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Born

21 Sep 1411

Born At

Died

30 Dec 1460

Buried At

Royal House

Background

ichard was the father of two Kings of England; Edward IV and Richard III. Richard was descended from Edward III via his son Edmund of Langley, but also from the daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence, another son of Edward III. (See a family tree to understand this.) In 1415 Richard became an orphan after his father was executed for plotting against the king and the house of Lancaster. He was sent to Raby Castle to be brought up in the household of Ralph Neville, the first Earl of Westmorland. It was here that Richard grew up and met his future wife Cecily Neville, the Rose of Raby, to whom he was betrothed. Richard became the wealthiest land owner of his time having inherited estates from Edmund of Langley and the powerful estates of the Earl's of March from his mother Anne Mortimer. Ludlow Castle was used as his main residence. Richard married Cecily the daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, and Joan Beaufort, the daughter of John of Gaunt and Catherine Swynford.

Claim to the English throne

In 1399 Henry Bolingbroke overthrew Richard II to become Henry IV, King of England.

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Related Information

See Also - Places

Ludlow Castle

Family Tree Details

Father:	Richard (Earl of Cambridge) ( - d.1415)
Mother:	Mortimer, Anne (daughter of Roger, Earl of March)

Richard (Duke of York) (b.1411 - d.1460)
         +Neville, Cecily (Duchess of York) ( - d.1495)
                  =Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483) (b.1442 - d.1483)
                  |        +Woodville, Elizabeth ( - d.1492)
                  |                 =Elizabeth (of York) ( - d.1503)
                  |                 |        +Henry (VII, King of England 1485-1509) (b.1457 - d.1509)
                  |                 |                 =Arthur (Son of Henry VII) (b.1486 - d.1502)
                  |                 |                 |        +Catherine (of Aragon) (b.1485 - d.1536)
                  |                 |                 =Margaret (Tudor, Daughter of Henry VII) (b.1489 - d.1541)
                  |                 |                 |        +James (IV King of Scotland 1488-1513) (b.1473 - d.1513)
                  |                 |                 |        |        =James (V, King of Scotland 1513-1542) (b.1512 - d.1542)
                  |                 |                 |        +Douglas, Archibald (Earl of Angus) ( - d.1557)
                  |                 |                 |                 =Douglas, Margaret ( - d.1578)
                  |                 |                 =HENRY (VIII, King of England 1509-1547) (b.1491 - d.1547)
                  |                 |                 |        +Catherine (of Aragon) (b.1485 - d.1536)
                  |                 |                 |        |        =Mary (I, Queen of England 1553-1558, Bloody Mary) (b.1516 - d.1558)
                  |                 |                 |        +Boleyn, Anne ( - d.1536)
                  |                 |                 |        |        =Elizabeth (I, Queen of England 1558-1603) (b.1533 - d.1603)
                  |                 |                 |        +Seymour, Jane ( - d.1537)
                  |                 |                 |        |        =Edward (VI, King of England 1547-1553) (b.1537 - d.1553)
                  |                 |                 |        +Anne (of Cleves) (b.1515 - d.1557)
                  |                 |                 |        +Howard, Catherine
                  |                 |                 |        +Parr, Catherine
                  |                 |                 =Mary (Daughter of Henry VII) (b.1495 - d.1533)
                  |                 |                          +Louis (XII, King of France) ( - d.1515)
                  |                 |                          +Brandon, Charles (Duke of Suffolk) (b.1485 - d.1545)
                  |                 |                                   =Frances (Lady)
                  |                 |                                   =Clifford, Eleanor (Lady) ( - d.1547)
                  |                 =Edward (V, King of England 1483) (b.1470 - d.1483)
                  |                 =Richard (Duke of York, Prince in the Tower) ( - d.1483)
                  |                 =Cecily (Daughter of Edward IV) (b.1469 - d.1507)
                  =George (Duke of Clarence) (b.1449 - d.1478)
                  |        +Neville, Isabel ( - d.1476)
                  |                 =Plantagenet, Edward (Earl of Warwick) ( - d.1499)
                  |                 =Margaret (Countess of Salisbury) ( - d.1541)
                  =Richard (III, King of England 1483-1485) (b.1452 - d.1485)
                  |        +Neville, Anne ( - d.1485)
                  |                 =Edward (Prince of Wales, son of Richard III) (b.1473 - d.1484)
                  =Elizabeth (Daughter of Richard, Duke of York)
                  |        +Pole, John de la (Duke of Suffolk) ( - d.1491)
                  |                 =Pole, John de la (Earl of Lincoln) ( - d.1487)
                  |                 =Pole, Edmund de la (Earl of Suffolk) ( - d.1513)
                  |                 =Pole, Richard de la ( - d.1525)
                  =Margaret (of York, sister of Edward IV) (b.1446 - )

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Mini Timeline (Ages are approximate)

