Downfall of the Yorkist Monarchy, 1483-86

Coup d’état by Richard, Duke of Gloucester – the Princes in the Tower
• Timeline
o 9 April 1483 – death of Edward IV
o 10-11 April 1483 – The Royal Council controls government
First coup d’etat
o 30 April 1483 – Earl Rivers, Richard Grey, and Thomas Vaughan are arrested by
Gloucester and the Duke of Buckingham. Edward V’s household is disbanded and
taken into custody. Gloucester and Buckingham protest their loyalty and say that
they are acting against traitors who were plotting their destruction.
o 4 May 1483 – Edward V’s original coronation date is deferred.
o 10 May 1483 – Gloucester is appointed Protector
o 18 May 1483 – the new coronation date is set for late June
o By 19 May 1483 – Edward V is moved to the Tower of London.
o 10-11 June 1483 – Gloucester writes to the cities of York and Hull. York is informed
of a plot organised by the queen to persuade them to Gloucester’s cause.
Second coup d’etat
o 13 June 1483 – Lord Hastings, Archbishop Rotherham of York, and Bishop Morton
are arrested by Gloucester. Lord Hastings is executed after being charged with
treasonable conspiracy with the queen.
o 16 June 1483 – Edward V’s brother, the Duke of York, is removed from sanctuary to
the Tower of London. Parliament and the coronation are delayed again until
November.
o 22 June 1483 – the bastardy of the princes is preached by Ralph Shaa.
o 25 June 1483 – end of Edward V’s reign
o 26 July 1483 – Gloucester is elected as king by a meeting of estates.
o 6 July 1483 – Richard III is coronated.
• Divisions within the Yorkist party had been created by Edward IV’s actions, such as his favour
of the Woodvilles over men of royal blood. The Woodvilles had exclusive control of Edward
IV’s sons. Gloucester feared a royal minority dominated by the Woodvilles, as well as their
extensive influence. Gloucester believed that the Woodvilles would oppose a decision to
make him the protector or regent.
• Gloucester’s actions were deeply controversial and problematic for society in general. It is
widely believed that Richard III killed his nephews, the ‘Princes in the Tower’, possibly due to
the motive of removing the rightful successor to Edward IV. Rebellion against Richard III in
1483 initially began as a movement to place Edward V on the throne, but changed due to
the assumption that the princes were dead. Other candidates for the princes’ death have
been named, such as the Duke of Norfolk or the Duke of Buckingham.
• It is doubtful whether Richard had a long-standing ambition for the throne. Richard was
previously loyal to Edward IV throughout his reign, aside from the Woodvilles. His desire
suddenly shifted from Lord Protector to being king, with limited explanation.
• The princes’ disappearance exacerbated rebellion in southern and western England, where
support for Richard III was already weak. The remaining members of the Woodville family
actively conspired against Richard. Much of the leading gentry opposed him. However,
support for Richard was still strong in the north and among much of the nobility. Regardless,
Richard had a difficult position as a usurper king.
Factional rivalries
• Henry Tudor had been living in Brittany and was supported by the Duke of Brittany. Edward
IV attempted to get the Tudors return to England by pressuring the Duke of Brittany and
offering incentives. Richard III’s usurpation changed Henry Tudor’s position due to being the
biggest rival for the crown. Richard sent an embassy to Brittany in July 1483.
• Richard III’s usurpation divided the Yorkist elite between those who supported the king, and
those who did not. Unlike Edward IV, Richard could not control the divisions between the
aristocracy and the Woodvilles. Supporters of Richard included the Earls of Warwick and
Lincoln, as well as the Duke of Norfolk. Some loyalties were uncertain, such as
Northumberland, Buckingham, and Lord Stanley. There was a lack of political activity and
support from the elite.
Buckingham’s rebellion, September 1483
• The rebellion developed after a complex period of plots against Richard III, focusing on
Henry Tudor’s position as a rival to the throne. These plots were orchestrated by Tudor’s
mother, Margaret Beaufort, and Elizabeth Woodville. The rebellion was motivated by the
outrage towards the Princes in the Tower. Margaret Beaufort plotted to place Henry Tudor
on the throne on the condition that he marry one of Edward IV’s daughters.
• The rebellion harmed Richard’s cause due to the betrayal of Buckingham, his most loyal ally.
Additionally, the rebellion involved men who were loyal to Edward IV and his household.
• The rebellion had 3 main centres – southeast England (led by Edward IV’s former household
servants, connected to Queen Elizabeth’s households, and the gentry had significant
influence), south-central England, and southwest England (led by the Marquess of Dorset
and Sir Thomas St Leger).
• Buckingham was put in contact with Margaret Beaufort’s agent, and planned to raise a
revolt in South Wales whilst Henry Tudor would return to England to stake his claim. Richard
III discovered this plot and sufficiently prepared by focusing on defeating Buckingham. In
October 1483, there were risings at Brecon, Salisbury, and Exeter.
• Buckingham was captured and executed in November 1483. Henry Tudor failed to reach
England in time, and the remaining rebels dispersed.
Strengths and weaknesses of Richard III’s position in 1484
• ( + ) In early 1484, an Act of Parliament secured Richard’s position as king and declared any
other claims as illegitimate.
• ( + ) Richard had strong allies in his immediate circle, such as Norfolk, Viscount Lovell, Lord
Scrope of Bolton, and Lord Zouche.
• ( – ) Impacts of the Buckingham rebellion – The Buckingham rebellion promoted another
claimant to the throne, Henry Tudor. The Buckingham rebellion also further weakened
Richard’s position because many of the rebel leaders fled abroad alongside Henry Tudor,
such as the Marquess of Dorset and other leading members of the gentry. Richard’s greatest
ally, Buckingham, had betrayed him.
