Originally published on November 2nd 2024 [Edited November 30th 2024]
On November 2, 1470, Edward V was born inside Cheyneygates, the medieval residence of the Abbot of Westminster. At the time of his birth, his family was seeking sanctuary from supporters of the Lancastrian faction.
Edward was born during the Wars of the Roses, a civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York. His father, Edward IV, was on the run from the Lancastrians. At the time of Edward V's birth, Edward IV had taken refuge in Flanders alongside his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, and Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers. Earlier that year, in March, Edward IV had been deposed when Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, changed sides. Warwick, known famously as the Kingmaker, had previously been a supporter of Edward IV, but he switched his allegiance back to Henry VI due to his deteriorating relationship with the Woodville family.
Warwick would later re-proclaim Henry VI as king before being killed at the Battle of Barnet on April 14, 1471.
While Edward IV and his supporters remained in Flanders, his Queen Consort, Elizabeth Woodville, along with his grandmother, Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, and her four daughters, fled from the Tower of London and retreated to Cheyneygates for safety. When Henry VI learned of Elizabeth's condition, he sent Lady Elizabeth Scope to assist the deposed Queen Consort as a midwife. According to author Alison Weir, he also authorized a London butcher named John Gould to supply provisions for Elizabeth's household:'... with half a beef and two muttons a week'. While the family were in the Tower of London, Gould provided 100 oxen. However, it's known that half of his oxen were stolen by rebels.
Upon his birth, Edward would be nursed by the resident sanctuary midwife and would be baptised by the sub-prior in the Abbot's House with his eldest sister, Princess Elizabeth later Elizabeth of York carrying the chrysom. Lady Scope would become his godmother.
Edward and his family remained in sanctuary for a further five months before his father regained the throne on the 11th of April 1471.
When Edward V was growing up, he was proclaimed Prince of Wales in the summer of 1471 before moving to Wales to live at Ludlow Castle, a tradition for heirs to the throne. During this time, Edward would visit London for special occasions and travel around the Welsh Marches for business matters when he wasn't residing at the castle.
At Ludlow, he was placed under the supervision of his maternal uncle, Anthony Woodville, the 2nd Earl Rivers.
Edward lived with more than fifty people in his household, including his physician, Doctor John Argentine, and the chamberlain, Thomas Vaughan. He was also accompanied by young aristocrats, including his half-brother, Sir Richard Grey. His education was extensive; he became fluent in five languages, including Latin and French. Additionally, Edward learned to play various musical instruments and studied subjects such as liberal sciences, literature, riding, and jousting.
He would also become religious and devoted to catholicism. This is recorded by author John Ashdown-Hill, who mentioned the subject in his book The Mythology of the 'Princes in the Tower'. In it, he mentions that his father instructed Rivers to bring him up:
'... to rise each morning '... at a convenient hour, according to his age', and immediately take part in morning prayer in his chamber. Then, as soon as he was dressed he was to go to Mass in the chapel. Only after mass could the boy have his breakfast. In the late afternoon every day, he was then required to attend vespers [Evensong/Compline] before having his supper and going to bed at eight o'clock'.
Edward was known for his gentle wit and friendly personality. Ashdown-Hill mentions that Edward V may have been a sickly boy and might have suffered from depression.
On April 12, 1483, Edward V and his household learned of the death of his father, Edward IV, who had passed away suddenly on April 9 at the age of forty. Edward V remained at Ludlow Castle until St. George's Day. On April 24, he and his household left to travel towards London for his coronation. They would continue to Stony Stafford in Buckinghamshire, while Grey, Rivers, Vaughan, and Edward V's paternal uncle, Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, met in Northampton. Unfortunately, Gloucester, along with Henry Stafford, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, arrested Grey, Rivers, and Vaughan. The men were executed on June 25.
When Edward V learned about the arrest of Grey, Vaughan, and Rivers from Gloucester and Buckingham, he stood up for them. Gloucester and Buckingham tried to convince Edward that they were conspiring against Gloucester and that he was the best candidate to serve as protector. Despite Edward’s protests, he continued his journey to London alongside Buckingham and Gloucester, along with the royal entourage.
Gloucester, Buckingham, and Edward V arrived in London on May 4. They were greeted by the Mayor of London, the Aldermen, and 500 leading citizens dressed in velvet. A banquet was held in Edward's honour at Hornsby Park. On the same day, Gloucester summoned the magnates and citizens to pledge their loyalty to Edward as their new king.
