She married henry vii of england henry tudor on january 18, 1486, in westminster abbey, london, england. But now the secret was out in the open, and so elizabeth woodville was crowned queen of england on may 26, 1465. She and richard are depicted as bitter enemies, and margaret curses elizabeth with having her husband and children killed, as margarets husband and son were killed by elizabeths husbands supporters. Historians are divided as to why she retreated from public life. This biography profiles her childhood, family, life history, marriage to king edward iv, and other facts. Elizabeth woodville, born 1437died june 78, 1492, london, wife of king edward iv of england. A true romance, explores their 19year relationship. Through this line, the british royal family and other european royal families can trace their descent from elizabeth of york. Ancestry, siblings and children of elizabeth woodville. This funeral must have been a sad sight and not worthy of a former queen of england. Oct 09, 2010 a short film about elizabeth woodville who was queen consort to king edward iv of england.
Apr 25, 2019 a 500yearold letter discovered in the national archives has revealed that the white queen elizabeth woodville, the grandmother of henry viii, may have died of the plague. Elizabeth woodville queen of edward iv intriguing history. Elizabeth woodville, the white queen british biography. A 500yearold letter recently found in the national archives suggests the queen was. She was the eldest of the children of sir richard woodville and jacquetta of luxembourg, daughter of peter i of luxembourg, count of saintpol, conversano and brienne. Oddly, instead of returning to court under henry, elizabeth lived out the final few years of her life at bermondsey abbey. Richard is able to charm elizabeth into turning over her son and agreeing to his marriage to her daughter. Dec 08, 2017 elizabeth woodville, queen of england elizabeth was born in 1437, probably at the woodville also spelled wydeville family home in grafton. Elizabeth of york 11 february 1466 11 february 1503 was the first queen consort of england of the tudor dynasty from 18 january 1486 until her death, as the wife of henry vii. Jun 14, 2016 the wife of king edward iv of england, elizabeth woodville was born around 1437 at the family home in grafton regis, northamptonshire, england.
Elizabeth woodville the white queen is proving to be immensely popular, despite the initial criticism. Born on february 11, 1466, at the palace of westminster, elizabeth of york was the eldest child of king edward iv of england and elizabeth woodville. A 500year old letter recently found in the national archives suggests the. Feb 10, 2020 when elizabeth woodville died in 1492 she was buried quickly and without pomp or ceremony in accordance with her wishes. Elizabeth woodville also spelled wydville, wydeville, or widvile c. Apr 24, 2019 elizabeth woodville was born about 1437. Elizabeth woodville, the white queen amazing women in history. Questions raised over queens ancestry after dna test on. The english medieval queens and princesses of the middle ages cover the periods from 1066 1485. Elizabeth woodville biography facts, childhood, family. Elizabeth woodville, queen of england unofficial royalty. Elizabeth woodville, england s first domestic queen.
After edwards death popular dislike of her and her court facilitated the usurpation of power by richard, duke of gloucester king richard iii. Jacquetta was the wealthy and childless widow of the duke of bedford, brother of henry v, when she married sir richard woodville. Elizabeth woodville crowned queen 26 may 1465 by the archbishop of canterbury elizabeth woodville edward iv elizabeth was born about 1437 and in all probability was born at grafton, within a year of her parents marriage. When elizabeth woodville died in 1492, she was buried with little of the pomp and circumstance befitting a woman of her rank. Her story attracted me and i decided to make this video. So, though the woodville family certainly had connections elizabeth was not considered nobility, a fact which would come to be quite significant later in her life. Elizabeth woodville was the main character of the white queen as well as one of the main characters in several of the other cousins war novels. Elizabeth woodville was one of children born to richard woodville later named baron rivers and jaquetta of luxembourg, widow of henry vs brother john. At the time of her birth, her family was of middle rank in the english social hierarchy. Her christening was celebrated at westminster abbey, sponsored by her grandmothers, jacquetta of luxembourg, duchess of bedford, and cecily neville, duchess of york. Researcher says this could explain the unusually austere funeral for elizabeth woodville. Elizabeth woodville and edward iv had the following children. She was also the mother of elizabeth of york, the queen consort of king henry vii of england.
Elizabeth woodville, the white queen amazing women in. Queen elizabeth woodville or wydville 14371492 jacquetta. The woodville family represents a prime example of a family advancing its fortunes through marriage. Elizabeth woodville the white queen history of royal women. A woman of great beauty, she was already a widow with two sons when edward iv married her in may. She was the eldest child of sir richard woodville of the landed gentry and jacquetta, duchess of bedford. Despite the fact that she was edward iv s queen consort. Elizabeth woodville is considered the first commonborn queen of england. Featured image of elizabeth woodville courtesy wikimedia commons. Mary queen of scots, mother of james i of england, was the cousin of elizabeth i who executed her for treason, and both were descended from. White queen died of plague, claims letter found in. Elizabeth woodville, wife of king edward iv of england.
Elizabeth woodville was wife of king edward iv and remained queen consort of england from 1464 till 1483. It is to the past we must first go to understand the role played by elizabeth woodville in the convoluted history during the period of the events that constituted the war of the roses. She married william bourchier, son of henry bourchier and isabel of cambridge. Elizabeth woodville 14371492 find a grave memorial. Jan 22, 2019 elizabeth woodville also spelled wydeville or widvile. Elizabeth woodville was born about 1437, possibly in october, at grafton regis, northamptonshire. Elizabeth was the first commoner to marry a king of england.
She married henry in 1486 after his victory at the battle of bosworth field, which marked the end of the wars of the roses. May 16, 2018 but now the secret was out in the open, and so elizabeth woodville was crowned queen of england on may 26, 1465. I have been quite busy recently, working on my real life job which has kept me away from blogging and such the like. With every turn she faced betrayal and danger as englands white queen. White queen died of plague, claims letter found in national. But a newly discovered 500yearold letter recently found in the national archives suggests the white queen socalled for her links with the royal house of york, as represented by the emblem. The following biography information provides basic facts and information about the life of elizabeth woodville a medieval queen in england during the middle ages.
Elizabeth was born some time around the year 1437, at grafton regis, northamptonshire. Elizabeth of york was born at the palace of westminster as the eldest child of king edward iv and his wife, elizabeth woodville. Jan 22, 2014 elizabeth woodville was a key figure in british history. Elizabeth wydeville was the wife of king edward iv of england. She was the firstborn child of a socially unequal marriage between sir richard woodville and jacquetta of luxembourg, which briefly scandalised the english court. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the wars of the roses. Elizabeth woodville also spelled wydville, wydeville, or widvile. Richard woodville, elizabeth s father, had married jacquetta, a member of the prestigious house of luxembourg and the widow of john, duke of bedford, a younger brother of king henry v. Dec 11, 2014 elizabeth woodville, a thorny problem in the side of the earl of warwick but queen to the king of england, king edward iv. Elizabeth woodville is queen elizabeth in shakespeares richard iii. Elizabeth woodville was a key figure in british history. Mother of the princes in the tower by david baldwin white queen died of plague, claims letter found in national archives. Queen elizabeth woodville is one of the most interesting personalities in history. He was the brother of queen elizabeth woodville who married king edward iv.
Henry viiis grandmother elizabeth woodville died of plague. She is a pivotal person, but one who is often forgotten about. Through his scandalous marriage to unlikely queen elizabeth woodville, edward iv defied the expectation that he should use such a union as a diplomatic tool and instead prioritised love or perhaps lust. Every tactful move elizabeth made affected the outcome of the wars of the roses. The manor was the birthplace of elizabeth woodville, queen consort to king edward iv. Elizabeth was born on the 3 rd february 1437 to richard woodville and jacquetta of luxembourg, the dowager duchess of bedford.
As the wife of edward iv of england, she was also a key power player in the war of the roses. Here is the first in a series of biographies of the major players of the wars of the roses, and what they contributed to the war itself. Her parents were sir richard woodville and his wife. Elizabeth woodville simple english wikipedia, the free. Queen elizabeth woodville or wydville 14371492 jacquetta of luxemburg, the fair young widow of the old warlike duke of bedford, took for her second spouse his favourite knight, the brave and handsome sir richard woodville, when she came to england in 1435 to claim her dower. Elizabeth queen of englandthe queen of england diedkings. Biography of elizabeth woodville, queen of england thoughtco. Elizabeth of york, queen of england unofficial royalty. The burial of elizabeth woodville posted on july 3, 2014 by tudorqueen6 tomb of edward iv and consort queen elizabeth at st. Elizabeth woodville was one of children born to richard woodville later named baron rivers and jaquetta of luxembourg, widow of henry vs brother john, duke of bedford. Nov 23, 2018 elizabeth woodville was born the eldest child of sir richard woodville and jacquetta of luxembourg, who had previously been married to john, duke of bedford, brother of king henry v. A 500yearold letter discovered in the national archives has revealed that the white queen elizabeth woodville, the grandmother of henry viii, may have died of the plague. This biography profiles her childhood, family, life history, marriage to. At around 1436 jacquetta woodville, wife to the earl of rivers, gave.
Find out with these scheming facts about elizabeth woodville, the socalled commoner queen of england. Elizabeth woodville 1437june 7 or 8, 1492, and known variously as lady grey, elizabeth grey, and elizabeth wydevill was the commoner. Medieval queens and princesses elizabeth woodville. She was the oldest daughter and child of richard and jacquetta woodville, the queen consort of edward iv, and the mother of the princes in the tower and elizabeth of york. Explore the 19year relationship between edward iv and elizabeth woodville, his unlikely queen, and the marriage criticized as an impulsive. Elizabeth woodville biography facts, childhood, family life. I am aware there are many theories in respect of the princes in the tower, ricardians, please dont give. Over her career, woodville went to royal bat for almost all the teams, from the house of lancaster to the house of york, and finally those infamous tudors. A portrait of elizabeth woodville, queen of edward iv. The last will and testament of elizabeth woodville, queen of. When she was 15 years old elizabeth married john grey, but he was killed at the battle of st albans in 1461 fighting for the lancastrian cause leaving her a widow with two young sons. A short film about elizabeth woodville who was queen consort to king edward iv of england. Well start with one of england s bestknown and most controversial medieval queens, elizabeth woodville. Elizabeth woodville, queen of england the freelance history.
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