The downfall of the Yorkist Monarchy, 1483–1486

WOTR

Death of Edward - Yorkist succession crisis

• In April 1483 Edward IV died unexpectedly at the age of 40 likely of a stroke, leaving the throne to his 12-year-old son, Edward V - young age require a regency

• Edward V’s maternal relatives (Woodvilles) aimed to maintain their control of court, particularly Anthony Rivers who had been responsible for much of Edward V’s upbringing in Wales and the Marches from castle Ludlow

• Richard of Gloucester was named Lord Protector in Edward’s will - he (and his ‘traditional Yorkists’ such Henry Stafford of Buckingham and William Hastings) distrusted the Woodvilles believing they aimed to monopolise power gained in their ascendancy

Causes of Richard’s Coup D’état

• Richard’s believed his right to rule was reinforced by allegations that Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was illegitimate due to a pre-contract of marriage Eleanor Butler.

• Woodvilles attempted to consolidate power by organising Edward V’s swift coronation in London (4th May 1483) before Gloucester could exert influence.

• Richard may have genuinely believed that the Woodvilles posed a threat to the stability of the kingdom and Edward V’s rule. - Rule had been relatively stable in the short period of his protectorate. - Mancini documented his reputation for integrity and successful rule in the North

• Fear of Woodville retaliation after his initial actions against them.

Events of Richard’s Coup D’état

• Edward V and his party, led by Earl Rivers and Richard Grey (his half-brother), are on their way to London from Ludlow with Edward V

• Richard, Duke of Gloucester, meets Edward V and his entourage at Stony Stratford, a small town on the way to London. (30th April 1483)

• Richard takes control of Edward V and places him in his own custody, under the pretext of protecting him from the Woodvilles on the same day.

• Richard arrests the two the next day

• Elizabeth Woodville, Edward V’s mother, becomes alarmed and takes refuge in Sanctuary at Westminster Abbey.

• 13th June, Hastings is executed without trial on charges of treason (conspiring with the woodvilles) - likely false pretences as communication with Woodvilles would have been difficult in Westminster Abbey → Richard eliminating Hasting’s who was growing discontented with his authoritarian approach + loyal to Edward V

• 26th June, Richard is declared king by the three estates (Clergy, nobility and commons) at Baynard’s castle in London on the basis on Edward IV’s illegitimate marriage.

• The brothers (Edward V and Richard of York) were both place in the tower of London later that year

Factional Rivalries + Emergence of Henry Tudor

• The Woodville family, led by Elizabeth Woodville (Edward IV’s widow), became one of Richard’s main enemies following his coup.

• The disappearance of the Princes in the Tower further alienated the Woodvilles, as they believed Richard had murdered Elizabeth’s sons.

• Richard III relied heavily on loyal supporters from the north of England, such as Sir William Catesby, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, and the Earl of Northumberland - This alienated Southern Nobles such as the Courtenay family

• Henry Tudor was a distant relative of the Lancastrian line through his mother, Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of John of Gaunt - Weak line because of illegitimacy but viable due to deaths of many Lancastrians across WOTR

• By 1472, Margaret had married Thomas Stanley, a powerful nobleman with considerable influence in the northwest of England

• Henry lived in exile in Brittany following Edward IV’s return to power in 1471. After Richard III’s coup, many disaffected Yorkists fled to join him, including:

  • Jasper Tudor, his uncle and military mentor.

  • Supporters of the Woodvilles, who hoped Henry would restore their influence

  • Henry gained the support of Francis II, Duke of Brittany, and later King Charles VIII of France, who saw him as a tool to destabilise England.

Buckingham’s Rebellion + Dissention among Yorkists

• Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, was initially a loyal supporter of Richard III and had helped him gain the crown.

• However, by October 1483, Buckingham turned against Richard, possibly due to:

  • Disillusionment: Buckingham was unhappy with his rewards after Richard’s accession, despite receiving significant lands and titles.

  • Ambition: Buckingham may have harboured his own aspirations to the throne, as he was a descendant of Edward III through both his father and mother.

  • Concern over Legitimacy: Buckingham may have been unsettled by the rumours that Richard had murdered the princes, tarnishing his legitimacy.

• Buckingham, Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville began plotting to overthrow Ricard - planned for Henry to land in Kent with an army and join with Buckingham’s forces - flooding of the River Severn stopped Buckingham’s army and poor weather hindered Henry crossing the Chanell

• Quick loyalist support repressed rebellion in the South by Duke of Norfolk and Richard’s personal army, as the loyal Earl of Northumberland allowed for less resources to be directed to ensuring the North remained loyal

• Buckingham was executed in Salisbury 2nd of November 1483 but the Lancastrian/ Woodville alliance was solidified

Strengths of Richard’s Position in 1484

• Richard had successfully neutralised the Woodville faction and executed powerful opponents such as Lord Hastings and the Duke of Buckingham.

• His accession was confirmed by Parliament through the Titulus Regius, which declared Edward IV’s children illegitimate and justified Richard’s claim to the throne.

• He maintained loyalty from key northern magnates such as Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, and his close allies, Richard Ratcliffe and William Catesby.

• He made legal reforms to promote fairness, such as creating the Council of Requests and Supplications to hear the complaints of the poor.

• The Lancastrian cause had been almost entirely destroyed following the deaths of key figures like Henry VI and his son Edward of Westminster.

• Henry Tudor, the remaining Lancastrian claimant, was in exile in Brittany and lacked resources and widespread support in 1484.

Weaknesses of Richard’s Position in 1484

• Richard’s seizure of the throne was widely regarded as usurpation, particularly after the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, which many blamed on him.

• Many Yorkist nobles, particularly in the south of England, were alienated by Richard’s reliance on northern supporters, such as Ratcliffe and Catesby.

• The execution of Hastings and the betrayal of Buckingham fractured the unity of the Yorkist faction.

• Henry’s promise to marry Elizabeth of York (Edward’s daughter) united Yorkist and Lancastrian factions, creating a powerful alternative to Richard. + position was strengthened in England by support from his mother

• The sudden death of Edward of Middleham, Richard’s only legitimate son, in April 1484, left him without a clear heir. - seen as divine retribution

• Richard faced hostility from France and Scotland, and his relations with Brittany—where Henry Tudor was exiled—were fragile.

Battle of Bosworth

• In August 1485, with support from Brittany, Henry Tudor landed at Mill Bay, near Pembrokeshire in South Wales. He gathered an army of Lancastrians, disaffected Yorkists, and Welshmen, with promises of land and titles if he were victorious.

• Henry’s invasion was also supported by many nobles dissatisfied with Richard III’s rule, including Thomas Stanley and his brother, William Stanley (who had been in Richard’s service but were now hedging their bets), Earl of Oxford, Rhys ap Thomas (Welsh Nobleman)

• Richard III assembled an army to confront Henry, drawing on his loyal northern forces, including Northumberland, Ratcliffe, Catesby and Norfolk

• Thomas Stanley (Henry’s stepfather) held back his forces during most of the battle but intervened at a critical moment, bringing his men into the fray. The Stanleys’ support tipped the balance in Henry’s favour.

• Northumberland, despite having a large contingent of men, did not fully engage with Richard’s forces, possibly due to discontent with Richard or fear of Henry’s retaliation.

• Following his victory, Henry Tudor was crowned as Henry VII on 22 August 1485 + Henry VII married Elizabeth of York in 1486, uniting the warring factions of York and Lancaster and solidifying his claim to the throne. - Essentially ending the conflict.