It is believed that Edward stayed there until May 19 when he arrived at the King's Lodging inside the Tower of London, where he was to await his coronation. However, the coronation had been postponed several times due to unfolding events outside the Tower. Edward’s Council began to grow suspicious of the Royal Family, primarily concerned for the safety of the young king, particularly regarding Gloucester, Edward’s paternal uncle and Lord Protector. By the time a final rescheduling of Edward’s coronation date (June 22) was announced, tensions had already escalated.
On June 16, Edward was joined by his youngest brother, Richard, the Duke of York, after Richard left Westminster Abbey, where he had taken sanctuary with their mother and sisters. Although the brothers had not seen each other before their father's death, it was reported that they had been seen shooting and playing together on the grounds, indicating they had formed a small bond.
Edward grew suspicious when, three days later, his attendants were mysteriously dismissed— except for his physician, Dr. John Argentine, who was permitted to visit him but not stay at the Tower of London.
As events unfolded, Edward began to feel immense strain, possibly hearing about the developments through Argentine or others. By June or July, Edward started to experience a nervous breakdown.
As events unfolded, Edward began to feel immense strain, possibly hearing about the developments through Argentine or others. By June or July, Edward started to experience a nervous breakdown. According to an Italian monk named Dominic Mancini, it was thought that when Argentine saw Edward, he recollected that the young deposed king was ‘like a victim prepared for sacrifice sought remission of his sins by daily confession and penance‘
Through this account, Edward V believed he was going to die. However, it’s not clear if he was worried about being murdered or if he was seriously ill.
On June 25th, Edward V and Richard, the Duke of York, were declared illegitimate after claims arose questioning the legitimacy of the marriage between their parents due to an earlier union between Edward IV and a woman named Eleanor Butler. Following this, Edward was deposed before the citizens of London, and the nobles and commoners presented a petition asking Gloucester to take the throne. Gloucester accepted the role, becoming King Richard III.
By mid-July, Edward V and Richard, the Duke of York, had disappeared and were never seen again. Signs of their disappearance began between July 1st and 6th, when auxiliary police arrived in London, enforcing new rules, including a three-night evening curfew and a ban on citizens carrying arms.
During this period, the boys were reportedly moved from the King's Lodgings to the Lanthorn Tower under appointed guard. It is possible that they met Richard III at the Tower before his coronation on July 6th. While it is not clear, if this meeting took place, he might have encountered them elsewhere in the Tower or witnessed their transfer to the Lanthorn Tower.
After the supposed visit by Richard III, the boys vanished. Although it is not definitively known what happened to Edward V, the most widely accepted theory is that he and his younger brother were murdered. There are also records suggesting that Edward escaped the Tower and survived. Some accounts indicate that he died in battle at the Battle of Stoke (considered the last battle of the Wars of the Roses), while others claim he changed his name to John Evans and became a park ranger at Coldridge Manor. Historian and author Horace Walpole suggested that Edward attended Richard III's coronation on July 6th. If true, this would imply that their disappearance occurred later.
Additionally, during the reign of Henry VII, a pretender named Lambert Simnel claimed to be Edward V but was dismissed as an imposter.
While no conclusive evidence exists regarding Edward’s fate after mid-July 1483, his disappearance has generated significant public interest. He is remembered as a young and innocent deposed king who never had the chance to reach his thirteenth birthday. It is a tragic story, but the possibility that Edward could have survived offers a glimmer of hope. However, until more evidence comes to light, the mystery surrounding his fate will likely remain unsolved.
Author's Note: All resources I have used are based on the sources from these websites and books. This information could change at any time if new evidence comes to light. Find below all the resources I've used including texts from authors who published works from 1995 onwards:
References and Sources:
Ashdown-Hill, John, The Mythology of the 'Princes in The Tower' [Amberley], 2018 [Edition 2 - 2020], Introduction [p4], What Was Young Edward Really Like? [p24], Did Edward V Attend Richard III's Coronation? [p86]
Weir, Alison 'Lancaster & York: The Wars of the Roses [Vintage Books London], 1995 [Edition 3- 2009], The Redemption of Henry VI [p380]
Website References:
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