Cabot Sails in the Matthew
John Cabot leaves Bristol in the Matthew on a westward voyage sponsored under Henry VII's patent.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1497 in England
Explore 71 historical events and records for England in 1497.
Historical records for England in 1497
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 71 unique records.
71Unique records
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34Named events on this page
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17Places on this page
May
Voyage of Matthew
Cabot sails from Bristol seeking a westward route to Asia.
Cabot Expedition Supported
Henry VII backs Cabot's Bristol voyage across the Atlantic.
Cornish Protest Army Formed
Michael An Gof helps gather a large Cornish force at Bodmin to resist the subsidy and carry its grievances directly toward London.
Flamank Articulates Tax Grievances
Flamank argues that royal ministers rather than ordinary taxpayers should bear responsibility for the disputed policy, helping turn local anger into organised protest.
June
Battle of Blackheath
The Cornish rebels reach Blackheath & Audley joins & leads them
Cornish Army Reaches Blackheath
The Cornish army reaches Blackheath after failing to attract the substantial Kentish support its leaders had hoped to gain.
Royal Army Concentrates against Cornish Rebels
Henry VII redirects troops intended for Scotland and concentrates a much larger royal force to confront the Cornish army near London.
Arrest of James Touchet
Audley is taken prisoner, brought before the King and council on 19 Jun and condemned
Battle of Blackheath
Henry's royal army defeats the Cornish rebels at the Battle of Blackheath, also known as Deptford Bridge.
Battle of Blackheath
Royal forces overwhelm the Cornish army at Blackheath and capture the principal rebel leaders.
Battle of Blackheath
The rebels are defeated by the Earl of Oxford & Lord Daubeney. Audley is taken prisoner, brought before the King and council on 19 Jun and condemned
Cornish Rebellion Defeated at Blackheath
The royal army defeats the Cornish rebels at Blackheath after hard fighting, ending the first major Cornish uprising of the year.
Deptford Bridge Assault
Daubeney's troops force the crossing at Deptford Bridge and help break the rebel position during the decisive battle outside London.
Rebellion of Cornish
The Cornish rebels are supported by the House of York pretender Perkin Warbeck. Cornwall rebels against taxes to defend England against the Scottish invasion forces
Marriage
Henry VII ratifies the marriage between Prince Arthur & Catherine of Aragon
Marriage
Henry VII ratifies the marriage between Prince Arthur & Catherine of Aragon
Marriage
Henry VII ratifies the marriage between Prince Arthur & Catherine of Aragon
Cabot Landfall in North America
Cabot reaches land across the North Atlantic and claims the discovery for the English crown.
Execution of An Gof and Flamank
Michael An Gof and Thomas Flamank are executed after the defeat of the Cornish rebellion.
Execution of Thomas Flamank
Thomas Flamank is executed after leading the Cornish tax rebellion that marched from Cornwall to Blackheath.
Flamank Executed for Cornish Rising
Flamank is executed at Tyburn for leading the tax rebellion that marched from Cornwall to the outskirts of London.
Audley Executed after Blackheath
Lord Audley is beheaded on Tower Hill for joining the Cornish uprising and providing noble leadership to the rebel army.
Death of James Touchet
Death of James Touchet, executed
Execution
Executed for leading e rebellion in Cornwall
Execution of Lord Audley
Lord Audley is beheaded for his leadership role in the Cornish rebellion against Henry's taxation.
Execution of Lord Audley
James Tuchet, Lord Audley, is beheaded for joining the Cornish rebellion and providing aristocratic leadership to the uprising.
Audley Joins Cornish March
Lord Audley joins the Cornish rebels during their eastward march, adding aristocratic leadership to a movement initially led by commoners.
Tax Commissioner Killed at Taunton
Rebels kill the tax commissioner John Perrin at Taunton as the march becomes more confrontational during its progress toward London.
Trial
Audley is taken prisoner, brought before the King and council on 19 Jun and condemned
August
Cabot Returns to Bristol
John Cabot returns to Bristol after his successful Atlantic voyage and receives recognition from Henry VII.
Siege of 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.
September
Cornwall Landing
Warbeck lands in Cornwall with a small force, exploiting recent unrest in an attempt to revive his claim and overthrow Henry VII by invasion.
Rebellion of Rebels in Deal
Lands with a small invasion force in Cornwall
Warbeck Lands at Whitesand Bay
Perkin Warbeck lands in Cornwall with a small force and tries to exploit recent hostility toward Henry's taxation.
Warbeck Lands in Cornwall
Perkin Warbeck lands in Cornwall and seeks to exploit continuing resentment after the June tax rebellion by renewing his challenge to Henry VII.
Succession
Proclaimed Richard IV while in Bodmin
Warbeck Assault on Exeter Fails
Warbeck's forces fail to capture Exeter after attacking the city's gates, weakening the rebellion before royal troops arrive in strength.
Warbeck Attacks Exeter
Warbeck's Cornish force attacks Exeter but fails to secure the city as royal forces approach.
Ayton Border Truce
Concludes a truce with Scotland that reduces border warfare and creates a diplomatic foundation for a more permanent Anglo-Scottish settlement.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.