Lambert Simnel’s invasion 1487

[W.G. H]

Can any member advise how the 2000 German mercenaries plus 4000 Irish kerns supporting Lambert Simnel’s invasion of England were transported from Dublin to Piel Island, Morecambe Bay in June 1487?
Were they opposed on landing?
What was their route to Stoke?

[R. M]

This is an unusual question to appear in a maritime forum! However, I’m a contributing member of the Medieval Warfare Society which produces the journal Hobilar; this publication, at least in terms of its UK-based members looks very much towards the Wars of the Roses era.
Stoke Field, the last battle of these long dynastic conflicts, and its protagonists and outcome has figured frequently in recent decades. Finding nothing specific in the fifteen years of issues of Hobilar I have here, I’ve dropped this question into far more specialised hands than would be found, I suspect, in SNR. Any response will be reported, naturally.
My own view is that the oared ‘Birlinn’ might have been a suitable craft in large numbers to transport the Irishmen, though it would seem likely that having used these light and fast craft to cross the Irish sea, a raid or two might have been likely to follow.
There are, of course, certain similarities between this ‘invasion’ and Henry Tudor’s 1485 landing, on which topic several sound articles already exist.
Rob Morgan

[Author]

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