Reign Edward IV of England

1 reign

1.1 accession throne
1.2 overthrow
1.3 restoration
1.4 later reign , death

reign
accession throne

edward of york born @ rouen in france, second son of richard, 3rd duke of york (who had strong genealogical claim throne of england), , cecily neville. eldest of 4 sons survived adulthood. bore title earl of march before father s death , accession throne.

edward s father richard, duke of york, had been heir king henry vi (reigned 1422-1461) until birth of henry s son edward in 1453. richard carried on factional struggle king s beaufort relatives. established dominant position after victory @ first battle of st albans in 1455, in chief rival edmund beaufort, duke of somerset, killed. however, henry s queen, margaret of anjou, rebuilt powerful faction oppose yorkists on following years. in 1459 margaret moved against duke of york , principal supporters—his brother-in-law richard neville, earl of salisbury, , salisbury s son richard neville, earl of warwick, rose in revolt.

the yorkist leaders fled england after collapse of army in confrontation @ ludford bridge. duke of york took refuge in ireland, while edward went nevilles calais warwick governor. in 1460 edward landed in kent salisbury, warwick , salisbury s brother william neville, lord fauconberg, raised army, , occupied london. edward, warwick , fauconberg left salisbury besieging tower of london , advanced against king, army in midlands, , defeated , captured him in battle of northampton. york returned england , declared king s heir parliament (in act of accord), queen margaret raised fresh army against him, , killed @ battle of wakefield on 30 december 1460, along second surviving son edmund, earl of rutland, , earl of salisbury.

this left edward, duke of york, @ head of yorkist faction. defeated lancastrian army @ mortimer s cross in herefordshire on 2–3 february 1461. united forces of warwick, whom margaret s army had defeated @ second battle of st albans (17 february 1461), during henry vi had been rescued supporters. edward s father had restricted ambitions becoming henry s heir, edward took more radical step of proclaiming himself king in march 1461. advanced against lancastrians, having life saved on battlefield welsh knight sir david ap mathew. defeated lancastrian army in exceptionally bloody battle of towton in yorkshire on 29 march 1461. edward had broken military strength of lancastrians, , returned london coronation. king edward iv named sir david ap mathew standard bearer of england , allowed him use towton on mathew family crest.

lancastrian resistance continued in north, posed no serious threat new regime , extinguished warwick s brother john neville in battle of hexham in 1464. henry vi had escaped pennines, spent year in hiding, caught , imprisoned in tower of london. queen margaret fled abroad young prince edward , many of leading supporters. edward iv had deposed henry vi, there little point in killing ex-king long henry s son remained alive, since merely have transferred lancastrian claim captive king 1 @ liberty.

even @ age of nineteen, edward exhibited remarkable military acumen. had notable physique , described handsome , affable. height estimated @ 6 feet 4.5 inches (1.943 m), making him tallest among english, scottish, , british monarchs date.

overthrow

rose noble coin of edward iv, minted in 1464

most of england s leading families had remained loyal henry vi or remained uncommitted in recent conflict. new regime, therefore, relied heavily on support of nevilles, held vast estates , had been instrumental in bringing edward throne. however, king increasingly became estranged leader earl of warwick, due marriage. warwick, acting on edward s behalf, made preliminary arrangements king louis xi of france edward marry either louis daughter anne or sister-in-law bona of savoy. humiliated , enraged discover that, while negotiating, edward had secretly married elizabeth woodville, widow of john grey of groby, on 1 may 1464.

edward s marriage elizabeth woodville has been criticised impulsive action did not add security of england or york dynasty. horrified privy council told him unusual frankness, when announced marriage them, must know no wife prince such himself, not daughter of duke or earl... simple knight. christine carpenter argues against idea had political motivation, , edward s creation of strong yorkist nobility meant did not need relatively lightweight connections of woodvilles, whereas wilkinson described marriage both love match, , cold , calculated political move . j. r. lander suggested in 1980 king merely infatuated, echoing p. m. kendall s view acting out of lust.

edward iv s marriage elizabeth woodville, illuminated manuscript anciennes chroniques d angleterre, jean de wavrin

elizabeth s mother jacquetta of luxembourg, widow of henry vi s uncle john of lancaster, duke of bedford, father richard woodville, 1st earl rivers, newly created baron. when elizabeth s marriage edward iv became known in october 1464, elizabeth s twelve unmarried siblings became desirable matrimonial catches. catherine woodville married henry stafford, grandson , heir duke of buckingham; anne woodville became wife of william, viscount bourchier, eldest son , heir of earl of essex; eleanor woodville married anthony grey, son , heir of earl of kent.

