In 1483 one of England’s most controversial kings took the throne of England. In becoming Richard III, he would defy all loyalty that he had seemingly shown to his family thus far and seize the throne of England from its rightful heir – his young nephew Edward. From that moment his reputation was sealed and he would become known to history as a usurper and a probable child murderer, after both his nephews – Edward and his younger brother Richard – disappeared into the Tower, never to be seen again and presumed murdered on their uncle’s orders. Richard would rule England for a mere two years before his death would bring about one of the most famous eras in British history, that of the Tudors.
Today there are societies and individuals that look to rehabilitate Richard’s reputation, to look at why he took the actions he did and to consider if the fate of his nephews was wrongly attributed to him. This book will also take us through the events of 1483–85 but from a different viewpoint. It will look at events as they occurred through the lives of Richard’s sisters, Elizabeth and Margaret of York. It will also look at how they, alongside their elder sister, Anne of York, navigated the reign of Edward IV, as well as their young lives during the period we know as the Wars of the Roses, and their later adult lives as they assumed new roles during the Tudor era.
Of course, our three women of York were sisters to not one, but two kings of England. The daughters of Richard, Duke of York and his wife, Cecily Neville, they were sisters to Edward IV and Richard III. As young women they watched from the periphery as their father challenged England’s anointed king and lost his life; as their brothers fought for the throne of England, first as a cohesive group before eventually turning on each other; and as their own brother, Richard, brought to an end 300 years of Plantagenet rule, making way for an England under the reign of a new Tudor dynasty.
But like many women, they were not just bystanders to these events; they have their own story to tell. Anne of York was married to a Lancastrian who sided against her father and brothers, before finding later happiness, albeit briefly, with her second husband. Elizabeth of York married John de la Pole and became the mother of eleven children who would become thorns in the side of the Tudor kings. Margaret of York became Duchess of Burgundy, a hugely influential woman in her adopted kingdom although she never stopped supporting her family back in England. Between them they witnessed and contributed to one of the most turbulent times in English history, yet they have naturally been overshadowed by their more famous brothers. This is their story.
Note: In an era when Elizabeth, Anne and Margaret were common names, it is often hard to distinguish one from another. For the purposes of this book, I have called the York sisters Anne of York, Elizabeth of York and Margaret of York. They were, in their later years and after their marriages, also known as Anne, Duchess of Exeter; Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk; and Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy. The daughters of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville were also known as ‘of York’ – for instance, their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, was known as Elizabeth of York. When discussing Edward’s daughters within this book, I will call them Princess to avoid confusion.