The Yorkists include both the most wicked king in English history, Richard III, and the most tragic, his nephew Edward V, one of the Princes in the Tower. They had come to the throne in 1461, when Edward IV, who traced his claim to Edward III, replaced the ineffectual Henry VI as king. Forced into exile in 1470, Edward returned to power after the bloody battle of Towton in 1470 finally ended Lancastrian opposition. His reign was ended by his premature death in 1483, leaving behind his son Edward, a minor, as his heir. This led to Richard III's usurpation, ended two years later by his defeat and death at Bosworth Field at the hands of Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII and the founder of a new dynasty, marrying Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV. The Yorkists were one of the two main contending parties in England's first great civil war, the Wars of the Roses. They have been immortalised by Shakespeare not only in his Richard III but also in his three parts of Henry VI. Anne Crawford examines the truth behind both the characters of these kings and behind the stories in the plays, including the death of the duke of Clarence by drowning in a butt of malmsey and the celebrated murder of his nephews, Edward V and Richard, duke of York, by their uncle, Richard III.

I found the book informative, in that historical figures who are usually not covered, are covered here. Especially Richard of York’s daughters, who are often given short shrift. Her view of the males are conventional: Richard, Duke of York is competent, but lacks insight and judgement. Edward IV is intelligent but lazy. Clarence is arrogant and greedy.

Where she changes her view is when it comes to Richard III. It starts out positive, especially in his role as Duke of Gloucester. She describes him as a complex, intelligent and a genuinely pious man, yet at the same time she seems convinced that he was a child murderer.

And her glossing over Edward V’s bastardy, by comparing him to William the Conqueror, is a false flag. William was king because he conquered England; Edward’s claim was through natural inheritance. The same is true regarding Edward’s brother, Richard of York, losing his title to the dukedom of Norfolk. She castigates Richard III for this, even though the dukedom was never rightfully Richard of York’s after the death of his wife, Anne Morbray.

Yet, there is a lot of information here, as characters, and families, are given their own chapter. So while I may not agreed with some of the author’s suppositions, I can still recommend the book, especially for those new to the subject.




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26. The Yorkists: The History of a Dynasty by Anne Crawford