Y307: Tudor Foreign Policy 1485-1603 | OCR A-Level History A (H505)

Y307: Tudor Foreign Policy 1485-1603

132 questions
13 subtopics
Thematic study and historical interpretations, one of twenty-one
Y301 to Y321

Tudor Foreign Policy 1485–1603 is unit Y307 of OCR History A, one of the twenty-one options in unit group 3, the thematic study and historical interpretations; a student sits one of them.

Its four key topics and three depth studies are the aims and methods of Tudor foreign policy, Scotland and France, Burgundy, the Netherlands and Spain, the impact of foreign relations on domestic developments in England, Henry VIII’s foreign policy 1509–1520, the loss of Calais, the Armada. 132 recall questions across 13 subtopics.

Sample questions from Y307: Tudor Foreign Policy 1485-1603

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

The aims and methods of Tudor foreign policy: aims, methods and constraints

Give two dynastic marriages arranged for foreign policy purposes before 1509.

Show the answer
Arthur's marriage to Catherine of Aragon, agreed at Medina del Campo, and Margaret Tudor's marriage to James IV of Scotland in 1503.
Scotland and France: Étaples, Ayton, Flodden and the rough wooing

Describe Henry VIII's aims in his invasions of France.

Show the answer
He wanted territory, prestige and the revival of the English claim to the French crown, taking Thérouanne and Tournai in 1513 and Boulogne in 1544.
Burgundy, the Netherlands and Spain: Henry VII and Medina del Campo, impact of the divorce

Why was the Intercursus Malus of 1506 of little practical value?

Show the answer
Although extorted from Philip of Burgundy while he was stranded in England, its one-sided terms were never implemented by the Netherlands.
Burgundy, the Netherlands and Spain: Mary Tudor and Philip’s marriage, Armada

How did English privateering damage relations with Spain?

Show the answer
Attacks on Spanish shipping and treasure, left unpunished by a queen who shared in the profits, amounted to undeclared war in the Atlantic.
The impact of foreign relations on domestic developments in England: Mary Queen of Scots, Ireland and the political cost of failure

Why was Ireland a foreign policy liability for the Tudors?

Show the answer
Its Catholicism and exposed Atlantic coast made it the obvious back door through which papal or Spanish forces could strike at England.
Depth study: Henry VIII’s foreign policy 1509–1520 — the situation in 1509, Henry’s motives and the wars of 1512–1513

What went wrong with the Guyenne expedition of 1512?

Show the answer
The English army under Dorset waited in vain for Spanish support, suffered disease and indiscipline and came home without fighting, while Ferdinand annexed Navarre.
Depth study: The loss of Calais — historical and strategic significance of Calais

What was the condition of the garrison by the 1550s?

Show the answer
The defences were outdated against modern artillery, pay was in arrears and numbers had been cut, with the winter garrison reduced as an economy.
Depth study: The loss of Calais — reasons why Calais was lost

How did Elizabeth's government try to recover Calais?

Show the answer
It intervened in the French wars of religion in 1562 hoping to exchange Le Havre for Calais; the expedition collapsed and the claim was sold for a cash payment in 1564.

The 13 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic	What it covers	Questions
The aims and methods of Tudor foreign policy: aims, methods and constraints	Recall questions on Tudor aims and instruments of foreign policy, finance and the cloth trade, religion after the break with Rome, dynastic marriages, England’s rank in Europe, pretenders, the balance of power and change by 1603.	17
Scotland and France: Étaples, Ayton, Flodden and the rough wooing	Recall questions on Étaples and Brittany, the Treaty of Ayton and the Scottish marriage, the Scottish invasion and Flodden, Henry VIII’s aims in France and the rough wooing.	10
Scotland and France: Treaty of Edinburgh, French threat under Somerset and Treaty of Blois	Recall questions on the Treaty of Edinburgh, the departure of the French, Henry VII and Etaples, Henry VIII’s invasions, French threat under Somerset, loss of Calais, the Treaty of Blois.	9
Burgundy, the Netherlands and Spain: Henry VII and Medina del Campo, impact of the divorce	Recall questions on Henry VII and Medina del Campo, Henry VIII and alliances against France, impact of the divorce.	10
Burgundy, the Netherlands and Spain: Mary Tudor and Philip’s marriage, Armada	Recall questions on Mary Tudor and Philip’s marriage, the impact of the Dutch Revolt, the Armada.	9
The impact of foreign relations on domestic developments in England: trade, war finance, parliament and religion	Recall questions on trade embargoes and new trading companies, the cost of war under Henry VIII, the Amicable Grant, the fall of Somerset, foreign policy and parliament, the rebellion of 1554 and religious legislation.	8
The impact of foreign relations on domestic developments in England: Mary Queen of Scots, Ireland and the political cost of failure	Recall questions on Mary Queen of Scots, the divorce and government, debasement, Ireland as a liability, Smerwick, Spain and the Nine Years War, ministers ruined by failure abroad and parliament in the 1590s.	9
Depth study: Henry VIII’s foreign policy 1509–1520 — the situation in 1509, Henry’s motives and the wars of 1512–1513	Recall questions on the international position in 1509, Henry VII’s legacy, Henry VIII’s motives and Renaissance kingship, the Holy League, the Guyenne expedition and the campaign of 1513, and the causes of war with France and Scotland.	9
Depth study: Henry VIII’s foreign policy 1509–1520 — the campaigns of 1513, the peace of 1514 and the Treaty of London	Recall questions on the results of 1513, Catherine of Aragon’s and Wolsey’s roles, the peace and marriage of 1514, the Treaty of London, the Field of the Cloth of Gold and how the years 1509 to 1520 are judged.	11
Depth study: The loss of Calais — historical and strategic significance of Calais	Recall questions on the historical and strategic significance of Calais, the condition of the garrison and costs in maintaining it, reasons why England went to war with France in 1557, events leading to the loss of Calais in 1558.	9
Depth study: The loss of Calais — reasons why Calais was lost	Recall questions on reasons why Calais was lost, the reactions of Mary I and of the English people at the time, the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis, French views on the recovery of Calais at the time.	11
Depth study: The Armada — Long and short-term causes and motives, Spanish fleet and its setbacks	Recall questions on long and short-term causes and motives of Spain’s Enterprise of England, the Spanish fleet and its setbacks.	8
Depth study: The Armada — Elizabeth’s preparations and reasons for the defeat of the Armada	Recall questions on Elizabeth’s preparations, the Tilbury speech, Spanish ships, weaponry, crews, troops and priests on board, advantages and disadvantages of England and Spain, reasons for the defeat of the Armada.	12

Y307: Tudor Foreign Policy 1485-1603 is 132 of the 6,240 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £8

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.