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Richard III Plantagenet of York, King of England, was born 2 October 1452 in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom to Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) and Cecily Neville (1415-1495) and died 22 August 1485 Battle of Bosworth Field of unspecified causes. He married Anne Neville (1456-1485) 12 July 1472 JL .

Biography

WarRosesMap1

Map for Wars of the Roses

King Richard III of England was born on October 2, 1452, and he reigned as the king of England from 1483 until his death in 1485. He is a notable figure in English history and is often depicted as a controversial and divisive figure. Here are some key facts about Richard III:

  • Richard III was born in Northamptonshire, England, and was the youngest son of Richard, Duke of York.
  • Richard III became king after the death of his brother, King Edward IV, in 1483. Edward's son, Edward V, was only 12 years old at the time, so Richard III was named Protector of the Realm until Edward V came of age. However, Richard III declared that Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, were illegitimate and claimed the throne for himself.
  • Richard III was crowned king on July 6, 1483. His reign was marked by controversy and rebellion, as many people believed that he had usurped the throne.
  • Richard III is perhaps best known for his alleged role in the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower. Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, were placed in the Tower of London for their protection, but they were never seen again. Many people believed that Richard III had them murdered in order to secure his claim to the throne.
  • Richard III died in the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and was succeeded by Henry VII, the first king of the House of Tudor.
  • After his death, Richard III's reputation was tarnished by the Tudor propaganda that depicted him as a tyrant and a murderer. However, in recent years, historians have re-examined his life and reign, and there is now a growing movement to rehabilitate his image.
  • In 2012, Richard III's remains were discovered buried beneath a parking lot in Leicester, England. His body showed evidence of several injuries, including a fatal blow to the head, which suggests that he was killed in battle. In 2015, he was reburied in Leicester Cathedral with full state honors.

Marriage and Family

Marriage: Anne Neville

Richard and Anne had one son, Edward of Middleham (1475-1484), who was born between 1474 and 1476.[1][2] He was created Earl of Salisbury on 15 February 1478,[3] and Prince of Wales on 24 August 1483, and died in March 1484, less than two months after he had been formally declared heir apparent.[4] After the death of his son, Richard appointed his nephew John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, as Lieutenant of Ireland, an office previously held by his son Edward.[5] Lincoln was the son of Richard's older sister, Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk. After his wife's death, Richard commenced negotiations with John II of Portugal to marry John's pious sister, Joanna, Princess of Portugal. She had already turned down several suitors because of her preference for the religious life.[6]

Other Relationships

Richard had two acknowledged illegitimate children, John of Gloucester (1470-1491) and Katharine Plantagenet (c1470-1487). Also known as 'John of Pontefract', John of Gloucester was appointed Captain of Calais in 1485. Katherine married William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, in 1484. Neither the birth dates nor the names of the mothers of either of the children is known. Katherine was old enough to be wedded in 1484, when the age of consent was twelve, and John was knighted in September 1483 in York Minster, and so most historians agree that they were both fathered when Richard was a teenager.[7][8] There is no evidence of infidelity on Richard's part after his marriage to Anne Neville in 1472 when he was around 20.[9] This has led to a suggestion by the historian A. L. Rowse that Richard "had no interest in sex".[10]


Children


Offspring of Richard III of England and Anne Neville (1456-1485)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Edward of Middleham (1475-1484) December 1473 Middleham, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 9 April 1484 Middleham, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom


Offspring of Richard III of England and unknown parent
Name Birth Death Joined with
John of Gloucester (1470-1491) 1470 1491


Offspring of Richard III of England and unknown parent
Name Birth Death Joined with
Katharine Plantagenet (c1470-1487) 1470 1487 William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (1451-1491)



Siblings


Offspring of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) and Cecily Neville (1415-1495)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Joan Plantagenet (1438-1438)
Anne Plantagenet (1439-1476) 10 August 1439 Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom 1476 Henry Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter (1430-1473)
Thomas St Leger (c1440-1483)
Henry of York (1441-?)
Edward IV of England (1442-1483) 28 April 1442 Rouen, France 9 April 1483 Westminster, England, United Kingdom Elizabeth Woodville (c1437-1492)
Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Rutland (1443-1460)
Elizabeth Plantagenet (1444-c1503)
Margaret Plantagenet (1446-1503) 3 May 1446 Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom 23 November 1503 Mechelen, Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium Charles, Duke of Burgundy (1433-1477)
William Plantagenet (1447-?)
John Plantagenet (1448-?)
George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (1449-1478) 21 October 1449 Dublin, Ireland 18 February 1478 Tower of London, England, United Kingdom Isabel Neville (1451-1476)
Thomas Plantagenet (c1450-?)
Richard III of England (1452-1485) 2 October 1452 Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom 22 August 1485 Anne Neville (1456-1485)
Ursula Plantagenet (1455-?)


