Edward IV's first rule and the crisis of 1470 - 1471 Flashcards
management of the government
Lawlessness and disorder were tackled alongside the national debt and economy. Attempts made to improve efficiency of agencies of govt, esp in farthest reaches of the country. Unfortunately, E4’s successes were few: Law and order restored in some regions and govt improved, mainly in professionalisation of personnel, but effectiveness remained questionable. Crown’s finances well on way to recovery, but national debt remained high. E4 also tended to over-reward close family and a small circle of noble supporters, breeding resentment among some Yorkists, as well as Lancastrians.
Fact that E4 was deposed relatively easily in 1469 showed that he had failed not only to restore law and order but also to secure and consolidate his power.
Law and Order: John Paston twice ignored E4’s command to explain his role in a dispute, so E4 exploded, threatening him with death if he ignored him a third time: “if you not come at the third commandment, you shall die” – Paston rapidly arrived at court. However, by end of 1467, violence and lawlessness were on the increase: violent feud between Lord grey of Codnor and the Vernon family in Derbyshire spread to neighbouring counties and seemed out of control. Set up commissions to investigate and punish lawbreakers, made a law to reduce retaining, and used bonds to force landowners to obey the law.
criticism of Edward’s handling of the government
He was overconfident in his ability to win over his enemies. However: conciliation had clear advantages – it was faster and cheaper than fighting, and met expectations that E4 would restore unity.
He relied on the Nevilles too much and did not do enough himself, militarily, increasing the perception that Warwick was at least as powerful as E4. However, E4 could not be everywhere, and the Nevilles were successful
He failed to execute Henry. However, H6 was seen as innocent and he may have feared that executing him would outrage nobles and gentry, and increase support for Prince Edward of Lancaster who was 12 in 1465.
relationships with the nobility
Wished to avoid problems encountered by H6 by widening circle of patronage.
However, as a result of the war, nobility were more divided than ever. Some leading nobles were still Lancastrians, others (Buckingham, Northumberland, Norfolk) were young children, making E4 over-dependent on Nevilles. He therefore needed to build up a wider body of supportive nobility, men who controlled every region of the country on his behalf.
Took him three years to eliminate Lancastrian enemies, who concentrated power in Northumberland, sustained by Scottish and French help
E4 tried to be generous to Lancs nobility where possible, making a particular effort with two men: Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset: to win his loyalty would be a huge blow to Lancs, and Sir Ralph Percy, head of the Percy family while the earl of Northumberland was still a child (E. of Northumberland’s father was killed at Towton and his grandfather at St Albans in 1455). Percy loyalty was crucial for control of the north.
Somerset welcomed at court – joined Edward in hunting and jousting, Percy was given Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh back.
Policy did not work: Somerset fled back to H6 and Percy handed his castles over to the Scots - therefore, military solution was necessary.
unrest
Why did Lancastrian opposition persist?
Continuing loyalty to H6, esp as some nobility and gentry saw E4 as a usurper, which undermined his authority. Past enmities and deaths, 1455-61 meant that some nobles believed they could never be accepted as loyal to E4, so for them, opposition was the only option.
A number of Lancastrian plots were unearthed, invasion scares on the south coast and disturbances in several parts of the kingdom. In 1462 E4 ordered the execution of the earl of Oxford and his son after new Lancs plots were discovered. Wales: Lancastrians lost a skirmish in Tywi valley near Dryslwyn but had better success in the north, where Harlech Castle was besieged but held by them for nearly 7 years until it finally fell in 1468 – William Herbert, one of E4’s strongest supporters, was important in Welsh campaigns. Northumberland: castles of Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh became focal point of Lancastrian resistance in north. Twice besieged and taken by Yorkists and twice recaptured by Lancastrians.
The Earl of Warwick
In an effort to make the truce more lasting, Warwick tried to persuade E4 to marry the French king’s daughter: E4 ignored his advice and secretly married Elizabeth Woodville. Alienated French.
In 1467, E4 finally made his choice between France and Burgundy: while Warwick continued negotiating with France, a Burgundian delegation arrived in England and were greeted with great ceremony. Soon after, E4 agreed the first stage of a treaty with Burgundy, involving marriage between E4’s sister, Margaret, to Duke Charles of Burgundy, as well as the end of the trade war.
This decision marks the start of the split between E4 and Warwick. E4 dismissed Warwick’s younger brother, George Neville, Abbot of York, as Chancellor, and Warwick himself left court in July 1467, only returning in early 1468. Burgundian alliance a humiliation, as it showed that he did not have as much influence as everyone assumed. Rumours at this stage that he was contemplating an alliance with Margaret of Anjou, but this was probably just French mischief at this stage. At the same time, Louis XI sent help to Lancastrians in Wales at this time.
Marriage to Elizabeth Woodville
Discussion had been taking place about a match between E4 and Bona of Savoy, sister of Louis XI of France. Did not happen.
It was said that E4 married her because she refused to join the long list of his mistresses
Left E4 with the problem of rewarding Elizabeth’s family at a suitable level for royal relatives, but not so greatly that it caused resentment among noble families. For the most part, E4 succeeded –Elizabeth herself was not extravagant: she kept a modest household and mostly played the conventional queenly role. E4 promoted her father, Lord Rivers, to earl and made him Constable and treasurer of England
Overall, Woodvilles were not showered with grants of land or offices
they did gain from marriages though; Elizabeth’s sisters – this raised their status without costing E4 a penny. Warwick, however, may have hoped to marry of one of his daughters to the wealthy Duke of Buckingham but lost out to a Woodville girl. He intended his nephew (Montagu’s son) to marry the wealthy Holland family heiress, but she was married off to Thomas Grey, the Queen’s elder son by her first marriage. Warwick’s 65-y-o aunt, the widowed Duchess of Norfolk, was married off to 18-y-o John Woodville – looked like exploitation.
