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Tudor warfare

Tudor Invasions, Wars and Campaigns

Browse Tudor military expeditions, invasions, invasion threats, sieges, occupations and foreign campaigns from the foundation of the dynasty to 1603.

Painting of the defeat of the Spanish Armada during the reign of Elizabeth I
The defeat of the Spanish Armada · public-domain image source

Tudor warfare at home and abroad

Tudor security depended on warfare, diplomacy and the ability to answer invasion threats. This archive brings together campaigns in France and Scotland, English expeditions, occupation and siege records, naval threats and the wider military setting of Elizabethan conflict.

Use the Tudor timeline to place each campaign beside political events, the plots and rebellions archive for internal and foreign-backed conspiracies, and the monarch pages for reign-specific military chronology.

· World History Database Tudor archive.

183historical records
53years represented
62named people
85places represented

Browse the Tudor static archive

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1485 · 3 records

7 August 1485
Henry Tudor Earl of Richmond
Earl · Lancastrian Claimant
Landing at Milford Haven
Mill Bay
Henry Tudor lands in west Wales with an invasion force raised in exile and begins the campaign that will challenge Richard III for the English crown.
House · House of Tudor
22 August 1485
Henry Tudor Henry VII
King · King of England
Battle of Bosworth Field
Bosworth Field
Henry defeats Richard III at Bosworth Field after invading England from exile, securing the throne and establishing the Tudor dynasty.
House · House of Tudor
August 1485
Henry Tudor Earl of Richmond
Earl · Lancastrian Claimant
March through Wales
Wales
Henry advances through Wales toward the Midlands, gathering Welsh supporters and English defectors as his invading army moves to confront Richard III.
House · House of Tudor

1487 · 7 records

April 1487
Margaret of York
Duchess · Yorkist Patron
Burgundian Support for Simnel
Flanders
Margaret of York finances the Yorkist expedition and provides professional German troops to strengthen the attempt to overthrow Henry VII.
House · House of Tudor
April 1487
Martin Schwartz
Commander · Mercenary Commander
German Mercenaries Sail for Ireland
Flanders
Schwartz leads a force of German mercenaries to Ireland, providing experienced infantry for the Yorkist campaign organised around Lambert Simnel.
House · House of Tudor
4 June 1487
John de la Pole Lincoln, 1st Earl
Earl · Rebel Commander
Yorkist Army Lands at Piel
Piel Island
Lincoln lands with Simnel, Irish troops and German mercenaries near Furness, beginning the invasion of England.
House · House of Tudor
16 June 1487
Henry VII
King
Battle of Stoke Field
Stoke Field
Henry VII's army defeats the Yorkist invasion at Stoke Field, ending the principal military challenge mounted in Lambert Simnel's name.
House · House of Tudor
June 1487
Thomas Broughton
Sir · Yorkist Supporter
Northern Gentry Join Simnel Army
Lancashire
Broughton joins the invading Yorkist force with local supporters as the rebels move inland toward the Midlands.
House · House of Tudor
1487
Margaret of York Duchess of Burgundy
Duchess · Yorkist Patron
Simnel Conspiracy Financing
Mechelen
Margaret of Burgundy finances the Yorkist expedition supporting Lambert Simnel and helps secure German mercenaries for the attempt to overthrow Henry VII.
House · House of Tudor
1487
Martin Schwartz
Captain · Mercenary Commander
Simnel Mercenary Force
Flanders
Martin Schwartz leads the German mercenaries hired for the Simnel enterprise, providing the professional infantry on which the Yorkist invasion heavily depends.
House · House of Tudor

1489 · 2 records

1489
Giles Daubeney Lord Daubeney
Baron · English Commander
Brittany Expedition
Brittany
Daubeney leads an English expeditionary force into Brittany under Henry VII's alliance, supporting resistance to French attempts to absorb the duchy.
House · House of Tudor
1489
Giles Daubeney
Lord Chamberlain
Redon Expedition Commitment
London
Receives command responsibility for the English force promised under the Redon agreement to assist Brittany against France.
House · House of Tudor

1491 · 1 record

1491
Henry VII
King
French Campaign Subsidy Granted
Westminster
Parliament grants taxation to finance Henry's planned intervention in France during the conflict surrounding Brittany.
House · House of Tudor

1492 · 6 records

October 1492
Henry Tudor Henry VII
King · King of England
French Expedition
Calais
Henry crosses to Calais with a large army and opens a campaign designed to pressure Charles VIII while France is committed to absorbing Brittany.
House · House of Tudor
October 1492
Henry Tudor Henry VII
King · King of England
Siege of Boulogne
Boulogne
Henry's army besieges Boulogne during the English invasion of France, using military pressure to obtain a favourable diplomatic settlement.
House · House of Tudor
3 November 1492
Henry VII
King
Etaples French Indemnity
Etaples
Secures a substantial French financial payment as part of the peace, strengthening royal finances while ending the campaign.
House · House of Tudor
3 November 1492
Henry VII
King
Peace of Etaples Concluded
Etaples
Concludes peace with Charles VIII of France, ending the English expedition and securing a negotiated settlement without prolonged continental warfare.
House · House of Tudor
3 November 1492
Henry Tudor Henry VII
King · King of England
Treaty of Etaples
Etaples
Henry agrees the Treaty of Etaples with Charles VIII, ending the French campaign in return for payments and an undertaking to stop supporting pretenders.
House · House of Tudor
November 1492
Giles Daubeney
Lord Chamberlain
Etaples Army Withdrawal
Boulogne
Helps oversee the withdrawal of English forces after the peace settlement removes the immediate need for further campaigning in France.
House · House of Tudor