the abrupt rise of woodville family created animosity among nobility of england, above in case of warwick. offence caused circumstances of marriage magnified woodvilles opposed policies favoured warwick , exploited influence king defeat him. on time, warwick became progressively more alienated king edward, , intentions turned toward treason. in autumn of 1467, warwick withdrew court yorkshire estates. covertly instigated rebellion against king aid of edward s disaffected younger brother george, duke of clarence.

the main part of king s army (without edward) defeated @ battle of edgecote moor on 26 july 1469, , edward subsequently captured @ olney. warwick attempted rule in edward s name, nobility, many of whom owed preferments king, restive. local rebellion arose in north, , became increasingly clear warwick unable rule through king. forced release edward on 10 september 1469.

at point, edward did not seek destroy either warwick or clarence sought reconciliation instead. nevertheless, private feud broke out in lincolnshire between sir thomas burgh of gainesville , lord welles. few months later in march 1470, warwick , clarence chose opportunity rebel against edward iv again. lincolnshire rebellion against king edward iv defeated, , warwick forced flee france on 1 may 1470. there made alliance lancastrian queen margaret of anjou.

louis xi had come throne of france death of father king charles vii on 25 july 1461. had been looking way trouble edward iv reinvigorating lancastrian claim throne of england. warwick made accord louis xi , queen margaret in agreed restore henry vi in return french support military invasion of england. warwick s invasion fleet set sail france england on 9 september 1470. time, edward iv forced flee flanders when learned warwick s brother john neville, 1st marquess of montagu, had switched lancastrian side, making edward s military position untenable.

restoration

illuminated miniature of edward iv (left) watching beheading of edmund beaufort, 4th duke of somerset @ tewkesbury, 1471

henry vi briefly restored throne in 1470 in event known readeption of henry vi, , edward took refuge in flanders, part of burgundy, accompanied younger brother richard, duke of gloucester (later king richard iii of england). duke of burgundy had been edward s brother-in-law since marriage of edward s sister margaret of york charles, duke of burgundy, on 3 july 1468. french declared war on burgundy, despite fact charles unwilling edward. prompted charles give aid edward, , burgundy raised army win kingdom.

edward returned england relatively small force , avoided capture. city of york opened gates him after promised had come reclaim dukedom, henry bolingbroke had done seventy years earlier. first join him sir james harrington , william parr, brought 600 men-at-arms edward @ doncaster. marched southwards began gather support, including clarence (who had realised fortunes better off brother king under henry vi). edward entered london unopposed, took henry vi prisoner. edward , brothers defeated warwick @ battle of barnet. warwick dead, edward eliminated remaining lancastrian resistance @ battle of tewkesbury in 1471. lancastrian heir, edward of westminster, prince of wales, killed on battlefield. henry vi died few days later, on night edward re-entered london. 1 contemporary chronicle claimed henry s death due melancholy, suspected edward ordered henry s murder remove lancastrian opposition completely.

edward s younger brothers george, duke of clarence, , richard, duke of gloucester (later king richard iii of england), married isabel neville , anne neville. both daughters of warwick anne beauchamp , rival heirs considerable inheritance of still-living mother, leading dispute between brothers. in 1478 george found guilty of plotting against edward, imprisoned in tower of london, , privately executed on 18 february 1478. according long-standing tradition, drowned in butt of malmsey wine .

later reign , death

coat of arms of edward iv, 1 of royal manuscripts

edward did not face further rebellions after restoration, lancastrian line had virtually been extinguished, , rival left henry tudor living in exile.

in 1475, edward declared war on france, landing @ calais in june. however, ally charles bold, duke of burgundy, failed provide significant military assistance, led edward undertake negotiations french. came terms treaty of picquigny, provided him immediate payment of 75,000 crowns , yearly pension of 50,000 crowns, allowing him recoup finances. backed attempt alexander stewart, 1st duke of albany, brother of king james iii of scotland, take scottish throne in 1482. gloucester led invasion of scotland resulted in capture of edinburgh , king of scots himself, albany reneged on agreement edward. gloucester decided withdraw position of strength in edinburgh. however, gloucester did recover berwick-upon-tweed.

edward s health began fail, , became subject increasing number of ailments. fell fatally ill @ easter 1483, survived long enough add codicils will, important being name brother richard, duke of gloucester protector after death. died on 9 april 1483 , buried in st george s chapel, windsor castle. succeeded twelve-year-old son edward v of england (who never crowned) , brother richard.

it not known caused edward s death. pneumonia , typhoid have both been conjectured, poison. attributed death unhealthy lifestyle, had become stout , inactive in years before death.

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