Read Online Divorced, Beheaded, Died: The History of Britain's Kings and Queens in Bite-Sized Chunks by Kevin Flude - Free Book Online
Authors: Kevin Flude
Tags: Historical, History, Biography & Autobiography, Reference, Europe, Great Britain, Royalty, Queens
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throne, for he died on campaign in 1422, leaving the infant Henry VI to inherit the fruits of his success.
H ENRY VI
Reigned 1422–1461; 1470–1471
King Henry VI was the polar opposite of his heroic father, Henry V. The Pope described him as ‘a man more timorous than a woman, utterly devoid of wit and spirit’. He was very religious and generous of spirit, but he was not cut out for government.
He was born in 1421 at Windsor Castle and became king when his father died nine months later. He inherited the French throne less than eight weeks later, on the death of Charles VI, but this was hotly disputed by his uncle the Dauphin and his supporters. Henry’s government was controlled by his uncles, the Dukes of Gloucester and Bedford, who did a fairly good job until the King came of age in 1437 and took control.
Unfortunately, Henry did not have the personality or consistency to rule wisely. The fortunes of the French had revived through the success of Joan of Arc in Orleans in 1429, and the Dauphin had been crowned Charles VII of France. Under Henry, loss of territory in France accelerated. He made matters worse by marrying Margaret of Anjou in 1445, for which he had to hand over Anjou and Maine to the French. By 1453 Normandy and Aquitaine had been lost, leaving only Calais in English hands – the entire life’s work of Henry V was undone.
In 1453, Henry had his first mental breakdown and his cousin Richard, Duke of York, was made regent. Richard put the Earl of Somerset in the Tower, blaming him for the loss of lands in France. When the King recovered, Somerset was freed and Richard relieved of his regency. But fighting soon broke out between Richard, Duke of York, supported by the Earl of Warwick (the Yorkists), and the royal party, led by the Earl of Somerset and Queen Margaret and supported by the Percys of Northumberland (the Lancastrians). This was the start of the thirty-year Wars of the Roses.
In the power struggle that followed, the Duke of York was close to seizing the throne on several occasions. He defeated and killed Somerset at the Battle of St Albans, and defeated the Queen’s forces at Northampton in 1460, capturing the King. Henry was forced to make York his heir, despite the fact that he already had a son, Edward. But later that same year, York was killed when the two sides clashed at Wakefield and the Yorkist mantle passed to his charismatic son, Edward, Earl of March, who seized the throne in 1461, keeping Henry VI in the Tower of London. Edward ruled well for nine years, until he fell out with the Earl of Warwick, who made an alliance with King Louis of France and Margaret. Together they forced the unprepared Edward into exile and put Henry VI back on the throne as their puppet in 1470.
But Edward returned in 1471, killing Warwick at the Battle of Barnet and Henry’s heir Edward at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Edward came to the conclusion that Henry’s continued existence was dangerous and Henry was probably murdered in the Tower of London later that year, although it was announced that he died of grief.
E DWARD IV
Reigned 1461–1470; 1471–1483
Edward was born in Rouen in 1442, the son of Richard, Duke of York. He seized the throne from Henry VI in 1461, shortly after his father was killed in battle, and imprisoned Henry in the Tower of London.
He was a popular king. He was charming and handsome, and he had the common touch, remembering names and putting people at their ease. His reign might have been triumphant but for two major mistakes. The first was his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. She was a widow whom Edward married in secret, seemingly because she would not submit to him despite ‘gifts and menaces’. The marriage destroyed Edward’s crucial relationship with the Earl of Warwick, who had been instrumental in putting Edward on the throne, as it ruined Warwick’s plans for a French marriage. The proud Warwick switched his allegiance to the Lancastrians, made an alliance
H ENRY VI
Reigned 1422–1461; 1470–1471
King Henry VI was the polar opposite of his heroic father, Henry V. The Pope described him as ‘a man more timorous than a woman, utterly devoid of wit and spirit’. He was very religious and generous of spirit, but he was not cut out for government.
He was born in 1421 at Windsor Castle and became king when his father died nine months later. He inherited the French throne less than eight weeks later, on the death of Charles VI, but this was hotly disputed by his uncle the Dauphin and his supporters. Henry’s government was controlled by his uncles, the Dukes of Gloucester and Bedford, who did a fairly good job until the King came of age in 1437 and took control.
Unfortunately, Henry did not have the personality or consistency to rule wisely. The fortunes of the French had revived through the success of Joan of Arc in Orleans in 1429, and the Dauphin had been crowned Charles VII of France. Under Henry, loss of territory in France accelerated. He made matters worse by marrying Margaret of Anjou in 1445, for which he had to hand over Anjou and Maine to the French. By 1453 Normandy and Aquitaine had been lost, leaving only Calais in English hands – the entire life’s work of Henry V was undone.
In 1453, Henry had his first mental breakdown and his cousin Richard, Duke of York, was made regent. Richard put the Earl of Somerset in the Tower, blaming him for the loss of lands in France. When the King recovered, Somerset was freed and Richard relieved of his regency. But fighting soon broke out between Richard, Duke of York, supported by the Earl of Warwick (the Yorkists), and the royal party, led by the Earl of Somerset and Queen Margaret and supported by the Percys of Northumberland (the Lancastrians). This was the start of the thirty-year Wars of the Roses.
In the power struggle that followed, the Duke of York was close to seizing the throne on several occasions. He defeated and killed Somerset at the Battle of St Albans, and defeated the Queen’s forces at Northampton in 1460, capturing the King. Henry was forced to make York his heir, despite the fact that he already had a son, Edward. But later that same year, York was killed when the two sides clashed at Wakefield and the Yorkist mantle passed to his charismatic son, Edward, Earl of March, who seized the throne in 1461, keeping Henry VI in the Tower of London. Edward ruled well for nine years, until he fell out with the Earl of Warwick, who made an alliance with King Louis of France and Margaret. Together they forced the unprepared Edward into exile and put Henry VI back on the throne as their puppet in 1470.
But Edward returned in 1471, killing Warwick at the Battle of Barnet and Henry’s heir Edward at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Edward came to the conclusion that Henry’s continued existence was dangerous and Henry was probably murdered in the Tower of London later that year, although it was announced that he died of grief.
E DWARD IV
Reigned 1461–1470; 1471–1483
Edward was born in Rouen in 1442, the son of Richard, Duke of York. He seized the throne from Henry VI in 1461, shortly after his father was killed in battle, and imprisoned Henry in the Tower of London.
He was a popular king. He was charming and handsome, and he had the common touch, remembering names and putting people at their ease. His reign might have been triumphant but for two major mistakes. The first was his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. She was a widow whom Edward married in secret, seemingly because she would not submit to him despite ‘gifts and menaces’. The marriage destroyed Edward’s crucial relationship with the Earl of Warwick, who had been instrumental in putting Edward on the throne, as it ruined Warwick’s plans for a French marriage. The proud Warwick switched his allegiance to the Lancastrians, made an alliance
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