(1457–1509)
king of England (1485–1509), the first Tudor (1) king. Born Henry Tudor, he was brought up in France. In 1485 he led a rebellion against Richard III , defeated him at the Battle of Bosworth Field and became king. In 1486 he married the daughter of Edward , uniting the House of Lancaster (to which he belonged) and the House of York and so bringing the Wars of the Roses to an end. Although there were rebellions during his rule, including those led by Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck , Henry established greater order in the country, introduced a more modern system of government and greatly improved the country’s financial position.