Edward V of England

Edward V (* 2 or November 4, 1470; † probably 1483 ) was the eldest son of King Edward IV and his wife, Elizabeth Woodville, and the brother of Elizabeth of York, the future wife of Henry VII

Life

Already in 1471 his father appointed him as the sixth Edward Prince of Wales, the British heir to the throne, and made the decision to recognize the Parliament. De jure got the young Prince in 1475 when his father's departure for a campaign to France the full dominion over England conferred. De facto took a consultant and guardianship staff this task.

Before Edward IV died suddenly after a short illness on April 9, 1483, he had transferred the guardianship of Edward and for his younger brother Richard of Shrewsbury his brother, the future King Richard III. , Including the regency for the 12 -year-olds. The powerful family of the queen dowager but tried to gain control of the kingdom, and took possession of the Treasury and the fleet. The uncle of the new king allied himself with two influential members of the throne council, William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, and Henry Stafford, the Duke of Buckingham, and opposed the de facto power of the Woodville family. On April 30, 1483 occurred in Stony Stratford at a crucial meeting Richard and Buckingham with the young king, who was supported by a strong bodyguard under the leadership of an uncle of the king's mother, Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, accompanied. After a first scan Rivers was arrested at the behest Richards because Richards Rivers had undermined relationship with the young king. Now his nephew Richard explained the violation of his mother against the last wishes of the late king. Subsequently, Edward V went into the care of his uncle, although it is not clear how much influence he really had on this decision as the same time, was also set out his entourage also a half-brother of the king and nephew Rivers ', Richard Grey.

A little later announced Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath and Wells, in London, that the children of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV were illegitimate because the King was previously betrothed to Eleanor Talbot, who is now deceased daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. Prove this allegation could not be, but it quickly spread throughout London. The logical conclusion was that Edward was not a legitimate heir to the throne. Whether Richard Allegations Stillingtons gave faith, or whether he merely looked at as an opportunity to usurp the throne, does not clarify itself. On June 23, Buckingham took claim to the throne in front of a needle assembly Richards. On the 25th the Parliament declared the rightful heir to the throne, Richard and Edward V went to the actual loss of his kingdom de jure deprived of the title. Parliament published a few months later the document titulus regius.

Eduard was fixed with his brother in the Tower. No one has seen the two boys after 1483, so that generally assumed that they died this year. Whether they went from a disease based on or were murdered, there is still cause for investigation and speculation, in which four persons are suspected of murder. Sir James Tyrell was a follower of Richard III. , Who was at that time on behalf of the king in the Tower. Here, then, could be an order murder, to later possibly annoying counterparty for Richard III. to eliminate on their behalf. A good design has also Buckingham, who at all times had access to the Tower and due to its close relationship to the Plantagenets ambitions were also rumored to the throne. The fourth is repeatedly, for example, called by P. Kendall, later King Henry VII Tudor, the. following his victory over Richard III Possible in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth Field other pretenders could eliminate. During the reign of Henry VII variously appeared men who claimed to be one of the sons of Edward IV. However, the claims could never be proved and not risk the reign of the first Tudor king.