Richard III: Key Events and Rebellions

Seizure of the Throne Context

• Edward IV passed away without clearly indicating his successor.
• Richard, along with a contemporary chronicle, claimed Edward wrote a will saying his brother should be Lord Protector until Edward's son could rule, although there is no record of the document.
• Richard controlled the North and was loyal to Edward, which made being named Lord Protector a possibility.

Reasons for Seizure

• Fear of Woodville domination motivated Richard to seize power, believing they threatened the security of the realm and his political influence.
• Richard desired control politically and personally to fulfill his brother's wishes.
• Decisions made weeks after Edward's death led to Richard's usurpation.

Key Steps in 1483

• April: Richard and Buckingham intercepted Edward and his party near London, arresting key Woodville family members.
  • Elizabeth sought sanctuary in Westminster Abbey with her children, including Richard of York.
• May: Richard entered London with Edward, placing him in the tower for his upcoming coronation.
  • This gave Richard a protective advantage as he controlled access to Edward, denying Woodville access.
• The council appointed Richard as protector, setting Edward's coronation 7 weeks from May 10, which would end Richard's protectorate.
• Richard delayed the coronation from May into June.
  • It was suggested Richard was under threat from the Woodvilles, prompting him to call troops and reinforcements to defend himself as Protector.
• June 13: Richard had Hastings executed for treason at a council meeting.
  • Hastings had originally supported Richard as Lord Protector, but Buckingham reportedly fueled Richard's fears that Hastings was conspiring against him.
• June 16: Elizabeth Woodville released her son, Richard of York, into Richard's custody for ‘protection' during the coronation.
• June 17: The coronation was delayed for four months.
• June 25: Supporters publicly claimed Edward's marriage was illegitimate, thereby supporting Richard's claim to the throne, and Earl Rivers was executed.
• June 26: Richard declared himself King.
• July 6: Richard was crowned King at Westminster.
  • His first parliament declared the princes illegitimate.

Reasons for Richard's Successful Seizure

• The council agreed to make Richard protector as he was the King's brother, loyal, and a strong subject in the North.
• The unpopularity of the Woodvilles, plus concerns over their influence over the King, helped Richard.

Fate of the Princes

• Shakespeare asserted Richard murdered the princes, portraying him as evil, calculated, and someone who always intended to kill and usurp the throne.
  • This view was based on contemporary sources and influenced by Tudor propaganda, intended to discredit the Yorkist claim and support the Tudors.
• Mancini suggested no clear conclusion but questioned Richard's morality, implying Richard corrupted people by declaring the princes illegitimate.
  • Reports suggested Edward confessed daily, knowing his death was near.
  • Mancini's sources are unknown, his account is incomplete, and he provides no details on the princes' deaths.
• Vergil claimed Richard ordered the murder through Blackenbury, who then turned to James Tyrell to carry out the task.
  • Vergil suggested Richard would have faced immediate backlash had the princes lived, although there was no proof.
  • He used a wide range of sources, wrote extensively about England, and was commissioned by Henry to write a 'History of England'.
  • This could be Tudor propaganda to justify Henry's claim to the throne.
• More claimed Richard delegated the murder to Tyrell soon after his coronation, with Tyrell employing two others.
  • Some claims are supported by Vergil.
  • More was only 6 when Richard usurped the thrown and wrote this account 1513-17, potentially influenced by Tudor propaganda.
• The London Chronicle indicates Buckingham instigated the murder while Richard was on royal progress to advance his own claim through connections to the Beaufort family.
  • If Buckingham was responsible, it remains unexplained why Richard didn't blame him at his execution.
  • This account was believed at the French court at the time.
  • The authors are unknown, so it's hard to judge authenticity or why Buckingham would act against Richard, his right-hand man.
• Richard III Society suggests that Richard didn't kill them, Henry VII did.
  • Margaret Beaufort was behind it (she was raped by Edmund Tudor at age 12, making her infertile).
  • Henry was in exile, and if he were involved, Elizabeth Woodville would not have agreed to a marriage arrangement with Margaret Beaufort, allowing Henry to take her daughter Elizabeth of York's hand.

Buckingham's Rebellion: Why?

• The aim was to place Henry VII on the throne.
  • Some historians suggest Buckingham wanted to put himself on the throne.
• Conspiracy to place Henry on the throne emerged when Woodville and Beaufort agreed to the marriage of Elizabeth of York with Henry.