1495 · 2 records

3 July 1495
Perkin Warbeck
Pretender · Yorkist Pretender
Failed Deal Landing
Deal
Warbeck's supporters attempt a landing near Deal, but local resistance defeats the force before the pretender can establish a secure English foothold.
House · House of Tudor
3 July 1495
Perkin Warbeck
Pretender · Yorkist Pretender
Warbeck Landing Attempt
Deal
Warbeck attempts to land a Yorkist invasion force on the Kent coast, but local resistance drives his followers back before they can establish a foothold.
House · House of Tudor

1496 · 1 record

September 1496
James Stuart James IV
King · King of Scotland
Warbeck Invasion of Northumberland
Northumberland
James IV crosses into northern England with Perkin Warbeck and a Scottish army, attempting to turn the pretender's claim into an armed invasion of Henry VII's kingdom.
House · House of Tudor

1497 · 4 records

August 1497
James Stuart James IV
King · King of Scotland
Siege of Norham Castle
Norham Castle
James IV besieges Norham Castle while supporting Warbeck's challenge, bringing the threat of Scottish-backed invasion directly against a major English border fortress.
House · House of Tudor
7 September 1497
Perkin Warbeck
Pretender · Yorkist Pretender
Cornwall Landing
Whitesand Bay
Warbeck lands in Cornwall with a small force, exploiting recent unrest in an attempt to revive his claim and overthrow Henry VII by invasion.
House · House of Tudor
5 October 1497
Perkin Warbeck
Pretender · Yorkist Pretender
Surrender at Beaulieu
Beaulieu Abbey
After his Cornish campaign collapses, Warbeck seeks sanctuary at Beaulieu and surrenders, bringing his armed challenge to Henry VII to an end.
House · House of Tudor
1497
Henry VII
King
Ayton Pretender Settlement
Ayton
Uses the Scottish negotiations to weaken foreign support for Perkin Warbeck and reduce the danger of a Yorkist-backed invasion from the north.
House · House of Tudor

1504 · 1 record

1504
Henry VII
King
Statute of Liveries Tightens Retaining Controls
Westminster
Parliament reinforces penalties against unlicensed retaining and liveries, extending Henry VII's campaign against over-mighty noble affinities.
House · House of Tudor

1511 · 1 record

November 1511
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Holy League War Commitment
London
Henry joins the Holy League against France, committing England to continental war and preparing the military alliances that lead to invasion campaigns.
House · House of Tudor

1512 · 3 records

June 1512
Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess of Dorset
Marquess · English Commander
Guyenne Expedition
Biscay
Dorset leads an English expedition to northern Spain intended to invade French Guyenne alongside Ferdinand of Aragon, opening Henry VIII's first continental campaign.
House · House of Tudor
October 1512
Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess of Dorset
Marquess · English Commander
Failed Aquitaine Campaign
Guipuzcoa
Dorset's army abandons the planned advance into France after disease, supply failures and disputes with its Spanish allies undermine the invasion force.
House · House of Tudor
1512
Henry VIII
King
Alliance Emperor Maximilian and England
Emperor Maximilian joins the Holy Alliance & agrees to invade France with England
House · House of Tudor

1513 · 14 records

April 1513
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Maximiliann agrees to be a mercenary in Henry's invasion of France. Leaves the Earl of Surrey in the north of England to defend the border from the Scots. England is unable to invade because Ferdinand fails to keep his promise of support
House · House of Tudor
15 June 1513
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Greenwich
Sets out from Greenwich to Dover amid much pomp & ceremony
House · House of Tudor
30 June 1513
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Landing at Calais
Calais
Henry lands at Calais to take personal command of the main English invasion army assembled for the campaign against northern France.
House · House of Tudor
July 1513
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Siege of Therouanne
Therouanne
Henry's army invests Therouanne, making the fortified French town the first major objective of his personally led invasion campaign.
House · House of Tudor
23 August 1513
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Capture of Therouanne
Therouanne
Therouanne surrenders to Henry's invading army, giving the king a major success before English forces move on to Tournai.
House · House of Tudor
29 August 1513
James Stuart James IV
King · King of Scotland
Capture of Norham Castle
Norham Castle
James IV captures Norham Castle after a short siege, removing a major English border stronghold during the Scottish invasion.
House · House of Tudor
August 1513
James Stuart James IV
King · King of Scotland
Scottish Invasion of England
Northumberland
James IV invades northern England in support of France, forcing the Tudor government to fight a major defensive campaign while Henry is overseas.
House · House of Tudor
9 September 1513
Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey
Earl · English Commander
Battle of Flodden
Flodden
Howard commands the English army that defeats the invading Scots at Flodden, where James IV and many leading Scottish nobles are killed.
House · House of Tudor
23 September 1513
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Capture of Tournai
Tournai
Tournai submits to Henry VIII, allowing an English occupation and marking the second major territorial success of the 1513 French invasion.
House · House of Tudor
September 1513
Catherine Aragon Catherine of Aragon
Queen · Queen of England
Northern Defence Mobilisation
England
Catherine, acting as regent while Henry campaigns in France, helps organise the kingdom's response to the Scottish invasion and the mobilisation that culminates at Flodden.
House · House of Tudor
September 1513
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Siege of Tournai
Tournai
Henry advances to Tournai and places the city under siege as the English campaign continues deeper into French-held territory.
House · House of Tudor
22 October 1513
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Calais
Returns to England from Calais as the conqueror of both the French & the Scots
House · House of Tudor
25 October 1513
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Richmond
Reunited with Queen Catherine at Richmond
House · House of Tudor
1513
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of England
Appoints Surrey to defend England from the Scots while Henry leads an Army in France
House · House of Tudor

1518 · 1 record

October 1518
Thomas Wolsey
Cardinal · Lord Chancellor
European Accession Campaign
London
Encourages other European rulers to accede to the Anglo-French agreement and transform it into a wider peace league.
House · House of Tudor

1521 · 5 records

25 August 1521
Thomas Wolsey
Cardinal · Lord Chancellor
Bruges Invasion Timetable
Bruges
Negotiates a secret timetable for coordinated Anglo-Imperial action against France if wider peace efforts fail.
House · House of Tudor
August 1521
Henry VIII
King
Great Enterprise
Bruges
The agreement envisages Henry VIII invading northern France while Charles V attacks French interests elsewhere.
House · House of Tudor
August 1521
Henry VIII
King
Treaty of Bruges
Bruges
The Treaty of Bruges plans an Anglo-Imperial campaign against Francis I of France.
House · House of Tudor
September 1521
Henry VIII
King
Great Enterprise
London
Henry VIII accepts plans for a major war with France in alliance with Charles V.
House · House of Tudor
1521
Henry VIII
King
Alliance Henry VIII and Emperor
Francis I invades Navarre & entrusts Wolsey to discuss an alliance with the Emperor
House · House of Tudor

1522 · 3 records

September 1522
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Picardy
The Earl of Surrey leads an English expedition into Picardy as a preliminary campaign against France.
House · House of Tudor
September 1522
Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey
Earl · English Commander
Picardy Expedition
Calais
Howard leads English troops from Calais into Picardy, raiding French territory as Henry VIII renews continental war in alliance with Emperor Charles V.
House · House of Tudor
October 1522
Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey
Earl · English Commander
Picardy Raids
Picardy
Howard's expedition burns settlements and disrupts communications in Picardy, using destructive raids to pressure France without attempting a permanent occupation.
House · House of Tudor

1523 · 7 records

March 1523
Henry VIII
King
Great Enterprise
London
Henry VIII prepares for the fuller invasion of France promised under the Anglo-Imperial alliance.
House · House of Tudor
August 1523
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Calais
English forces gather at Calais for the invasion of northern France.
House · House of Tudor
September 1523
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Picardy
The Duke of Suffolk leads an English army through Picardy during the campaign against France.
House · House of Tudor
September 1523
Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk
Duke · English Commander
Suffolk French Expedition
Calais
Brandon takes command of a large English army at Calais and begins an ambitious advance through northern France intended to threaten Paris.
House · House of Tudor
October 1523
Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk
Duke · English Commander
Advance through Picardy
Picardy
Suffolk drives the English invasion through Picardy, capturing and burning towns as the army advances farther into France than Henry's previous raids.
House · House of Tudor
November 1523
Henry VIII
King
Retreat
Calais
Suffolk's army withdraws toward Calais after the 1523 campaign loses momentum.
House · House of Tudor
November 1523
Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk
Duke · English Commander
Retreat from France
Northern France
Suffolk orders the invasion force back toward Calais as winter, sickness and supply problems make the planned advance toward Paris unsustainable.
House · House of Tudor

1524 · 2 records

1524
Henry VIII
King
Great Enterprise
London
Henry VIII and Wolsey continue planning a renewed invasion of France with Imperial support.
House · House of Tudor
1524
Henry VIII
King
War Finance
London
The cost of the Great Enterprise forces Wolsey to seek new ways of funding war with France.
House · House of Tudor

1525 · 1 record

May 1525
Henry VIII
King
Great Enterprise
London
The Great Enterprise is abandoned after resistance to the Amicable Grant makes the proposed invasion unaffordable.
House · House of Tudor

1531 · 2 records

1531
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of England
Henry raises extra money from the clergy because of threats of invasion from Charles V
House · House of Tudor
1531
Henry VIII
King
Taxation
Henry raises extra money from the clergy because of threats of invasion from Charles V
House · House of Tudor

1534 · 2 records

August 1534
Henry VIII
King
Siege
Dublin
The Kildare rebels maintain pressure around Dublin while royal forces struggle to restore order.
House · House of Tudor
August 1534
Henry VIII
King
Siege
Dublin
The Kildare rebels maintain pressure around Dublin while royal forces work to restore control.
House · House of Tudor

1539 · 1 record

November 1539
Hugh Faringdon
Abbot · Abbot of Reading
Hugh Faringdon Arrested during Abbey Suppression
Reading
Hugh Faringdon is arrested as royal authorities move against Reading Abbey and accuse its abbot of treason during the final dissolution campaign.
House · House of Tudor

