and the death of Richard III there, enabled him to succeed in his claim to the throne, whereby he became King of England as Henry VII in 1485. He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Edward IV, in 1486 and they had eight children; notably Arthur who married the Spanish Princess Catherine of Aragon and who predeceased his father at the age of 16, Henry who later became Henry VIII, Margaret who married James IV of Scotland, and Mary. Henry VII had married solely for political reasons as Elizabeth was the heiress of the rival House of York. The merging of the houses of York and Lancaster ended the War of the Roses. However, after their marriage he fell deeply in love with her and was heartbroken on her death. During his reign Henry had few military concerns other than to put down a few minor pretenders to the throne and to suppress an uprising by the Cornish. He was a most able administrator and accumulated great wealth for the throne. He had a shrewd way of selecting the right man for the job and led the country from disorder into a position of great strength. He instituted the establishment of envoys in foreign countries and encouraged trade with the Continent. He also formed the Yeomen of the Guard at the Tower of London. In 1497, he backed the Italian John Cabot in a voyage from Bristol thar discovered Newfoundland and stirred England's interest in North America.
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