History of War Summary 21 - England's Wars of the Roses 6: The Accession of Richard III

Upon the death of Edward IV in 1483, his young heir, Prince Edward, ascended the throne as Edward V. As the king was a minor, his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, assumed the role of regent, and a power struggle within the royal family began. Richard ensured that Edward V and his younger brother Richard were protected in the Tower of London, after which the two princes' claim to the throne became a contentious issue. A claim was made that the marriage of the king's parents, Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, was invalid, leading to the two princes being declared illegitimate. Parliament recognized Richard's claim to the throne, and he was crowned Richard III. However, as the two princes subsequently disappeared from public view, suspicions and opposition to Richard's accession grew. In the same year, the Duke of Buckingham led a rebellion, but it failed, and he was executed. Richard III attempted to maintain his royal authority, but his political foundation was unstable. Seizing this opportunity, Henry Tudor of the House of Tudor, connected to the House of Lancaster, prepared to challenge for the throne and gathered military forces from France to march on England.