EP: Why was Richard III able to secure the throne in 1483 Flashcards
Introduction
Introduction
- Richard had shown complete loyalty to his brother up to his death on 9th April 1483 without successor
- Traditionalist view (Hicks): Richard inherently evil, had designs on the throne and planned the usurpation years in advance (“Richard was driven by a lust for power”)
- Revisionist view (Carpenter): Richard was driven by a hasty, impulsive decision and was otherwise a loyal subject
3 paragraphs for the question
- Speed and Ruthlessness of Richard’s actions
- Support from leading noblemen
- Lack of opposition (1)
All of Speed and Ruthlessness
Yes:
- Edward IV died on 9th April 1483 and by 6th July, Richard is crowned King
-Arrests Grey, Rivers and Vaughan on 30th April and imprisoned at Pontefract after spending the evening dining with them to trick them into false security. 25th June they are executed
- Richard and Buckingham intercept Earl Rivers and Edward V at Stony Stafford on 29th April 1483. he arrests Rivers and takes custody of Edward V
-Seizes Richard from sanctuary and lodges him and Edward V in the Tower of London
- Disappearance and probable deaths of the princes indicate Richard’s willingness to use violence and his strong lust for the throne
-Hastings executed 20th June after befriending him in April
-Buckingham executed 2nd November
-Willing to besmirch his mother’s reputation by questioning the legitimacy of Edward IV with a sermon by Stillington on 22 June 1483 and by Ralph Shaw
But
-Took over a month to decide to kill Hastings
All of Support from leading noblemen
Yes:
- He was in correspondence with Hasting’s even prior to Edward IV’s death, which proved initially crucial
-Immediately starts plotting with Hastings and Buckingham after hearing of the death of Edward. Set coronation for 4th May
-Richard and Buckingham intercept Rivers and Edward V in Buckinghamshire at Stony Stafford
- 10th May 1483, Richard, as protector, promotes Buckingham, Howard and Francis, Lord Lovell to positions of power
-10th June 1483- Richard requests military assistance from Northumberland and the Mayor of London - obtains 3000 northern troops, claiming a Woodville conspiracy to “murder and utterly destroy” himself and buckingham
-Lovell, Howard promoted
-Buckingham makes a speech to the citizens of London, questioning the legitimacy of Edward IV, and therefore Edward V. Gained support of London
But:
-Vulnerable to a coup against him
All of Lack of Opposition
Yes:
- Resentment of the Woodvilles, especially by noblemen who had been damaged in Edward’s reign made it difficult for any opposition to emerge. E.g. Hastings v Grey feud (the overthrow of the Woodvilles “had been achieved with only as much as bloodshed as would come from the cut of a finger”)
- Legacy of Edward: the nobles were geographically divided and he was the only thing keeping them allied, patronage was given to Richard which made his usurpation possible
- Woodvilles had not prepared for the usurpation as they did not expect a threat from Richard
- After the hasty execution of Hastings on 20th June, other councillors pledged their support for Richard
- Disappearance of the princes provided little alternative for the throne
- A sermon by Robert Stillington on 22nd June 1483 claimed Richard was the sole legitimate heir. Princes were illegitimate
- Nobody actually questioned his legitimacy
- Edward IV had made Richard the most powerful member of the nobility by granting him the Neville estates and a special palatinate in Cumberland, granting him the power to raise troops without the King’s authority
Conclusion
Conclusion:
- Lack of opposition most important as there was no alternative monarch and Woodville’s were divided and resented
- Many think it was even Buckingham who convinced Richard to seize the throne in order to seek revenge on the Woodvilles
- “Gillingham: “It was clear that Richard’s claim was an afterthought to his decision to usurp the crown”
Traditionalist view
- Traditionalist view (Hicks): Richard inherently evil, had designs on the throne and planned the usurpation years in advance (“Richard was driven by a lust for power”)
Revisionist View
- Revisionist view (Carpenter): Richard was driven by a hasty, impulsive decision and was otherwise a loyal subject
Quote from Gillingham
- “Gillingham: “It was clear that Richard’s claim was an afterthought to his decision to usurp the crown”
When did Edward IV die and when was Richard crowned
- Edward IV died on 9th April 1483 and by 6th July, Richard is crowned King
Who did he arrest and execute at Pontefrac and when
-Arrests Grey, Rivers and Vaughan on 30th April and imprisoned at Pontefract after spending the evening dining with them to trick them into false security. 25th June they are executed
Where did he seize Richard, Duke of York from
-Seizes Richard from sanctuary at Westminster Abbey and lodges him and Edward V in the Tower of London
When was Hastings executed
-Hastings executed 20th June after befriending him in April
When was Buckingham executed
2nd November 1483
How did Richard treat his mother
-Willing to besmirch his mother’s reputation by questioning the legitimacy of Edward IV with a sermon by Stillington on 22 June 1483 and by Ralph Shaw
