Elizabeth Woodville, the
eldest daughter of Sir Richard Woodville, Ist Earl of Rivers, in about
1437. She married Sir John Grey, who was killed at St Albans in 1461.
Elizabeth married Edward
IV in 1464. Edward had difficulty keeping the support of his nobles.
They were particularly upset by his decision to marry Elizabeth without
first seeking their advice. The nobles objected to Elizabeth because
she did not have royal blood and was the widow of a Lancastrian knight.
In 1470 the Earl of Warwick
forced Edward IV into exile and put Henry
VI back on the
throne. The following year Edward returned and in April, Edward defeated
and killed the Earl of Warwick at Barnet. He destroyed the remaining
Lancastrian forces at Tewkesbury in May, 1471.
When Edward
IV died in 1483,
his son Edward, was only a child.
It was therefore decided that Richard,
Edward IV's brother, should became Protector of England, until Edward
was old enough to become king.
Elizabeth did not trust
Richard and called for a Regency Council to run the country. Richard
reacted by persuading Parliament that Edward
IV had not been legally married to Elizabeth , and therefore Prince
Edward was not the true heir to the throne. As Edward IV's only surviving
brother, Richard claimed the throne for himself.
Richard had Edward and
his younger brother, Richard, taken into custody. Soon rumours began
to circulate that Richard had arranged for his two nephews to be murdered.
After Richard
III was killed,
Elizabeth had her rights as dowager queen restored. Her daughter,
Elizabeth of York married Henry
VII in 1486.
Elizabeth Woodville retired
to the Abbey of Bermonsey and died there in 1492.
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