The Yorkists include both the most wicked king in English history, Richard III, and the most tragic, his nephew Edward V, one of the Princes in the Tower. They had come to the throne in 1461, when Edward IV, who traced his claim to Edward III, replaced the ineffectual Henry VI as king. Forced into exile in 1470, Edward returned to power after the bloody battle of Towton in 1470 finally ended Lancastrian opposition. His reign was ended by his premature death in 1483, leaving behind his son Edward, a minor, as his heir. This led to Richard III's ursurpation, ended two years later by his defeat and death at Bosworth Field at the hands of Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII and the founder of a new dynasty, marrying Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV. The Yorkists were one of the two main contending parties in England's first great civil war, the Wars of the Roses. They have been immortalised by Shakespeare not only in his Richard III but also in his three parts of Henry VI. Anne Crawford examines the truth behind both the characters of these kings and behind the stories in the plays, including the death of the duke of Clarence by drowning in a butt of malmsey and the celebrated murder of his nephews, Edward V and Richard, duke of York, by their uncle, Richard III.

'Now tis the winter of our discontent'...made glorious summer by this fine study of the Yorkist Dynasty

About the Author
Anne Crawford was formerly an Assistant Keeper at the Public Record Office and is now archivist to Wells Cathedral. She is the editor of Letters of the Queens of England, 1100-1547 (1994) and Letters of Medieval Women (2002).

Reviews
Crawford (archivist, Wells Cathedral) has been researching the house of York for many years and has written an excellent history of the dynasty. She begins with Richard, Duke of York, the father of Edward IV and Richard III, and takes the story through the duke's granddaughter Elizabeth of York, queen of Henry VII. Her evaluation of the many individuals in the story and her analysis of such major events as the usurpation of Richard III and the fate of his nephews, the 'Princes in the Tower,' are thoughtful and reasoned. Accounts of Yorkist women and a significant informative feature, and the sometimes-complex genealogy necessary for a family history is detailed by careful narrative supported by family trees of York, Lancaster, Nevill, and Woodville... Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. -- A. C. Reeves * CHOICE *
"This book is an overview of the Yorkist dynasty, straying into Henry VIII's reign to include Elisabeth of York. It is an excellent text book for A level students" Reviewed by Jane Trump, Re Ricardian XVIII, 2008
"The author is an authority on royalty." -Colin Richmond, The Historian, Vol. 71



Book Information
ISBN 9781852853518
Author Anne Crawford
Format Hardback
Page Count 224
Imprint Hambledon Continuum
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 510g