Elizabeth Woodville: The White Queen
Elizabeth Woodville
 |
| Elizabeth Woodville |
The Wars of the Roses was an extremely brutal war. The first battle was fought on 22nd May 1455. The leader of the Yorks was Richard, Duke of York (father of Edward IV, George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Gloucester) and the leader of the Lancastrians was Henry VI. Both the Yorks and the Lancastrians were descendants from Edward III. The Lancastrians, however, were descendants from Edward III's third son John of Gaunt whereas the Yorks were descended from Edward's second and fourth sons female relative. During the actual war it was actually known as the Cousin's War. The majority of the history books seem to focus only on the men of the war, but funnily enough Margaret of Anjou (Henry VI's wife) was the most skilled strategists because her husband was a very sickly man, therefore she was the mastermind between the alliances of the House of Lancaster as well as the marriage arrangement between her son Prince Edward and Lord Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick's youngest daughter- Anne Neville. The Wars of the Roses ended on 22nd August 1485 with the last York and indeed Plantagenet king- Richard III being defeated by Henry Tudor, Lancastrian descent. A year later Henry Tudor was married to Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV's oldest daughter: Elizabeth of York.
Elizabeth Woodville earned the nickname 'The White Queen' because she married into the royal house of York and the York's symbol was a white rose. The Lancastrian symbol was the equally infamous red rose and when Henry Tudor (Lancaster) married Elizabeth of York (York) he created a new rose with a small white rose in the centre and a larger red rose enclosing it. He created it like this to unite the two houses after the years of family conflict.
In Medieval society, Elizabeth was classed as a very beautiful woman. She was slender, a pale complexion and long strawberry- blonde hair. She was not a traditional meek medieval woman, she was intelligent and strong willed.
In 1452 Elizabeth married the bloodthirsty Sir John Grey, a loyal supporter of the Lancastrian Henry VI. The Lancastrian couple had two sons: Thomas Grey (direct ancestor of Lady Jane Grey) and Richard Grey (executed by Richard III on 25th June 1483). Sir John was killed during the Second Battle at St. Albans for the House of Lancaster in 1461. However York were victorious and they confiscated the late knight's lands leaving his widow and two small sons penniless.
Myth goes that Elizabeth was heard that the king (now Edward IV) was hunting near her home in Grafton. She apparently took her two boys and waited under an old oak tree, knowing that Edward would pass by the tree. He did and she stopped him, and begged to have her lands given back to her. Edward fell head over heels in love with her due to her beauty and determination. We do not have much evidence for this event but we do know that after Elizabeth had refused to become his mistress, he married her in a secret ceremony at her parents' home with only the priest, her mother Jacquetta and two ladies' maids as witnesses.
The marriage was kept a secret until Edward's closest adviser, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, proposed a betrothal to a French princess that the secret was reluctantly revealed. This caused Warwick to be publicly humiliated because he had sought out the marriage contract, on behalf of the French princess. As a result he dispised Elizabeth. After the news of the marriage was out, Edward organised a huge grand coronation ceremony for his new wife. It wasn't only Lord Warwick who was angered. Many of the courtiers were also enraged because their king had married a Lancastrian who had introduced Lancastrian supporters to the York court and showered them with gifts and titles and land!
In 1466, Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter- Elizabeth of York (later married to Henry VII and mother to Henry VIII). She later had nine more children: Cecily of York, Edward V and Richard (the Princes in the Tower), Mary, Bridget, Catherine, Anne, Margaret and George. Five of whom did not survive to adulthood.
Meanwhile and outraged Warwick had married his eldest daughter, Isobel, to Edward's younger brother George, with the king's permission. He then allied with the Lancastrians and married his youngest daughter- Anne (later married to Richard III), to the former Lancastrian king Henry VI's son Edward, Prince of Wales. In 1470, Henry VI's wife Margaret of Anjou, to whom Jacquetta of Luxembourg had been lady- in- waiting and close companion when Margaret was queen, invaded and defeated Edward. When the Yorks were defeated, Warwick arrested Elizabeth's father, Richard Rivers and her brother John Rivers and had them unjustly beheaded without a trial, only his own word for it. Edward fled the Netherlands and Elizabeth went into sanctuary in Westminster Abbey were she gave birth to the future Edward V. Yet, a year later, King Edward came back and defeated the Lancastrians at Chipping Barnet and Warwick was killed in battle on 14th April. His lands were given to Edward's loyal brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester. His brother George's wife, Isobel, later gave birth to Margaret Pole (executed by Henry VIII in the 1540s), and then died after having her son Edward. George, Duke of Clarence, however, had sided with Warwick and in 1478 was executed... supposedly drowned in a barrel of Malmsey wine.Their children were looked after by Isobel's sister, Anne, now married to Richard, and then after her death, by Margaret and Edward's paternal cousin, Elizabeth of York and King Henry VII.