The marriage was not a financial error but it did cause other problems:
He had failed to use his marriage to gain diplomatic advantages. It appeared ‘unkingly’ – furtive marriage suggested weakness and a lack of judgement – perhaps even that E4 was afraid of Warwick. It gave Warwick a great propaganda advantage in 1469-70 when he rebelled – easy for his propaganda to portray the Woodvilles as greedily dominating a weak E4 and excluding old noble families from power. E4 didn’t gain a male heir early in his reign.
relations with France and Burgundy
Main dilemma was to decide between alliance with France or Burgundy; E4 played both off against each other in early years. o E4 determined to establish better foreign relations as he was concerned by help for Lancastrians coming from France and Scotland.
Successfully negotiated truces with James III of Scotland and Louis XI of France.
Warwick was chief negotiator with the French, Earl rivers with burgundy.
E4 hoped this would deny Lancastrians aid – political, financial or military. E4 also opened negotiations with the powerful Duke of Burgundy to exploit trading opportunities and secure an ally should the French renege on their truce. o At the same time, Warwick’s brother, Lord Montagu, switched allegiances and betrayed the king, siding with Warwick.
To avoid being caught in a pincer movement, E4, Richard Duke of Gloucester, Lord Hastings and Earl Rivers were forced to flee and seek shelter in Burgundy (Sept 1470). Charles the Bold of Burgundy now played host to English exiles and hoped to use them in his conflict with the French.
H6 released from prison and restored to the throne (readeption). This brought England into conflict with Burgundy. Warwick and Margaret of Anjou supported Louis XI when he attacked Burgundy – this proved disastrous for Warwick as he lost the support of Parliament which had not been consulted about the declaration of war.
The powerful merchant community were fearful of what this would do to the wool trade with Burgundy. Duke Charles responded by giving E4 50,000 crowns (£20,000) and putting at his disposal a bodyguard of Burgundian troops.
restoration of H6
1469: Warwick rebelled, along with Clarence. They defeated the king’s army at Edgecote (July 1469) and executed its commanders. Warwick tried to rule with Edward as his prisoner, but lawlessness increased and government was ignored, so he released Edward
1470: Warwick tried again, taking advantage of a rebellion in Lincolnshire. This time he probably intended to make Clarence king but failed. He fled to France, making an alliance with Margaret of Anjou.
1470: Warwick invaded England with French help, forcing Edward to flee to Burgundy, restoring H6.
Edward had limited committed support among the nobles
Increased disorder echoed problems of 1450s
Courtiers, esp Woodvilles, were unpopular, again, echoing 1450s, Henry VI was still an alternative king, Possibility of French invasion, Taxes were collected for war but war was not fought, Revival of Lancs plots, Economic problems
Apr 1469 – two separate Warwick-inspired risings led by Robin of Redesdale and Robin of Holderness (both pseudonyms to disguise the real leaders). They took advantage of the growing economic crisis (bad harvests), general discontent and slide into disorder
Warwick hoped to keep E4 busy in north while he and Clarence came over from Calais to plot the king’s overthrow
In Calais, they took command of the garrison of veterans, outlined their grievances and their intention to rid the kingdom of ‘evil councillors’. To seal alliance, Clarence was married to Warwick’s daughter, and they returned to England in July 1469.
This alarmed E4: He called on the Earls of Pembroke and Devon to bring their forces to join his. Warwick and Clarence managed to intercept Pembroke, and his largely Welsh army was defeated at Edgecote. Pembroke captured and executed, along with Stafford, Rivers and Sir John Woodville. E4’s troops fled; E4 escaped but soon captured by Warwick.
Warwick’s attempt to govern the kingdom failed. Economic crisis and disorder that had helped him now threatened to topple him. Nobility remained cautious and aloof –did not support him in face of Lancastrian rising in north-west. To help him put down this rising and to quell other pockets of resistance, Warwick released E4 from custody, but relations between E4 and Warwick were now strained
Once peace was restored, Warwick began a new plot to oust E4
September 1470 – Warwick returned to England, and aided by French money and mercenaries, he set about recruiting an army. Did this unmolested as E4 was in the north putting down a rebellion led by Lord FitzHugh, Wariwck’s brother-in-law.
role of Margaret of Anjou in Edward’s downfall
Hedgeley Moor and Hexham: Early in 1464, H6 and Margaret returned to England to rally substantial support they still enjoyed in the north.
Principal support came from Percy earls of Northumberland: It was to Sir Ralph Percy that H6 and Margaret marched with a largely French-financed army consisting of mainly Scottish and French mercenaries, joined by troops raised by Henry Beaufort, duke of Somerset, son and heir of the king’s adviser killed at St Albans in 1455). E4 responded by sending a Yorkist army commanded by Warwick’s younger brother, John Neville, Lord Montagu: Hedgeley Moor, April 1464, Lancs soundly beaten, with Percy among the casualties. Somerset escaped.
Somerset offered battle again three weeks later at Hexham: Montagu cut the Lancastrians to pieces and executed Somerset. Margaret and her son escaped and sought refuge in France, while H went on the run. He was eventually captured in July 1465 and imprisoned in the Tower.
