Edward IVs extraordinary revenue included taxation and benevolence. Edward IV charged 1/15 of nobles’ land for tax in rural areas and 1/10 in towns. Between 1472 and 1475 Edward IV taxes England the most since Henry V to go to war with France, however when he landed in France and met with Louis XI, they decided not to war with each other and therefore signed the Treaty of Picquigny in 1475. When Edward IV returned to England, he still had the money that would have been used to pay for war against France and so was able to keep it. This showed that the government was loyal and that they trusted Edward with a lot of money. Benevolence is a gift of money demanded by the King. Everyone except the nobles and the clergy had to pay this to the King.
In terms of foreign policy, Edward IV’s reign was a success. In the ever-changing friendships between countries in Europe, England would always be on the outside because of its location. Getting the French Crown back was never really an issue because Louis XI had been proven to be an effectual leader. The invasion of Scotland looked improbable too, as the invasion of both Scotland and France would have caused more trouble than was necessary. In this circumstance, Edward’s foreign policy couldn’t get any better.
There were quite a few reasons for invading France, the most important being that Louis XI provided shelter and aid for Lancastrian exiles, besides Margaret of Anjou was French. In 1470 and 1471 Louis XI supported and supplied for the double invasion of England, Warwick and then Margaret of Anjou; the first of which led to Edward’s speedy departure for the Low Countries. Humiliation was not easily forgotten or forgiven and it was important for Edward IV to attempt to neutralise the French threat. The south-west of France had seen England's continental holdings reduced just to the port of Calais and a small area of surrounding territory known as the Pale. This was a national disaster as it had done so much to discredit Henry VI’s regime, and needed to be revenged. As an established and highly successful military commander and a king with an insight to realise that the renewal of the 100 years war would bring active support, as opposed to grudging agreement seen so far, from nobility, Edward IV’s quest of victory in France was clearly a top priority.
Another good thing about Edward IV’s foreign policy was his ability to find allies. An army is not raised overnight and the kingdom needed settling so the great expedition of the English Arms did not set out until 1475. Holding up their departure was tricky because. At a first glance, finding allies seemed to be least of Edward IV’s problems. The duchies of Brittany and Burgundy, which included the Low Countries, had a history of independence from France and the fact that their geographical locations were on either side of France made them ideal duchies to bring a three-front war, including England, against a common enemy. However, the relationships between the duchies and France were also tinged with fear. Making war with their neighbour may bring the thing that they wanted to avoid, destruction at the hands of the French.
Edward IV had a lot of political skill to aid him in his rule over England, however there were some cases of political fortune helping him to restore order to England, for example when Prince Edward and Warwick were killed in battle; this meant that there would no longer be any threat of invasion from France lead by Margaret of Anjou as she no longer had any claim to the throne. The fact that Warwick died meant that his land was given to Edward which increased his wealth to build up money for war.
Edward IV’s political skill showed through the ways that he was able to control the nobility and their behaviour, for example he stripped the nobles that opposed him (the Lancastrians) of their titles and land. This helped to prevent nobles from creating feuds and beginning a civil war. Edward’s political skill also helped in restoring order to England when he went to France to invade, but signed a peace treaty with Louis XI instead, the Treaty of Picquigny in 1475, to save money and important lives.
In conclusion to all the points made, Edward IV was very successful at restoring order to England between 1471 and 1483 due to the use of his political skill in dealing with finances and foreign policy and the fact that he used his political fortune to help him further himself in shifting England to a more stable future.
