The "Great Question" refers to the issue of the legitimacy of Henry VII's claim to the English throne. Henry VII was the first Tudor monarch, and he came to power after defeating Richard III in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. However, his claim to the throne was not entirely clear, as he was descended from the illegitimate branch of the Plantagenet family.

The Great Question arose because Henry VII's legitimacy was challenged by various pretenders to the throne, who claimed to be the rightful monarchs. The most notable of these was Lambert Simnel, who claimed to be Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, the legitimate heir to the throne. Another pretender was Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, one of the Princes in the Tower who had disappeared during the reign of Richard III.

Henry VII was deeply concerned about the Great Question because his legitimacy was crucial to his ability to maintain power. If his claim to the throne was successfully challenged, it could lead to civil war and the end of the Tudor dynasty. To defend his claim, Henry VII took a number of measures, including marrying Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV, in order to unite the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions. He also employed a network of spies and informants to detect and root out potential conspiracies against him.

In the end, Henry VII was able to maintain his grip on power despite the challenges to his legitimacy. He ruled England for 24 years and was succeeded by his son, Henry VIII. The Great Question remained a significant issue throughout the Tudor period, however, and the legitimacy of the Tudor dynasty continued to be challenged by various factions and pretenders.

The Great Question and Henry VII's efforts to secure his legitimacy had a significant impact on his son, Henry VIII, and his quest for a male heir. Henry VIII inherited a throne that was still somewhat unstable, with various factions and pretenders continuing to challenge the legitimacy of the Tudor dynasty.

As a result, Henry VIII was acutely aware of the importance of having a male heir to secure the succession and prevent any challenges to his own legitimacy. He famously married six times in his pursuit of a son, and the failure of his wives to provide him with a male heir was a major factor in his decision to break with the Catholic Church and establish the Church of England.

Henry's divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was based in part on her failure to provide him with a male heir. He then married Anne Boleyn, who also failed to produce a son and was subsequently executed. His third wife, Jane Seymour, finally gave birth to a son, Edward VI, but she died soon after, and Henry was once again without a male heir.

This led him to marry three more times, but none of his subsequent wives were able to provide him with a son. The failure of his quest for a male heir had significant consequences for England, as it ultimately led to the instability of the Tudor succession and the eventual succession crisis of the Elizabethan era.