1541 · 1 record

29 June 1541
Thomas Fiennes
Baron · Baron Dacre
Execution of Thomas Fiennes
Tyburn
Thomas Fiennes is hanged after conviction for murder committed during a poaching expedition in Sussex.
House · House of Tudor

1542 · 1 record

24 November 1542
Thomas Wharton 1st Baron Wharton
Baron · Border Commander
Battle of Solway Moss
Solway Moss
Wharton's English border force defeats a much larger Scottish army at Solway Moss, intensifying the military crisis that precedes the renewed Tudor invasion of Scotland.
House · House of Tudor

1543 · 7 records

11 February 1543
Henry VIII
King
Joint Invasion of France Clause
London
Accepts an alliance article requiring both rulers to mount a major invasion of France within two years.
House · House of Tudor
22 June 1543
Henry VIII
King
War with France
London
Declares war on France as part of his alliance with Charles V.
House · House of Tudor
1 July 1543
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Treaty of Greenwich
Greenwich
Henry secures the Treaty of Greenwich proposing marriage between Prince Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots, a settlement whose rejection helps trigger renewed invasion.
House · House of Tudor
December 1543
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of Scotland
Following it's break with Rome, England decided to attack Scotland, partly to destroy the Auld Alliance, and prevent Scotland being used as a springboard for future invasion by France.
House · House of Tudor
December 1543
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of Scotland
The Rough Wooing is a war between Scotland and England.
House · House of Tudor
December 1543
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of Scotland
partly to weaken Scotland, and partly to force Scotland to agree to a marriage alliance between its child Queen Mary and the English heir apparent Edward, son of King Henry VIII.
House · House of Tudor
1543
Henry VIII
King
War with France
London
Prepares for renewed war with France while also pursuing the Rough Wooing against Scotland.
House · House of Tudor

1544 · 20 records

10 April 1544
Henry VIII
King
Rough Wooing
London
The Privy Council issues instructions for Hertford's punitive expedition against Scotland.
House · House of Tudor
April 1544
Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford
Earl · English Commander
Fleet Sails for Scotland
Tynemouth
Seymour assembles troops and shipping at Tynemouth before sailing north with the invasion force ordered to devastate Scottish centres and compel the royal marriage.
House · House of Tudor
April 1544
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of Scotland
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Edward Seymour, Lord Hertford, gathers English forces for the invasion of southern Scotland.
House · House of Tudor
3 May 1544
Henry VIII
King
Burning of Edinburgh
Leith
Hertford's army lands at Leith during the punitive expedition ordered by Henry VIII.
House · House of Tudor
3 May 1544
Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford
Earl · English Commander
Landing at Leith
Leith
Seymour lands the English invasion army at Leith, securing a coastal base from which his forces can attack Edinburgh and the surrounding countryside.
House · House of Tudor
7 May 1544
Henry VIII
King
Burning of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
English forces sack and burn Edinburgh as part of Henry VIII's Rough Wooing policy.
House · House of Tudor
7 May 1544
Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford
Earl · English Commander
Burning of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Seymour's troops burn large parts of Edinburgh after failing to take the castle, carrying out Henry VIII's punitive invasion strategy against Scotland.
House · House of Tudor
May 1544
Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford
Earl · English Commander
Burning of Dunbar
Dunbar
Seymour's returning army burns Dunbar and other settlements while marching south, extending the devastation of the 1544 invasion into the Scottish Borders.
House · House of Tudor
May 1544
Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford
Earl · English Commander
Destruction of Leith
Leith
English forces destroy and burn much of Leith before withdrawing, damaging Scotland's principal east-coast port during the invasion.
House · House of Tudor
June 1544
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Calais
English forces gather in the Pale of Calais for a two-pronged campaign against France.
House · House of Tudor
June 1544
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
France
Orders Norfolk toward Montreuil and Suffolk toward Boulogne during the French campaign.
House · House of Tudor
16 July 1544
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of France
Henry VIII crosses the Channel with an invasion force during the renewed war against France.
House · House of Tudor
19 July 1544
Henry VIII
King
Siege of Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer
The Duke of Suffolk begins the English siege of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
House · House of Tudor
July 1544
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Siege of Boulogne
Boulogne
Henry concentrates his main invasion army around Boulogne, making the fortified port the central objective of his renewed war against France.
House · House of Tudor
July 1544
Henry VIII
King
Siege of Montreuil
Montreuil
Norfolk's army begins operations against Montreuil but fails to take the town.
House · House of Tudor
July 1544
Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk
Duke · English Commander
Siege of Montreuil
Montreuil
Norfolk leads the second English army against Montreuil while Henry attacks Boulogne, dividing the invasion into two major siege operations.
House · House of Tudor
August 1544
Henry VIII
King
Siege of Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer
English artillery bombards Boulogne as Henry VIII takes personal command of the siege.
House · House of Tudor
13 September 1544
Henry VIII
King
Siege of Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer
The French garrison agrees to surrender after English mining and bombardment breach the defences.
House · House of Tudor
14 September 1544
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Capture of Boulogne
Boulogne
Boulogne surrenders after siege operations directed by Henry VIII, giving England a costly continental possession that must then be defended against France.
House · House of Tudor
9 October 1544
Henry VIII
King
Siege of Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer
A French assault nearly retakes Boulogne but is repulsed by the English garrison.
House · House of Tudor

