English royal dynasty that gave five sovereigns to England (1485 – 1603). The Tudors originated in the 13th century, but the dynasty's fortunes were established by Owen Tudor (
c. 1400 – 61), a Welsh adventurer who took service with
Henry V and married Henry's widow, Catherine of Valois (1401 – 37). Owen and Catherine's son Edmund Tudor (
c. 1430 – 56) was created earl of Richmond and married Lady Margaret Beaufort (1443 – 1509), a descendant of
John of Gaunt of the house of
Lancaster. Their son Henry Tudor claimed the English throne as
Henry VII in 1485 and cemented his claim with his marriage to Elizabeth of the house of
York, daughter of
Edward IV. The Tudor rose symbolized the union between the red rose of the Lancastrians and the white rose of the Yorkists. The Tudor dynasty continued in the 16th century with the reigns of
Henry VIII and his children
Edward VI,
Mary I, and
Elizabeth I. In 1603 the dynasty was succeeded by the house of
Stuart.
For more information on house of Tudor, visit Britannica.com.