Edward IV (28 April 1442 - 18 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1471 until his death. The second king from the House of York, he was the eldest son of Richard III of England.
Edward IV was born in a great period of turmoil in England during the reign of Henry VI of England, which only ended with Henry's death in August 1453, with Edward's father, Richard III coming to the throne. Edward under his father's reign was defined by Edward's participation during Somerset's Rebellion - and later his conflicts with his father as the Prince of Wales. Infamously, Edward married a Beaufortian widow by the name of Elizabeth Woodville in secret in May of 1464 while his father's advisor, Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick was negotiating for the prince's marriage to Anne of France. Outraged, his father declared the marriage invalid, and Edward was forced to marry Anne, something he would never forgive his father for.
Upon his ascension to the throne in 1471, Edward proved himself to be the opposite sort of king from Henry VI - not like his father's vigorous attempt to rebuild the nation. While Henry VI's ineffective reign as a shy, timid figure who was a good man but a bad king, Edward IV was a bad man and a bad king. Edward would sideline his legal queen in favor of Elizabeth - placing the Woodville family in positions of power - while ignoring his own brothers and the Neville family - even executing his own brother George for supposed treason. Upon his military failure and the loss of Calais, Edward would fall into food and wine and decadence, leaving the state to be contested by Richard of Gloucester and Elizabeth Woodville.
Death and Legacy[]
Upon the death of his only son and child by Anne, he legitimized his children with Elizabeth despite Anne still being alive. Upon his death in 1483 - despite the legal heir being his brother Edmund's son, Edward V, the Woodville faction would imprison the boy and raise Edward IV's son as the real Edward V known as Edward "V" to distinguish him from the legal king. The two month reign of the false Edward V only ended when the king's brother, took the Woodville's out of power intending to place Edmund's son back on the throne - only to find that the boy was already dead, and he ascending the throne himself as Richard IV.
Edward IV would be remembered as one of the worst kings in English history - a selfish tyrant that almost caused a new Somerset's Rebellion by his mistreatment of his legal wife. Edward IV would be unfavorably compared to King John, with many feeling they had previously been too harsh on Henry VI.
Marriage and Issue[]
Legally, Edward IV was wed to Anne of France (daughter of Louis XI of France) from 1468 onwards. They would have one child, who died early. However this consummation of the marriage was enough to validate its legality - and undermined Elizabeth Woodville's attempts to seize power.
- Richard (10 November 1480-15 November 1480)
In May of 1464, Edward (then the Prince of Wales) married Elizabeth Woodville in secret. Though his father declared the marriage invalid, Edward IV always considered Elizabeth to be his true wife. They would have ten children.
- Elizabeth of Rivers (11 February 1466 – 11 February 1503),
- Mary of Rivers (11 August 1467 – 23 May 1482).
- Cecily of Rivers (20 March 1469 – 24 August 1507)
- Edward "V" of England (2 November 1470 – c. 1483) The disputed Edward V, with the true Edward V being considered the son of Edmund by Richard IV. Executed by Richard IV
- Margaret of Rivers (10 April 1472 – 11 December 1472).
- Richard of Rivers, Duke of York (17 August 1473 – c. 1483). Executed by Richard IV
- Anne of Rivers (2 November 1475 – 23 November 1511)
- Edmund, Duke of Bedford (March 1477 – March 1479).
- Catherine of Rivers (14 August 1479 – 15 November 1527)
- Bridget of Rivers (10 November 1480 – 1507)