1411	Sep 21	Birth of Richard of York
		Richard, Duke of York, was born on the 21st of September. His father was Richard, Earl of Cambridge, and his mother was Anne Mortimer.
1436	May 1	Richard, Duke of York is appointed Lieutenant-general	Age: 25
		Richard, Duke of York, is appointed lieutenant-general in France by the king, Henry VI.
1440	Summer	Richard of York re-appointed Lieutentant-general	Age: 29
		Richard, Duke of York was re-appointed lieutenant-general of France and Normandy.¹
1441	Summer	Duke of York in Normandy	Age: 30
		Although Richard, Duke of York, had been appointed governor of France and Normandy he did not go until reports from Rouen in Normandy of French attacks persuaded him to do so.¹
1447		Edmund Beaufort appointed lieutenant of France	Age: 36
		Edmund Beaufort was appointed lieutenant of France. Richard of York had wanted to be re-appointed to the position. Edmund and Richard became rivals in the battles of the War of the Roses.¹
	Qtr 4	Richard, Duke of York, Lieutenant of Ireland
		Richard, Duke of York, had previously been the Lieutenant of France and Normandy but this had expired and the title had gone to his rival Edmund Beaufort (later Duke of Somerset). Instead, Richard was appointed the title of Lieutenant of Ireland.¹
1450	Sep	Richard returns from Ireland	Age: 39
		As a possible heir to throne of England, Richard, Duke of York returned from Ireland where he had been placed as lieutenant by the Duke of Somerset who had possible aspirations of taking the throne for himself. Edmund Beaufort, the Duke of Somerset and his associates were being shown favouritism and Richard along with the Welsh land owners were finding it hard to retain the earnings they were making from their own lands. Richard failed this time in removing the Duke of Somerset.
1451		Support for Richard in Parliament	Age: 40
		Thomas Young, the member of Parliament for Bristol stood up and declared that Richard, Duke of York's claim to the throne should be considered. Thomas Young was quickly arrested and locked up in the Tower of London.
1452	Feb	The Duke of York marches on London	Age: 41
		The Duke of York gathered an army and marched on London intent on persuading the king to remove Somerset from power, He was refused entry to the city and so continued south across the river Thames.²
	Mar	The Duke of York surrenders
		The Queen had raised an army and with the King they met the Duke of York at Dartford. Outnumbered, York disbanded his army and surrendered to the King. He was taken to London and later at St. Paul's Cathedral he was forced to swear an oath saying he would not oppose the King.²
	Oct 2	Richard (III) is born
		Richard, the future King of England, was born in Fotheringay Castle in Northamptonshire. His father was Richard Duke of York and his mother was Cecily Neville. Richard was their fourth son.
1454	Mar 27	Richard, Duke of York made Protector	Age: 43
		With the King unable to govern, the queen with the support of the powerful Neville Earls gave Richard, Duke of York the position of 'Protector of England'.
	Apr 2	Earl of Salisbury becomes chancellor
		With Richard, Duke of York running the country, several changes were made, one of which was to make the elder Richard Neville chancellor. Richard also made himself the Captain of Calais removing his rival the Earl of Somerset from the post.
	Dec	Henry's health returns
		Henry returned to health and Edward, the Duke of York was removed from the position of Protector.
1455	Mar	Somerset back in command	Age: 44
		Henry's return to sanity swung the balance of power back to favour the Duke of Somerset and he was quickly restored to his former position of Captain of Calais. The Yorkists at this time felt it wise to leave London in fear of reprisals.
	Jul	Parliament held
		A Parliament was held after the Battle of St. Albans to confirm the changes of appointment. Richard, Duke of York became protector for the second time.³
	Oct	Henry VI becomes ill once more
		King Henry VI suffered another bout of mental illness. This time to last until February of the following year.³
1456	Feb 25	Duke of York resigns as protector	Age: 45
		Henry IV again came around from a bout of mental illness and Richard, Duke of York, was relieved of position of protector of the realm.³
1459	Sep 23	Battle of Blore Heath	Age: 48
		Led by Richard Earl of Salisbury the Yorkists in the north mobilised an army and headed south to meet the Duke of York at Ludlow. Salisbury was intercepted by a Lancastrian army led by Lord Audley at Blore Heath in Shropshire. The Lancastrians were the first to attack. Their first and second cavalry charges were repulsed and when the Lancastrian foot soldiers were also repulsed they turned and fled. In the battle Audley was killed and although two of Salisbury's sons were captured they were quickly released. The Yorkists had won this battle.
	Oct 12	Battle of Ludford Bridge
		The Earl of Warwick with a force from Calais reached Ludlow and the combined army of the Yorkists attacked the King's army at Ludford Bridge near Ludlow. The men from Calais refused to fight their king and a weak Yorkist army was defeated. Richard Duke of York and his younger son escaped and fled to Ireland while Salisbury, Warwick and Edward of March (later Edward IV) fled to Calais.
1460	Sep	Richard, Duke of York returns	Age: 49
		Richard, Duke of York returned from Ireland arriving somewhere near Chester.
	Oct	Duke of York claims throne
		Richard, Duke of York returned from Ireland to claim the throne of England as a direct descendant of Edward III. The Lords refused to abandon Henry VI and Parliament agreed he should remain King until his death. Then Richard or his heir should become the next king of England.
	Dec 30	Battle of Wakefield
		Queen Margaret had been building an army in the North and started attacking Yorkist held settlements. Richard left London with a small army to deal with the Queen. He had underestimated the Lancastrians and at his castle at Sandal Richard was confronted by superior forces. Although Richard sent word to the Earl of March for assistance he didn't wait and attacked. The battle left Richard Duke of York and his son Earl of Rutland dead.