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| Posthumous portrait by unknown artist (c. 1540) |
- Elizabeth Woodville (m. 1464 - 1483)
- With Lady Elizabeth Wayte
- Elizabeth Plantagenet, Baroness Lumley (c. 1464 - ????)
- Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle (c. 1465 - 1542)
- With Elizabeth Woodville
- Elizabeth of York, Queen of England (1466 - 1503)
- Princess Mary of York (1467 - 1482)
- Princess Cecily of York, Viscountess Welles (1469 - 1507)
- King Edward V of England (1470 - c. 1483)
- Princess Margaret of York (1472 - 1472)
- Prince Richard, Duke of York (1473 - c. 1483)
- Princess Anne of York, Duchess of Norfolk (1475 - 1511)
- Prince George of York, Duke of Bedford (1477 - 1479)
- Princess Catherine of York, Countess of Devon (1479 - 1527)
- Princess Bridget of York (1480 - 1507)
- With Unknown Woman
- Grace Plantagenet (???? - ????)
Appearance:
Edward was extremely tall, especially compared to the average height of a man during this time period, standing around 193cm (6'4''). He was also noted to be very handsome, the strongest, tallest, and broadest of all his siblings, and he had pale skin as well as grey eyes and brown hair.
He would always purposefully wear extravagant clothes and always liked to make sure he stood out.
Character:
For most of his life, Edward was famous for his impulsivity, sometimes nonchalant, and indulgent personality. He favoured a more lavish lifestyle, always making sure to wear extravagant clothing, and enjoyed large feasts where he would gorge himself.
Despite this, he was also very athletic and a capable warrior. He was resilient throughout the Wars of the Roses, and was able to capture the throne twice from his rival, King Henry VI. He was also a successful military tactician, which won him many battles, but also always knew when to flee when the odds were against him so he could fight another day.
His impulsivity is best seen in his haste to marry Elizabeth Woodville, a widow of the gentry class, which was viewed as absolutely scandalous at the time. This put his position in huge peril, and turned many nobles against him. He was not loyal and had numerous mistresses.
He also enjoyed history and collecting artwork.
Biography:
Edward was born in 1442 in Normandy in France, and was the eldest surviving son of Richard, Duke of York, and his wife, Lady Cecily Neville. He possessed a very strong claim to the throne of England, and until the birth of King Henry VI's son, Edward had been the next in line for the throne. There were early accusations that Edward was illegitimate, but this is unlikely to be the case.
During his youth, he spent most of his time in the Welsh Marches, especially when England lost possession of its territory in Normandy to the Kingdom of France.
The current King Henry VI of England, was mentally ill and a very weak ruler, leading to high levels of corruption within government. This would result in the Lancastrian and the Yorkist factions often clashing in the royal court. In 1453, Henry VI suffered a complete mental breakdown and fell into a catatonic state, rendering him unable to rule. Edward's father, the Duke of York, would then act as regent and take over the English government. During this time, Edward matured into a strong military leader.
In 1459, however, Edward was forced to flee to Calais after arguments between factions came to a head in the Battle of Ludford Bridge. However, just a year later, he returned to England and marched on London, and was able to successfully capture Henry VI, with the Duke of York declaring himself king, which was not supported by other nobles. Instead, a compromise was made in which Henry VI remained king, but the House of York would inherit the throne after his death.
This, predictably, was not popular with the House of Lancaster, and the Duke of York, along with one of Edward's brothers, Edmund, would be killed in the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. Edward, as a result, became the head of the House of York. The queen consort, Margaret of Anjou, was able to amass support and rescue her husband from the Yorkists. In response, Edward declared himself to be King Edward IV of England, and the two houses once again battled, this time in the middle of a snowstorm, which resulted in Edward's victory. Many of the Lancastrians were forced to flee, including Henry VI, who was exiled to Scotland, before being forced to go on the run in northern England.
In the hopes of increasing powerful alliances for the Yorkist faction, many marriage opportunities were presented to Edward from other European nations. Edward, however, would ignore this, instead marrying Elizabeth Woodville, a commoner, in secret, and outraged all of England upon its discovery. The two of them would go on to have ten children together. Both the marriage and Elizabeth remained unpopular, and resentment festered, especially from the Earl of Warwick, who had been the one who attempted to arrange an advantageous marriage for Edward. As a result, Warwick began to favour Edward's younger brother, George, Duke of Clarence, who would marry Warwick's daughter, Lady Isabel Neville. Resentment continued to grow, with Warwick and Clarence eventually switching sides and supporting the Lancastrian faction instead.
The Yorkist regime became very unpopular, and ultimately, Edward lost the throne in 1470, and King Henry VI was restored to the throne. Edward fled into exile again, this time to Flanders, while his wife and children sought sanctuary in Westminster Abbey.
Meanwhile, the Lancastrian regime also became deeply unpopular again due to the weakness of Henry VI and his corrupt advisors, and Warwick and Clarence became disillusioned with the faction once again.
Edward once again marched on London, and once again captured Henry VI a year after he was forced to flee. The Lancastrian army faced their biggest defeat yet at the Battle of Tewkesbury, resulting in the deaths of many powerful nobles, including Warwick, and Edward, Prince of Wales, Henry VI's only child and heir. Henry VI himself was imprisoned in the Tower of London before he died, likely murdered on Edward IV's orders.
Edward then proceeded to rule England for another twelve years, up until his death in 1483, likely caused by internal damage due to his frequent habit of binge eating, followed by forcing himself to vomit so he could overindulge again.
Rule:
The majority of Edward's reign was tumultuous due to the ongoing Wars of the Roses, and the constant threat from rival factions in the English court, especially the House of Lancaster.
He was able to take advantage of King Henry VI's failing health, and seize the throne for himself, which he held onto for a number of years, despite the best efforts of the Lancastrian faction. He was noted to be a strong and charismatic leader, and was not afraid to lead a battle. This made him quite popular, as he lived up to the more stereotypical view of an English ruler during this time, compared to his rival for the throne, Henry VI, who was far more quiet, timid, and studious.
However, his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was deeply unpopular due to her social status, and the fact that he ignored his advisors' attempts to arrange a powerful political marriage for him. This placed him in a precarious position, as it alienated many of his former powerful allies such as the Earl of Warwick. It would also have repercussions in the aftermath of his reign, as a marriage contract would be used to declare his children as illegitimate.
Though he did lose the throne in 1470, he was able to quickly gain it back a year later and maintain his position. His second reign was noted to have been a lot more ruthless and harsh than his first one.
Throughout both of his reigns though, Edward was known for his support of businesses and interest in investment opportunities. However, his indulgent spending habits would be a frequent point of contempt between himself and the people of England, often spending far more than his income. This over-spending did lead to his court being viewed as one of the most splendid in all of Europe.
He was also a supporter of the newly invented printing press.
- There are rumours that exist to this day that Edward IV may have been illegitimate and the result of an affair his mother may have had with a archer, however, there is no solid evidence to support this case.
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