OUTLINE

• Edward IV's death

  • 9th April 1483
  • Royal council takes control of government
  • Edward V becomes King, but never crowned
• Edward V's household disbanded

  • 30th April 1483
  • Earl Rivers, Richard Grey and Thomas Vaughan arrested
  • Edward V in custody of Richard (Gloucester) and Buckingham
• Edward's coronation deferred

  • May/June 1483
  • Richard appointed Lord Protector
  • Edward V moved to Tower of London for "safety"
  • The bastardy of the princes is preached
• Executions

  • June 1483
  • Hastings executed without trial, charged with reasonable conspiracy with the queen
  • Rivers, Grey and Thomas also executed
• End of Edward's reign

  • 25th June
  • Richard elected as king by a meeting of estates
  • Crowned on 6th July
• Buckingham's rebellion

  • October 1483
  • Dissatisfaction with Richard III as a usurper
  • People involved were loyal to Richard but no longer
  • Henry Tudor became a possibility
  • Buckingham executed November
• Death of Richard's son

  • April 1484
  • No longer had an heir
  • Anne Neville died a year later - no chance of another
  • Rumors circulating he intended to marry his niece (Elizabeth of York)
• Invasion by Henry

  • 15th August 1485
  • Shewsbury
  • Richard unsure, not quick to act
  • Both sides unsure who Lord Stanley was going to support
• Battle of Bosworth

  • 22nd August
  • Richard makes direct aim at Henry (unusual)
  • Stanley's choose Henry's side finally
  • Richard III killed and strung up as an example for 3 days
• Henry becomes King

  • 21st August 1485
  • Changed date of start of his reign, accusing those who were against him of treason and then pardoning them
• Coronation and Parliament

  • 30th October 1485 gets crowned
  • Summons parliament 7th November, presenting his right as king rather than asking for ratification of his title
• Marriage to Elizabeth of York

  • January 1486
  • Parliamentary proclamation had no mention of his intention to marry her, even though it was a large part of his claim
  • Had to undo Richard's proclamation which made her illegitimate
  • His son born 8 months after marriage - secured throne