Buckingham's Rebellion: How?

• The plan involved coordinating an uprising in England, joining Henry Tudor's forces from Brittany on the South Coast.
• Buckingham was to lead an army of approximately 3,000-4,000 from Wales, meeting forces in Exeter to march on London, with simultaneous uprisings in Wiltshire and Kent.

Buckingham's Rebellion: Results

• Kent rebels rose up prematurely, alerting Richard to Henry's invasion.
  • Richard sent troops to the South Coast as well as forces to confront Buckingham.
• Bad storms prevented Henry from landing, forcing him to return to Brittany.
• Buckingham's troops fled, and he was captured and executed in the Market Square of Salisbury.

Buckingham's Rebellion: Key Significance

• Former supporters of Edward did not support Richard's rule and wanted to place a Lancastrian claimant on the throne whose popularity further decreased when he gave land involved in the rebellion to his northern subjects.
• The rebellion publicly advertised an alternative claimant.
  • After the rebellion, discontented Edward loyalists joined Henry in exile.
• Some historians suggest Richard used the act of attainder justifying execution as a way to control those Yorkists involved.
• Around Christmas 1483, Henry announced his intention to marry Elizabeth of York, with Woodville's approval, indicating her understanding that the princes were gone.

Most Effective Yorkist Monarch - Edward

• Secured and established his rule during his second reign, facing no major challenges except Clarence, and inspired great loyalty.
• Successfully delegated regional authority to relatives and servants, including Richard of Gloucester.
• Secured the dynasty with two sons.
• Used great military ability from a young age to gain the crown a second time.
• Restored crown finances that Henry VI had left in a poor state through acts of resumption and exploiting customs revenues.
• There was no reaction to the killing of Lancastrian Prince Edward, which shows strength, unlike the alleged murder of the princes by Richard III.
• Adopted a less warlike policy towards France but used threats to his advantage.
  • In 1475, he obtained a French agreement granting £10,000 a year pension for returning forces to England, giving financial independence.
• His marriage and patronage of the Woodvilles caused problems with Warwick, creating resentment/rivalries.
  • This contributed to losing his throne in 1470.
  • Richard's usurpation was made partly possible because the Woodvilles were unpopular.
• Restored finance through dubious and illegal methods, including borrowing from wealthy subjects, forced loans/benevolences, debasing coinage, and taxing the clergy for a never-happening crusade.
  • Tax collection in the late 1460s was unpopular due to delays in a French campaign, only engaging for a large pension.

Richard

• His fall from power was not inevitable.
  • Had no noble opposition at his coronation.
• Displayed little fear outside of the Woodvilles.
  • Went on royal progress with his wife, Anne Neville, and was welcomed.
• Conspiracy against the princes was quickly squashed.
• Was very popular in the North.
• Improved justice and the law, made positive financial steps, but this was also the product of his usurpation.
  • Promised not to collect benevolences, made unlawful by parliament.
• He was a popular, strong, and effective military commander, demonstrated as Richard of Gloucester.
• Improved relations with Woodville.
  • She agreed to leave sanctuary with her daughters, promising to find them good husbands.
• Secured a truce with Scotland in 1484, securing the North and improving royal finances.
• Lacked the loyalty of his southern subjects, clear during Buckingham's rebellion.
• Relied on Northern retinue for power, using it to suppress minor risings in 1484-85.
• Scandal of child murder undermined his authority, along with other rumours.
  • Reconciling with Woodville was considered an attempt to marry Elizabeth of York after his wife's death.
  • It may have been a move to stop the proposed marriage to Henry Tudor.
  • Richard publicly declared no intention of marrying her and his grief for his wife to dispel rumours he poisoned her in the North, which hurt his popularity.
• Aggressive foreign policy towards Brittany, France, and Scotland was unwise.
  • The lack of French and Breton support enabled Henry to land prior to Bosworth.
• Was in a weak financial position as a usurper.
  • Avoided heavy financial demands and closed off revenue by agreeing not to request benevolences.

Explore the reign of Richard III, focusing on Buckingham's Rebellion, Henry Tudor's challenge, and Richard's strategic responses. Understand the political landscape, key events, and consequences of Richard's rule. Learn about the impact of financial policies and regional power dynamics during his reign.