1545 · 7 records

27 February 1545
Ralph Eure 3rd Baron Eure
Baron · English Commander
Battle of Ancrum Moor
Ancrum Moor
Eure's raiding army is defeated by Scottish forces at Ancrum Moor, temporarily checking the destructive English incursions associated with the Rough Wooing.
House · House of Tudor
27 February 1545
Henry VIII
King
Battle of Ancrum Moor
Ancrum Moor
Scottish forces defeat an English army at Ancrum Moor during the Rough Wooing.
House · House of Tudor
15 July 1545
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of England
A French fleet attempts to invade England to divert Henry VIII from Boulogne-sur-Mer
House · House of Tudor
18 July 1545
Henry VIII
King
Invasion of England
Isle of Wight
A French fleet threatens England and lands forces on the Isle of Wight during the campaign.
House · House of Tudor
19 July 1545
Henry VIII
King
Battle of the Solent
Solent
The French fleet confronts English naval forces in the Solent during the attempted invasion.
House · House of Tudor
September 1545
Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford
Earl · English Commander
Autumn Invasion of Scotland
Scottish Borders
Seymour returns with another large English force and conducts a renewed destructive campaign through the Borders after the setback at Ancrum Moor.
House · House of Tudor
1545
Henry VIII
King
Rough Wooing
Borders
English border warfare continues as Henry VIII tries to force Scotland to accept the Edward and Mary marriage.
House · House of Tudor

1546 · 2 records

7 June 1546
Henry Tudor Henry VIII
King · King of England
Treaty of Ardres
Ardres
Henry concludes peace with France at Ardres, ending the invasion war while retaining Boulogne temporarily under the treaty's terms.
House · House of Tudor
1546
Henry VIII
King
Rough Wooing
Scotland
The war remains unresolved at Henry VIII's death, with England still seeking to impose the marriage alliance on Scotland.
House · House of Tudor

1547 · 5 records

10 September 1547
Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset
Duke · Lord Protector
Battle of Pinkie
Pinkie Cleugh
Somerset defeats the Scottish army at Pinkie in the largest battle of the campaign, using coordinated infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval gunfire.
House · House of Tudor
September 1547
Andrew Dudley
Lord · English Commander
Capture of Broughty Castle
Broughty Castle
Dudley secures Broughty Castle for England, creating a fortified position on the Tay that extends the Tudor occupation far beyond the eastern Borders.
House · House of Tudor
September 1547
Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset
Duke · Lord Protector
Crossing of the Scottish Border
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Somerset marches the main English army from Berwick into Scotland, renewing the Tudor attempt to force a dynastic settlement by direct invasion.
House · House of Tudor
September 1547
Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset
Duke · Lord Protector
Occupation of Leith
Leith
After Pinkie, Somerset's forces occupy Leith and use the port while consolidating the coastal route supporting the English invasion.
House · House of Tudor
October 1547
William Grey 13th Baron Grey de Wilton
Lord · English Commander
East Lothian Garrisons
East Lothian
Grey helps establish and command fortified English positions in East Lothian as occupation replaces short raids as the central strategy of the invasion.
House · House of Tudor

1548 · 4 records

June 1548
Andre Montalembert Sieur d Esse
Sieur · French Commander
French Intervention in Scotland
Leith
Montalembert arrives with French troops to support Scotland, turning the Tudor invasion into a wider Anglo-French struggle over the occupation.
House · House of Tudor
July 1548
William Grey 13th Baron Grey de Wilton
Lord · English Commander
Siege of Haddington
Haddington
Grey commands the English garrison as Scottish and French forces begin a prolonged siege of Haddington, the key stronghold of the Tudor occupation.
House · House of Tudor
7 August 1548
Mary Stuart Mary, Queen of Scots
Queen · Queen of Scots
Departure for France
Dumbarton
Mary sails from Scotland to France after the English victories and occupation, frustrating the Tudor plan to force her marriage to Edward VI.
House · House of Tudor
1548
Andrew Dudley
Lord · English Commander
Defence of Broughty
Broughty Castle
Dudley strengthens the English position at Broughty against Scottish attacks, maintaining a remote occupation base supplied by sea during the continuing war.
House · House of Tudor

1549 · 5 records

July 1549
Humphrey Arundell
Yeoman · Rebel Leader
Exeter Besieged by Western Rebels
Exeter
The rebel army surrounds Exeter and attempts to force the city to join resistance against the religious settlement of Edward VI.
House · House of Tudor
1 August 1549
William Parr Northampton, 1st Marquess
Marquess · Royal Commander
Northampton Campaign Fails
Norwich
Northampton's royal force is defeated and withdraws from Norwich after failing to dislodge the rebels from the city and surrounding positions.
House · House of Tudor
4 August 1549
John Russell Russell, 1st Baron
Lord · Royal Commander
Battle of Woodbury Common
Woodbury Common
Royal troops defeat a rebel position on Woodbury Common, opening the route for further operations against the siege of Exeter.
House · House of Tudor
5 August 1549
John Russell Russell, 1st Baron
Lord · Royal Commander
Battle of Clyst St Mary
Clyst St Mary
Russell's army defeats western rebels at Clyst St Mary during the campaign to break resistance around Exeter.
House · House of Tudor
September 1549
Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset
Duke · Lord Protector
Withdrawal from Haddington
Haddington
The English evacuate Haddington as domestic rebellion, financial strain and Franco-Scottish resistance make Somerset's occupation strategy increasingly unsustainable.
House · House of Tudor

