The English Royal Dynasty of Tudor was a royal house of Welsh origin that ruled England and Wales from 1485 to 1603. The dynasty was founded by Henry VII, who ascended the throne after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. The Tudors were succeeded by the House of Stuart. The Tudor period is considered one of the most important in English history, as it saw the establishment of the Church of England, the expansion of the British Empire, and the flourishing of the arts and sciences.