See Also

Bibliography

External links


Ancestry Trees

Contemporary References

Richard3g1

Remains of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral.

Richard3g2

Artifacts from the reign of King Richard III - Display at Leicester Cathedral.

Here are a few notable sources:

  1. The Croyland Chronicle: The Croyland Chronicle is a historical account of English history from the Roman era to 1486, written by a group of monks at Croyland Abbey. The Chronicle provides a detailed account of Richard III's reign, including his accession to the throne and his defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field.
  2. The Paston Letters: The Paston Letters are a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family, who were prominent landowners in Norfolk, England, during the 15th century. The letters provide a unique perspective on the social and political landscape of the time and include references to Richard III and his reign.
  3. The Titulus Regius: The Titulus Regius is a document issued by Richard III's Parliament in 1484, which declared the illegitimacy of Edward IV's children and affirmed Richard III's claim to the throne. The document provides insight into Richard III's efforts to legitimize his claim to the throne and the political climate of the time.
  4. The Historie of the arrivall of Edward IV: The Historie of the arrivall of Edward IV is a chronicle written by the French diplomat Philippe de Commines, which provides a detailed account of the Wars of the Roses and Richard III's accession to the throne.
  5. The History of King Richard III by Sir Thomas More: The History of King Richard III is a biography of Richard III written by Sir Thomas More in the early 16th century. While the accuracy of the account has been debated, it provides an important source of information on Richard III's life and reign.

Original Citations

Croyland Chronicle

Here is an excerpt from the Croyland Chronicle, a contemporary historical account of English history that provides a detailed description of the events surrounding Richard III's accession to the throne:

"In the month of June following [the death of Edward IV], Richard, Duke of Gloucester, having by his own devices, and under the pretext of preventing the possible injustice of others, secured the persons of the young king and his brother, who had hitherto been living in the Tower of London, caused himself to be proclaimed king, with great pomp and solemnity, in the city of London. To this he was encouraged by the hopes and expectations of many, who were desirous of a change in the government, as well as by the favour of the citizens of London, who were well-disposed towards him, on account of his good government of the city in times past.

"Thus Richard was raised to the throne of England, in the year of our Lord 1483, and was crowned king with great ceremony, amidst the acclamations of the people. But this joy was soon turned to grief, as it became apparent that the new king was not what he seemed, and that he had obtained the throne by deceit and treachery.

"Many began to fear for their own safety, as Richard began to make arrests and executions of those whom he suspected of opposing him. The young king and his brother, who had been under Richard's protection, were suddenly removed from the Tower and were never seen again, leading many to believe that they had been murdered at Richard's command.

"Thus began the reign of Richard III, a period of great turmoil and unrest in English history, which would eventually come to an end at the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard would be defeated and killed by Henry Tudor, who would go on to become Henry VII, the first king of the Tudor dynasty."

Royal Succession Charts

Richard III of England (1452-1485)
Cadet branch of the House of Plantagenet
Born: 2 October 1452 Died: 22 August 1485
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Edward V
King of England
Lord of Ireland

1483–1485
Succeeded by
Henry VII
Military offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Kent
Lord High Admiral
1462–1470
Succeeded by
The Earl of Warwick
Preceded by
The Earl of Warwick
Lord High Admiral
1471–1483
Succeeded by
The Duke of Norfolk
Political offices
Preceded by
The Earl Rivers
Lord High Constable
1469–1470
Succeeded by
The Earl of Oxford
Preceded by
The Earl of Oxford
Lord High Constable
1471–1483
Succeeded by
The Duke of Buckingham

References

  1. ^ Ross (1981), p. 29, n. 2. "1476".
  2. ^ Template:Harvp
  3. ^ Ross (1981), p. 33.
  4. ^ Template:Harvp
  5. ^ Kendall (1956), pp. 349–350, 563.
  6. ^ Williams (1983).
  7. ^ Ashdown-Hill (2013).
  8. ^ Baldwin (2013), p. 42.
  9. ^ Kendall (1956), p. 387.
  10. ^ Rowse (1966), p. 190.



Footnotes (including sources)

Thurstan, Phlox, Rtol, Bergsmit, MainTour, Robin Patterson

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