1550 · 2 records

February 1550
Andrew Dudley
Lord · English Commander
Evacuation of Broughty Castle
Broughty Castle
English troops abandon Broughty Castle under growing Franco-Scottish pressure, ending one of the deepest Tudor footholds established during the invasion.
House · House of Tudor
24 March 1550
Edward VI
King
Peace of Boulogne Concluded
Boulogne
Makes peace with France and Scotland, ending the Rough Wooing and preparing the evacuation of expensive English positions.
House · House of Tudor

1556 · 2 records

July 1556
Henry Dudley
Sir · Conspirator
Dudley Conspiracy
London
Plots an invasion of England to depose Mary and place Elizabeth on the throne
House · House of Tudor
July 1556
Elizabeth I
Queen
Invasion Plot
London
Henry Dudley plans foreign-backed action against Mary's government
House · House of Tudor

1557 · 3 records

June 1557
Mary I
Queen
War with France
London
Mary declares war on France in alliance with Philip II of Spain
House · House of Tudor
July 1557
William Herbert 1st Earl of Pembroke
Earl · English Commander
English Army in the Low Countries
Calais
Pembroke leads an English contingent to join Philip II's forces, bringing Tudor troops into the campaign against France from the Calais region.
House · House of Tudor
10 August 1557
William Herbert 1st Earl of Pembroke
Earl · English Commander
Battle of Saint-Quentin
Saint-Quentin
Pembroke's English soldiers take part in the allied victory at Saint-Quentin, one of the principal military successes of Mary's war with France.
House · House of Tudor

1558 · 4 records

7 January 1558
Francis Guise Duke of Guise
Duke · French Commander
Fall of Calais
Calais
Guise captures Calais after a short siege, ending more than two centuries of English possession and removing the traditional base for invasions of France.
House · House of Tudor
7 January 1558
Mary I
Queen
Surrender of Calais
Calais
Calais falls to France after a rapid winter campaign
House · House of Tudor
1558
Mary Tudor Mary I
Queen · Queen of England
Continued War after Calais
English Channel
Mary's government continues military operations after losing Calais, but England cannot mount an effective invasion capable of recovering the captured territory before her death.
House · House of Tudor
1558
Mary I
Queen
War with France Continues
London
Mary's war against France continues after the loss of Calais
House · House of Tudor

1560 · 2 records

6 April 1560
William Grey 13th Baron Grey de Wilton
Lord · English Commander
Siege of Leith
Leith
Grey's English army and its Scottish allies begin siege operations against the fortified French position at Leith.
House · House of Tudor
7 May 1560
William Grey 13th Baron Grey de Wilton
Lord · English Commander
Failed Assault on Leith
Leith
Grey orders a major assault on Leith that is repulsed with heavy English losses, forcing the besiegers to continue pressure rather than storm the town.
House · House of Tudor

1562 · 1 record

October 1562
Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwick
Earl · English Commander
Occupation of Le Havre
Le Havre
Dudley leads English troops into Le Havre and takes command of the occupied port, which Elizabeth hopes to exchange for the restoration of Calais.
House · House of Tudor

1563 · 2 records

June 1563
Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwick
Earl · English Commander
Siege of Le Havre
Le Havre
Dudley defends Le Havre as formerly opposing French factions unite to besiege the English occupation force and remove Elizabeth's continental foothold.
House · House of Tudor
29 July 1563
Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwick
Earl · English Commander
Evacuation of Le Havre
Le Havre
Dudley surrenders and evacuates Le Havre after siege and disease devastate the English garrison, ending Elizabeth's attempt to hold the port.
House · House of Tudor

1564 · 1 record

April 1564
Elizabeth I
Queen
Troyes Peace Settlement
Troyes
Concludes peace with Charles IX after the failed English occupation of Le Havre and restores formal relations with France.
House · House of Tudor

1569 · 4 records

December 1569
Thomas Radclyffe Sussex, 3rd Earl
Earl · Lord President of the North
Sussex Mobilises Royal Army
York
The Earl of Sussex gathers a stronger royal force at York as the rebels fail to obtain the wider support needed for a sustained campaign.
House · House of Tudor
1569
Humphrey Gilbert
Sir · Royal Commander
Gilbert Campaigns against Geraldines
Munster
Gilbert conducts a severe royal campaign against rebel districts in Munster, helping reduce the number of local allies willing to remain in arms.
House · House of Tudor
1569
Elizabeth I
Queen
Gunpowder Treason Plot
Ridolfi plans an invasion of England & the marriage of Thomas Howard to Mary. Led by Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine banker based in London against Elizabeth I. Involves Felipe II of Spain, Pious V, the Duke of Norfolk & Mary Queen of Scots
House · House of Tudor
1569
Roberto di Ridolfi
Plot
Ridolfi plans an invasion of England & the marriage of Thomas Howard to Mary. Charles Baille is arrested with incriminating lettres from Ridolfi to Bishop Leslie
House · House of Tudor

1572 · 1 record

19 April 1572
Elizabeth I
Queen
Treaty of Blois
Blois
Signed with France, both countries wil support each other if attacked. England is freed from French support of an invasion by Mary Queen of Scots
House · House of Tudor

