Richard III's Rule

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1483 (Easter)

King Edward became ill. He nominated his brother, Richard Duke of Gloucester to be regent for his young son Edward in the event of his death.

1483 (9th April)

King Edward died at the Palace of Westminster. He was buried in St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. In accordance with Edward’s wishes, Richard became Lord High Protector.

1483 (14th April)

Edward was given the news that his father had died at Ludlow Castle where he was staying with his Woodville relatives.

1483 (16th April)

Richard, who was in the North, was informed of his brother’s death. He wrote to Lord Rivers, at Ludlow Castle pledging loyalty to the young king.

1483 (21st April)

Richard held a funeral ceremony for his brother. He also made the nobility swear an oath of fealty to the young Edward V.

1483 (23rd April)

Richard left York to travel to London.

1483 (24th April)

Edward began the journey south to London escorted by his Woodville family. The Woodvilles were keen to get Edward to London and have him crowned so as not to lose power.

1483 (30th April)

Richard Duke of Gloucester met Edward and his party as they were travelling south. He arrested Earl Rivers, Richard Grey and Thomas Vaughan and sent them north where they were placed in captivity. He took then captured Edward and continued on to the Tower of London.

1483 (1st May)

On hearing of her father’s arrest, Elizabeth Woodville, her son Richard, her five daughters and her brother Lionel sought sanctuary at Westminster Abbey.

1483 (4th May)

Richard and Edward reached London. This day had originally been intended for the coronation ceremony.

1483 (8th May)

Richard was officially appointed Lord Protector.

1483 (10th May)

Richard announced that the King’s coronation wold take place on 22nd June.

1483 (19th May)

Edward reached the Tower of London.

1483 (early June)

Buckingham told Richard that he suspected William Hastings of being disloyal and plotting with the Woodvilles.

1483 (13th June)

William Hastings was summoned to a Council meeting in the Tower of London. He was charged with treason and executed without trial on the same day.

1483 (16th June)

Edward’s brother Richard joined him in the Tower of London. Elizabeth Woodville had been persuaded to give him up in the hopes of maintaining the safety of her other children.

1483 (17th June)

Richard announced that the King’s coronation would now take place in October.

1483 (22nd June)

Ralph Shaw preached a sermon stating that Edward IV had been contracted to marry Eleanor Butler when he married Elizabeth Woodville and that the marriage was therefore invalid and his children all illegitimate.

1483 (25th June)

Parliament declared that as Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid and the children of Richard of Gloucester’s older brother, George Duke of Clarence had been denied succession rights, then Richard was the rightful King.

1483 (25th June)

Earl River was found guilty of treason and executed the same day.

1483 (26th June)

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, took the throne as Richard III.

1483 (July)

Edward and his brother were last seen playing in the gardens of the Tower.

1483 (6th July)

Richard was crowned King Richard III, his wife, Anne was crowned Queen consort. The princes Edward and Richard did not attend the coronation.

1483 (9th July)

The princes’ servants were dismissed.

1483 (mid July)

Richard, accompanied by his wife and son left London to make a progress of the country.

1483 (August)

The princes, Edward and Richard were last seen at the windows of the Tower.

1483 (24th August)

Richard’s son, Edward, was created Prince of Wales.

1483 (29th August)

Richard reached York on his progress. He was well received by the city.

1483 (10th October)

The Duke of Buckingham rebelled against Richard’s rule. Buckingham was supported by Henry Tudor, son of Edmund Tudor (who was the son of Owen Tudor and Henry V’s widow, Catherine of Valois) and Margaret Beaufort.

1483 (2nd November)

Buckingham was executed.

1483 (25th December)

Henry Tudor announced that he was the rightful King of England and that when he took the throne he would marry Edward IV’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York.

1484 (January)

Richard, his wife and son, made a progress of Kent.

1484 (23rd January)

Titulus Regius

This act, passed by Parliament, formally declared Richard to be lawful King and settled the succession on his son Edward. The children of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville were declared illegitimate.

1484 (1st March)

Elizabeth Woodville paid homage to Richard and left sanctuary with her daughters.

1484 (9th April)

Richard’s son, Edward died.

1484 (mid July)

Richard moved the Council of the North to Sandal in Yorkshire.

1484 (21st September)

Richard agreed a three year truce with Scotland.

1485 (16th March)

Richard’s wife, Anne Neville died probably of tuberculosis.

1485 (7th August)

Henry Tudor landed at Milford Haven in Wales at the head of an army.

1485 (18th August)

Richard called his army to muster at Leicester.

1485 (21st August)

Richard, at the head of his army, left Leicester and marched to meet the forces of Henry Tudor.

1485 (22nd August)

Battle of Bosworth Field

This decisive battle between the forces of Henry Tudor and Richard III, saw Richard killed and Henry proclaimed King Henry VII on the battlefield.

1485 (25th August)

Richard III was buried quickly and quietly in the church of Greyfriars, Leicester.