Edward, and Elizabeth Woodville, had a lot of children together, including Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of the family, and Edward V with Richard, the could-be Duke of York. These children, though overall pawns in this ongoing chess game, took a part in these struggles, like creating one of the greatest historical mysteries of all time.
After Edward IV’s sudden death, the eldest son, Edward V, who was at Ludlow at the time, was next in line for the throne, but due to his young age-12 years-his uncle, Richard III was positioned as regent until Edward V is considered old enough to rule. But Elizabeth Woodville and her friends wanted and tried to get rid of Richard III with another, knowing how much Richard III disliked them.
Anyway, as Edward V was traveling to London, he met his uncle, who joined him on his way to the capital and let him stay in the Tower of London, until he seemed old enough to be king. His younger brother, Richard, joined him there later on.
Meanwhile, there were rumors spreading about them and their father’s secret marriage. They highly condemned Edward IV’s marriage to common Elizabeth Woodville, because Edward IV had been betrothed and promised to someone else. A French Princess. Elizabeth was then declared not an official married wife of Edward IV, and therefore her children were seen as illegitimate. The rumors went even a step further to think maybe that maybe her two sons’ father wasn’t Edward IV at all. ” It was suggested that the real father may have been an archer called Blaybourne.” an article from the website englishmonarchs.co.uk stated,” [U]ntil recently, the generally accepted view was that [this] issue was a fallacy raised to support both the claims of his brothers George and later Richard III”.
Because of these rumors, there was a meeting on June 25, and the nobility supported and believed these claims, making Richard III King of England, instead of his nephews. Richard III took the claim, and in August, with no evidence of how and why, the two princes vanished. They were seen less and less over the summer, and were last seen playing near the Tower. Many people believed that the new king Richard III had actually murdered them. Though, today, we find little to no evidence supporting that claim.
But even though King Richard III probably never did anything to harm the two boys, he still got rid of people he disliked. Earlier as Lord Protector, he put Elizabeth’s brother Anthony, and her son Richard Grey-from her first husband, to prison. Fearing for the rest of her family, Elizabeth went into hiding with the rest of her children. Then, when he became king, he did an act of paranoia, which was to execute these prisoners in order for his reign to feel secure. He also executed Lord Hastings-a former ally to Edward IV-under charges of treason before he was officially king.
Richard III as king, however, tried to be appealing to his subjects. He attempted to make peace with the remaining Lancastrians-once, by letting Henry VI’s remains to be buried in St. George’s Chapel. He also made efforts to better the relationship with Scotland, which wasn’t going well when King Edward was alive. But, despite what he did, he was still not well-liked with the people, especially as the rumors about him were getting worse.
Richard III got his son to be heir after him, but the child didn’t live long enough. His wife, Anne Neville-youngest daughter of the earl of Warwick, also died, and rumors speculated that Richard probably killed her himself so he could marry Elizabeth of York. This drained further support from him, as people gravitated towards another person. Another man they thought worthy to rule. The noble who takes control of the final moves in these raging battles for power.
Henry Tudor.
Battles of Lancaster and York 