1579 · 2 records

18 July 1579
James FitzMaurice FitzGerald
Captain · Rebel Leader
Catholic Expedition Lands at Smerwick
Smerwick
FitzMaurice lands with a small foreign-backed expedition at Smerwick and proclaims a renewed Catholic rebellion against Elizabeth's government in Ireland.
House · House of Tudor
1579
Elizabeth I
Queen
Marriage
Alencon arrives in England to woo Elizabeth I to help invade The Netherlands
House · House of Tudor

1580 · 1 record

November 1580
Arthur Grey Grey de Wilton
Lord · Lord Deputy of Ireland
Papal Force Besieged at Smerwick
Smerwick
Grey's royal army besieges the foreign-backed garrison at Smerwick after papal troops land to support the Desmond rebellion.
House · House of Tudor

1583 · 4 records

September 1583
John Whitgift
Archbishop · Archbishop of Canterbury
Whitgift Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Canterbury
John Whitgift becomes Archbishop of Canterbury and begins a firmer campaign for conformity within the established Church.
House · House of Tudor
October 1583
John Whitgift
Archbishop · Archbishop of Canterbury
Whitgift Three Articles Imposed
England
Whitgift requires clergy to affirm royal supremacy, the prayer book and the doctrinal Articles as part of a stricter conformity campaign.
House · House of Tudor
November 1583
Francis Throckmorton
Sir · Catholic Conspirator
Francis Throckmorton Arrested after House Search
London
Francis Throckmorton is arrested after government agents search his house and uncover material linking him to plans for foreign-backed Catholic intervention.
House · House of Tudor
November 1583
Francis Throckmorton
Gentleman · Conspirator
Throckmorton Plot Invasion Plan
London
Throckmorton's conspiracy is uncovered after planning foreign military support for an invasion intended to free Mary, Queen of Scots, and overthrow Elizabeth.
House · House of Tudor

1585 · 2 records

10 August 1585
Elizabeth Tudor Elizabeth I
Queen · Queen of England
Treaty of Nonsuch
Nonsuch Palace
Elizabeth signs the Treaty of Nonsuch and commits troops to the Dutch revolt, partly to prevent the Netherlands becoming a secure Spanish invasion base against England.
House · House of Tudor
December 1585
Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester
Earl · English Commander
Leicester Expedition to the Netherlands
Flushing
Dudley sails with an English expeditionary army to the Netherlands, taking command of forces intended to resist Spanish advances near the Channel coast.
House · House of Tudor

1587 · 2 records

29 April 1587
Francis Drake
Sir · Naval Commander
Raid on Cadiz
Cadiz
Drake attacks Cadiz and destroys or captures shipping and stores, disrupting Spanish preparations for the planned Armada invasion of England.
House · House of Tudor
1587
Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma
Duke · Spanish Commander
Army of Flanders Invasion Preparations
Flanders
Parma concentrates veteran Spanish troops and transport craft in the Low Countries for the cross-Channel landing envisaged in Philip II's invasion plan.
House · House of Tudor

1588 · 9 records

28 May 1588
Alonso Perez Guzman Duke of Medina Sidonia
Duke · Spanish Admiral
Spanish Armada Sails
Lisbon
Medina Sidonia leads the Spanish Armada from Lisbon with orders to enter the Channel, protect Parma's crossing and support an invasion of England.
House · House of Tudor
19 July 1588
Charles Howard 1st Baron Howard of Effingham
Lord · Lord High Admiral
Armada Sighted
The Lizard
Howard receives reports that the Spanish Armada has been sighted off Cornwall and prepares the English fleet to contest its passage up the Channel.
House · House of Tudor
21 July 1588
Francis Drake
Sir · Naval Commander
Battle off Plymouth
Plymouth
Drake and other English commanders attack the Armada off Plymouth, using longer-range gunnery while avoiding the close grappling combat favoured by Spain.
House · House of Tudor
6 August 1588
Alonso Perez Guzman Duke of Medina Sidonia
Duke · Spanish Admiral
Armada Anchors at Calais
Calais
Medina Sidonia anchors the Armada off Calais while awaiting contact with Parma, creating the vulnerable concentration that the English exploit with fireships.
House · House of Tudor
7 August 1588
Charles Howard 1st Baron Howard of Effingham
Lord · Lord High Admiral
Calais Fireship Attack
Calais
Howard sends fireships into the crowded Spanish anchorage at Calais, forcing Armada captains to cut their cables and scatter before Parma can embark his army.
House · House of Tudor
8 August 1588
Charles Howard 1st Baron Howard of Effingham
Lord · Lord High Admiral
Battle of Gravelines
Gravelines
Howard's fleet attacks the disordered Armada near Gravelines and inflicts severe damage, preventing the Spanish from restoring the formation needed to cover an invasion.
House · House of Tudor
9 August 1588
Elizabeth Tudor Elizabeth I
Queen · Queen of England
Tilbury Mobilisation
Tilbury
Elizabeth visits the army assembled at Tilbury and addresses troops prepared to resist any Spanish landing while the Armada remains a threat at sea.
House · House of Tudor
November 1588
Elizabeth I
Queen
Armada Thanksgiving Services Ordered
England
National thanksgiving services celebrate deliverance from the Spanish Armada and reinforce Protestant interpretations of Elizabethan national identity.
House · House of Tudor
1588
Elizabeth I
Queen
Excommunication
Vatican
Elizabeth is excommunicated by the Pope for a 2nd time on the eve of the Armada
House · House of Tudor