Rumours around court were dangerous. And whilst the Lancastrians were back on the throne, rumours began to circulate that the queen and her mother were witches. This was because Elizabeth and Jacquetta were direct descents from the royal house of Burgundy. It was said that a water goddess called Melusine had seduced Elizabeth's ancestor Count Siegfried and married him. Their female descendants were said to posess magical powers. But, as a result of being in sanctuary (if a person was in sanctuary of a church/ chapel/ cathedral then it was against the law of God that they could not be harmed, everyone was religious in medieval England, therefore it was the safest place for the wife of the former king) Elizabeth could not be arrested and bought for trial. But Jacquetta, who was living in her home in Grafton, could be. She was arrested and stood for trial, her accusation being witchcraft, but she did not get sentenced to death.
Unfortunately, in 1483, Edward died suddenly aged only forty years. His reign had bought eventually bought national peace because he improved the justice system, assisted the development of foreign trade, steered clear of costly wars and kept the Medieval parliament by his side by ruling without demands of extra, unnecessary taxes. He was succeeded by his son, Edward, who was only twelve. But he and his siblings were declared illegitimate and their parents marriage was declared ungodly by their uncle Richard. Richard was then named king and the Princes mysteriously disappeared in the Tower of London...
Elizabeth experienced a lot of loss in her life. In 1461 her first husband Sir John Grey died in battle. In 1470 her father Sir Richard Rivers and her brother John Rivers were executed. In 1472 her infant daughter Margaret died and Elizabeth's mother Jacquetta of Luxembourg died. In 1477 her infant son George died aged 2 years. In 1482 her daughter Mary died aged 14 years old. And in 1483 her husband Edward IV died suddenly, quickly followed by her brother Anthony Rivers and her son Richard Grey by beheading and her two boys Edward V and Richard mysteriously disappeared from their lodgings at the Tower of London!
At the start of Richard III's reign, Elizabeth lived in sanctuary in Westminster Abbey but she soon was offered to reside under house arrest with her daughters. But soon after her daughters Elizabeth and Cecily were ordered to their paternal uncle's court to become ladies- in- waiting for the new Queen Anne. However during Elizabeth's time as a lady- in- waiting, she was reportedly involved with a love affair with her uncle! Richard was 13 years older than his niece so its probably some propaganda to make Richard look bad produced by the Tudors...
After the death of her boys, Elizabeth Woodville wanted revenge on the supposed killer. She joined forces with the strong Lancastrian supporter and mother to Henry Tudor- Margaret Beaufort. She started to secretly plot to invade England and put Margaret's son on the throne. They also plotted to marry Henry to Elizabeth's daughter Elizabeth. Henry, then in exile with his uncle Jasper Tudor in France, swore an oath to marry Elizabeth in Rennes, France in 1483.
Margaret Beaufort was a Lancastrian noble woman, and during the Wars of the Roses the richest in England. She married Edmund Tudor, half brother to Henry VI (Margaret's hero), when she was just twelve years old. Then she gave birth to her only son when she was thirteen years old. Edmund had died of the plague in the captivity of the Yorks a few months before the birth and so her son was born in his Uncle Jasper's castle in Pembroke (Pembroke Castle). Margaret had her son christened Henry after the king which was very unusual for that time because baby boys were normally named after their fathers. After the birth of Henry, her mother arranged for her to marry Henry Stafford, a Lancastrian who switched alliances to the Yorks. He died of his wounds in 1471. In 1472 Margaret remarried the York: Lord Thomas Stanley. They were married until his death in 1504 and it was because of Lord Stanley that Henry won the throne of England; he decided which side to join only in the thick of battle when the Tudors were winning. Margaret was a very devout Catholic. Probably due to her lack of childhood experiences, Margaret took to the life of a nun with the permission of her husbands, taking a vow of chastity after her marriage to Tudor.
On 22nd August 1485 Henry fought Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field and defeated him. Henry became King Henry VII and he married Elizabeth a few months later. Elizabeth Woodville retired to Bermondsey Abbey with her younger daughters and accepted the title Dowager Queen. She died in 1492 on 8th June. All of her daughters (but Elizabeth who was awaiting the birth of her fourth child) attended their mother's funeral.
In 1452 Elizabeth married the bloodthirsty Sir John Grey, a loyal supporter of the Lancastrian Henry VI. The Lancastrian couple had two sons: Thomas Grey (direct ancestor of Lady Jane Grey) and Richard Grey (executed by Richard III on 25th June 1483). Sir John was killed during the Second Battle at St. Albans for the House of Lancaster in 1461. However York were victorious and they confiscated the late knight's lands leaving his widow and two small sons penniless.
Myth goes that Elizabeth was heard that the king (now Edward IV) was hunting near her home in Grafton. She apparently took her two boys and waited under an old oak tree, knowing that Edward would pass by the tree. He did and she stopped him, and begged to have her lands given back to her. Edward fell head over heels in love with her due to her beauty and determination. We do not have much evidence for this event but we do know that after Elizabeth had refused to become his mistress, he married her in a secret ceremony at her parents' home with only the priest, her mother Jacquetta and two ladies' maids as witnesses.