• ( – ) The nobility remained distant and increased the political uncertainty of Richard’s reign.
Richard’s power-base among the nobility was small. Northumberland resented Richard due
to not restoring the Percys to their dominance. Lord Stanley’s loyalty was uncertain due to
his marriage to Margaret Beaufort.
• ( – ) southern England’s administration – Many of the Buckingham rebels were attainted,
resulting in a political vacuum in southern England. This increased Richard’s reliance on
support from the northern counties, and granted the South’s lands and offices to nobles
from the North. These grants ignored the rights of widows or others who had rightful claims
to the estates. Richard’s policy of ‘replanting’ the South with northern men was an affront to
the native gentry and removed sympathy for Richard among southern inhabitants. Small
uprisings still occurred in the south, including troubles in Essex and Hertfordshire in 1484.
• ( – ) Dynastic insecurity – Richard had no living brothers, and only one legitimate son, Edward
of Middleham. The death of Edward, his only heir, in April 1484 affected the security of
Richard’s position. Richard III’s wife, Queen Anne, died in March 1485 and did not produce
another child. Richard had prioritised marrying into a great inheritance, rather than
maintaining a male line. There were rumours that Richard wanted to replace his queen by
marrying his niece, Elizabeth of York. The lack of a male heir reinforced Henry Tudor’s
position. Richard named the Earl of Lincoln, his nephew, as his heir.
The downfall of Richard III – the return of Henry Tudor, and the Battle of Bosworth
• Henry Tudor planned his invasion from the French court, raising loans as finance and
assembling a small force that included French mercenaries. In response, Richard aimed to
secure support in the North and take up residence in Nottingham. Richard raised forced
loans from churchmen to raise funds for military preparation. Beacons were prepared
around England and Wales to signal news of the invasion.
• Henry Tudor’s force consisted of those who had fled with him to exile after the Buckingham
rebellion, alongside experienced commanders and the French mercenaries. However, Henry
Tudor’s force was small and he had to rely on an English network of sympathisers that had
been encouraged by his mother, Margaret Beaufort.
• 7 August 1485 – Henry’s force landed at Pembrokeshire in Wales, with no resistance nor
support. Letters were written to kinsmen to support Henry’s cause, whilst he marched
through Wales. Uncertain loyalties emerged: the invasion force was bolstered by the
support of Rhys ap Thomas and Walter Herbert.
• Meanwhile, Richard sent a summons to lords, gentlemen, sheriffs, and commissioners of
array. Norfolk assembled his men, and Richard’s commanders called their men to arms.
Northumberland and Lord Stanley did not immediately bring their forces to Richard III’s side,
showing their uncertain loyalties.
• 15 August 1485 – Tudor’s forces are swelled by clansmen from North Wales, and enter
England. They demanded the surrender of Shrewsbury, and moved eastwards to draw the
support of the Stanleys. On the way, Tudor’s forces were joined by Sir Gilbert Talbot and his
men.
• The Stanleys distanced themselves from the rebel army. This was an effective strategy.
Richard struggled to mobilise his supporters and moved to Leicester on 20 August. Lord
Stanley did not show his support for the king either, which increased the uncertainty of his
position. It is likely Lord Stanley was working for the rebel cause and undermining Richard’s
strategic planning.
• 21 August 1485 – Henry Tudor secured his alliance with Stanley at Atherstone. Men and
companies from the royal army defected to Tudor’s cause.
• 22 August 1485, Battle of Bosworth – Richard’s army was double the size of Henry Tudor’s
and well-equipped with cavalry, infantry, and artillery. Henry’s army consisted of well-paid
foreign mercenaries and experienced captains. Lord Stanley did not send in his soldiers
alongside Henry’s army. The Earl of Oxford took the initiative in the battle, and his vanguard
advanced on Norfolk’s vanguard. Richard III led a headlong cavalry charge towards Tudor’s
standard. In the charge, Henry Tudor’s standard-bearer was killed, but the French
mercenaries protected Tudor from Richard’s attack. Lord Stanley saw Richard’s weakening
attack and joined the battle in Tudor’s favour. This won the battle for Henry Tudor. Norfolk
was also killed, whereas Northumberland, despite holding the rear of Richard’s forces, did
not join the battle.
• Richard’s body was taken to Leicester and displayed for three days to prove his death.
Bosworth was one of the smallest battles of the Wars of the Roses, and did not match the
forces of Towton, Barnet, or Tewkesbury. This was most likely due to the political inactivity
of the elite.
• Henry Tudor dated his reign from 21 August 1485, the day before Bosworth, to deem those
who fought against him as traitors. Tudor was lenient and issued a pardon in October 1485
to all but those who had fled. Parliament was summoned to meet on 7 November, a week
after Tudor’s coronation, where he presented his right and title as a fait accompli. Richard
III’s attainder against him was negated, and Richard’s proclamation as king from 1484 was
repealed so that Elizabeth of York would be made legitimate.
• There was a delay in Tudor’s marriage plans. This may have been in order to verify the fate
of the Princes in the Tower, and to deal with other matters. This included reversing all
attainders made in 1471 and restoring the leading Lancastrians to their lands, such as
Margaret Beaufort and Somerset. The attainders of 1484 on Henry VII’s followers were also
reversed.
• Henry Tudor announced his marriage to Elizabeth of York in December 1485 and awaited a
papal dispensation. They were married on 18 January 1486, and united the political
supporters of York and Tudor. Henry VII’s heir, Arthur, was born in September 1486.