1589 · 4 records

February 1589
Thomas Snagge
Member of Parliament · Speaker of the House of Commons
Thomas Snagge Chosen Speaker
Westminster
Thomas Snagge becomes Speaker during the first Parliament convened after the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
House · House of Tudor
26 May 1589
John Norris
Sir · Army Commander
Landing at Peniche
Peniche
Norris lands the English army at Peniche and begins an overland march toward Lisbon in support of the Portuguese claimant Antonio, Prior of Crato.
House · House of Tudor
May 1589
John Norris
Sir · Army Commander
Attack on Coruna
Coruna
Norris lands troops near Coruna and assaults the Spanish port, but the English expedition cannot secure the city and eventually withdraws.
House · House of Tudor
June 1589
John Norris
Sir · Army Commander
Advance on Lisbon
Lisbon
Norris reaches the outskirts of Lisbon, but the expected popular uprising fails to develop and the expedition lacks the support needed to take the capital.
House · House of Tudor

1591 · 5 records

August 1591
Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex
Earl · English Commander
Normandy Expedition
Dieppe
Essex takes an English expeditionary force to Normandy to support Henry IV, reinforcing Protestant resistance to the Catholic League and its Spanish allies.
House · House of Tudor
1591
Elizabeth I
Queen
Invasion of France
Aids Henry IV & the Dutch & German Protestants
House · House of Tudor
1591
Elizabeth I
Queen
Invasion of France
Brittany
Sends 3,000 troops to Brittany against the Spaniards
House · House of Tudor
1591
Elizabeth I
Queen
Invasion of France
Normandy
Prevents the Catholic League occupying Normandy & uniting Brittany with Flanders
House · House of Tudor
1591
Elizabeth I
Queen
Siege of Rouen
Rouen
Sends 3,000 under the Earl of Essex to besiege Rouen
House · House of Tudor

1596 · 3 records

30 June 1596
Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex
Earl · English Commander
Capture of Cadiz
Cadiz
Essex's troops storm and occupy Cadiz after the fleet defeats Spanish shipping, inflicting severe losses before the expedition withdraws from the city.
House · House of Tudor
June 1596
Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex
Earl · English Commander
Cadiz Expedition
Plymouth
Essex sails with a major Anglo-Dutch expedition against Cadiz, combining naval and land forces in a direct strike at Spain's Atlantic military infrastructure.
House · House of Tudor
October 1596
Martin Padilla Count of Santa Gadea
Admiral · Spanish Commander
Second Spanish Armada
Lisbon
Padilla leads a new Spanish Armada intended for the British Isles, but severe Atlantic storms scatter the fleet before it can establish an invasion force.
House · House of Tudor

1597 · 1 record

October 1597
Martin Padilla Count of Santa Gadea
Adelantado · Spanish Commander
Third Spanish Armada
A Coruna
Padilla commands another Spanish invasion fleet toward England, but storms again break up the expedition before its forces can achieve a coordinated landing.
House · House of Tudor

1599 · 2 records

August 1599
Elizabeth Tudor Elizabeth I
Queen · Queen of England
Spanish Invasion Alert
London
Elizabeth's government mobilises troops and strengthens coastal readiness during a major invasion scare caused by reports that a Spanish fleet is approaching England.
House · House of Tudor
7 September 1599
Robert Devereux Essex, 2nd Earl
Earl · Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Essex-O'Neill Truce
County Louth
Essex negotiates a personal truce with O'Neill after an expensive campaign fails to achieve the decisive victory expected by Elizabeth I.
House · House of Tudor

1601 · 4 records

September 1601
Juan del Aguila
General · Spanish Commander
Spanish Force Lands at Kinsale
Kinsale
A Spanish expedition lands at Kinsale to support the Irish rebellion, forcing crown commanders to concentrate major forces in southern Ireland.
House · House of Tudor
2 October 1601
Juan Aguila Don Juan del Aguila
General · Spanish Commander
Spanish Landing at Kinsale
Kinsale
Aguila lands a Spanish expeditionary army at Kinsale to support Irish rebels, opening the most serious Spanish military intervention in Elizabethan Ireland.
House · House of Tudor
October 1601
Charles Blount 8th Baron Mountjoy
Lord · Lord Deputy of Ireland
Siege of Kinsale
Kinsale
Mountjoy surrounds the Spanish-held town of Kinsale and blocks its garrison while Irish forces attempt to assemble a relief army.
House · House of Tudor
24 December 1601
Charles Blount 8th Baron Mountjoy
Lord · Lord Deputy of Ireland
Battle of Kinsale
Kinsale
Mountjoy defeats the Irish relief army outside Kinsale, isolating the Spanish expedition and destroying the coalition's best chance of breaking the siege.
House · House of Tudor

1602 · 1 record

3 January 1602
Juan Aguila Don Juan del Aguila
General · Spanish Commander
Surrender of Kinsale
Kinsale
Aguila agrees terms to surrender Kinsale and other Spanish-held positions, ending the principal invasion attempt launched in support of the Irish rebellion.
House · House of Tudor