The marriage was kept a secret until Edward's closest adviser, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, proposed a betrothal to a French princess that the secret was reluctantly revealed. This caused Warwick to be publicly humiliated because he had sought out the marriage contract, on behalf of the French princess. As a result he dispised Elizabeth. After the news of the marriage was out, Edward organised a huge grand coronation ceremony for his new wife. It wasn't only Lord Warwick who was angered. Many of the courtiers were also enraged because their king had married a Lancastrian who had introduced Lancastrian supporters to the York court and showered them with gifts and titles and land!
In 1466, Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter- Elizabeth of York (later married to Henry VII and mother to Henry VIII). She later had nine more children: Cecily of York, Edward V and Richard (the Princes in the Tower), Mary, Bridget, Catherine, Anne, Margaret and George. Five of whom did not survive to adulthood.
Meanwhile and outraged Warwick had married his eldest daughter, Isobel, to Edward's younger brother George, with the king's permission. He then allied with the Lancastrians and married his youngest daughter- Anne (later married to Richard III), to the former Lancastrian king Henry VI's son Edward, Prince of Wales. In 1470, Henry VI's wife Margaret of Anjou, to whom Jacquetta of Luxembourg had been lady- in- waiting and close companion when Margaret was queen, invaded and defeated Edward. When the Yorks were defeated, Warwick arrested Elizabeth's father, Richard Rivers and her brother John Rivers and had them unjustly beheaded without a trial, only his own word for it. Edward fled the Netherlands and Elizabeth went into sanctuary in Westminster Abbey were she gave birth to the future Edward V. Yet, a year later, King Edward came back and defeated the Lancastrians at Chipping Barnet and Warwick was killed in battle on 14th April. His lands were given to Edward's loyal brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester. His brother George's wife, Isobel, later gave birth to Margaret Pole (executed by Henry VIII in the 1540s), and then died after having her son Edward. George, Duke of Clarence, however, had sided with Warwick and in 1478 was executed... supposedly drowned in a barrel of Malmsey wine.Their children were looked after by Isobel's sister, Anne, now married to Richard, and then after her death, by Margaret and Edward's paternal cousin, Elizabeth of York and King Henry VII.
Rumours around court were dangerous. And whilst the Lancastrians were back on the throne, rumours began to circulate that the queen and her mother were witches. This was because Elizabeth and Jacquetta were direct descents from the royal house of Burgundy. It was said that a water goddess called Melusine had seduced Elizabeth's ancestor Count Siegfried and married him. Their female descendants were said to posess magical powers. But, as a result of being in sanctuary (if a person was in sanctuary of a church/ chapel/ cathedral then it was against the law of God that they could not be harmed, everyone was religious in medieval England, therefore it was the safest place for the wife of the former king) Elizabeth could not be arrested and bought for trial. But Jacquetta, who was living in her home in Grafton, could be. She was arrested and stood for trial, her accusation being witchcraft, but she did not get sentenced to death.
Unfortunately, in 1483, Edward died suddenly aged only forty years. His reign had bought eventually bought national peace because he improved the justice system, assisted the development of foreign trade, steered clear of costly wars and kept the Medieval parliament by his side by ruling without demands of extra, unnecessary taxes. He was succeeded by his son, Edward, who was only twelve. But he and his siblings were declared illegitimate and their parents marriage was declared ungodly by their uncle Richard. Richard was then named king and the Princes mysteriously disappeared in the Tower of London...
Elizabeth experienced a lot of loss in her life. In 1461 her first husband Sir John Grey died in battle. In 1470 her father Sir Richard Rivers and her brother John Rivers were executed. In 1472 her infant daughter Margaret died and Elizabeth's mother Jacquetta of Luxembourg died. In 1477 her infant son George died aged 2 years. In 1482 her daughter Mary died aged 14 years old. And in 1483 her husband Edward IV died suddenly, quickly followed by her brother Anthony Rivers and her son Richard Grey by beheading and her two boys Edward V and Richard mysteriously disappeared from their lodgings at the Tower of London!
At the start of Richard III's reign, Elizabeth lived in sanctuary in Westminster Abbey but she soon was offered to reside under house arrest with her daughters. But soon after her daughters Elizabeth and Cecily were ordered to their paternal uncle's court to become ladies- in- waiting for the new Queen Anne. However during Elizabeth's time as a lady- in- waiting, she was reportedly involved with a love affair with her uncle! Richard was 13 years older than his niece so its probably some propaganda to make Richard look bad produced by the Tudors...
After the death of her boys, Elizabeth Woodville wanted revenge on the supposed killer. She joined forces with the strong Lancastrian supporter and mother to Henry Tudor- Margaret Beaufort. She started to secretly plot to invade England and put Margaret's son on the throne. They also plotted to marry Henry to Elizabeth's daughter Elizabeth. Henry, then in exile with his uncle Jasper Tudor in France, swore an oath to marry Elizabeth in Rennes, France in 1483.
 |
| Margaret Beaufort |
On 22nd August 1485 Henry fought Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field and defeated him. Henry became King Henry VII and he married Elizabeth a few months later. Elizabeth Woodville retired to Bermondsey Abbey with her younger daughters and accepted the title Dowager Queen. She died in 1492 on 8th June. All of her daughters (but Elizabeth who was awaiting the birth of her fourth child) attended their mother's funeral.
Comments
Post a Comment