The War of the Roses (2013)
“ The coups of May–June 1483 As analysed in Charles Ross’ biography, Richard III relied on a far narrower power-base than Edward IV due to the shocking nature of his usurpation in June 1483.1 The surprise announcement of Edward V’s bastardy (on account of his parents’ marriage) on 22 June, initially in Ralph Shaa’s officially-approved sermon on the text ‘Bastard slips shall not take root’, was probably based on the ‘pre-contract’ of Edward IV and Eleanor Butler as stated by the author of the Cr...oyland Chronicle. There is some confusion over the identity of the betrothed woman cited, but not over the legal reason–which would have been more difficult to use if Edward IV had married in public with unbiased witnesses. Did the Woodvilles’ unpopularity with some nobles enable Richard to risk this highly unusual action? The original texts of the sermon and of the Parliamentary Act sanctioning the change in succession, Titulus Regius, have not survived. After August 1485 Henry VII was keen to have them expunged from people’s memories, as he partly based his appeal on his wife’s being Edward IV’s eldest daughter and thus bastardized with her siblings by Richard.MoreLess
Read book The War of the Roses for free
Write Review:
Guest
Read Also
7 / 10
User Reviews: