Explain why Edward IV's death opened a bitter power struggle in 1483
History Essay
Explain why Edward IV’s death opened up a bitter power struggle in 1483?
After Edward IV died in 1483, a dispute began between to major factions – the Woodvilles and Richard of Gloucester. The Woodvilles were the family of Elizabeth Woodville, Edward’s wife, with whom he shared many children. Edward V, the heir to the throne, was the son of Elizabeth Woodville, and so this put them in a good position. However, Richard of Gloucester was Edward’s brother and had shown himself to be a very useful and successful man to Edward during his reign. They both had their various strengths and weaknesses, and they both wanted the same thing. Control of England.
Edward IV died suddenly and very unexpectedly. Nobody was prepared for his death and so when he died, nobody knew what to do. Edward V was a minor at the time, and so this meant he could not rule alone. He was only 12 and so would need either a council to govern for him, or a protector. Whoever adopted these roles would essentially be in control of England. Edward IV was well liked during his second reign as King, and so his death threw the country into chaos. Edward V was not in England and so he was not very well located and it took several days for him to receive the news. There was a lot of uncertainty as to what should happen following his death, and the fact that he left two different sets of insturctions only confused things further.
Before he died, Edward IV wrote out a set of instructions for what he wanted to happen in the event of his death. The first he wrote stated that there would be a council consisting of several people, to advise Edward V and govern for him until he was old enough to perform of his own accord. It was made clear that Elizabeth Woodville would sit on this council and be in a position with a lot of power. However, before he died Edward IV made amendments to this. The exact document was never recovered and so it is unclear as to what exactly it said, but it is agreed
Explain why Edward IV’s death opened up a bitter power struggle in 1483?
After Edward IV died in 1483, a dispute began between to major factions – the Woodvilles and Richard of Gloucester. The Woodvilles were the family of Elizabeth Woodville, Edward’s wife, with whom he shared many children. Edward V, the heir to the throne, was the son of Elizabeth Woodville, and so this put them in a good position. However, Richard of Gloucester was Edward’s brother and had shown himself to be a very useful and successful man to Edward during his reign. They both had their various strengths and weaknesses, and they both wanted the same thing. Control of England.
Edward IV died suddenly and very unexpectedly. Nobody was prepared for his death and so when he died, nobody knew what to do. Edward V was a minor at the time, and so this meant he could not rule alone. He was only 12 and so would need either a council to govern for him, or a protector. Whoever adopted these roles would essentially be in control of England. Edward IV was well liked during his second reign as King, and so his death threw the country into chaos. Edward V was not in England and so he was not very well located and it took several days for him to receive the news. There was a lot of uncertainty as to what should happen following his death, and the fact that he left two different sets of insturctions only confused things further.
Before he died, Edward IV wrote out a set of instructions for what he wanted to happen in the event of his death. The first he wrote stated that there would be a council consisting of several people, to advise Edward V and govern for him until he was old enough to perform of his own accord. It was made clear that Elizabeth Woodville would sit on this council and be in a position with a lot of power. However, before he died Edward IV made amendments to this. The exact document was never recovered and so it is unclear as to what exactly it said, but it is agreed