The War of the Roses

1st, January 1461

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You shall know the truth my Dearest Visitor,

No one could imagine Richard Duke of York

Raising an army and becoming a traitor,

Against the House of Lancaster, the heir of York

Fought. In 1455 the War of the Roses started,

Illegitimate he claimed Henri VI was,

For five years the War of the Roses continued,

But on the battle field of Wakefield Richard was,

His life gone, Edmund and Neville were beheaded,

Rutland, Salisbury, York, their heads exposed

In the winter cold, displayed on the gates of York.

Edward Earl of March became the next Duke of York.

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Georges and Richard Plantagenet

5th November 1461

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          This isn't with surprise I tell you George Plantagenet and Richard Plantagenet, King Edward IV's brothers have been titled as Dukes on the first day of this month. The first one was made George Duke of Clarence and the youngest, Richard Duke of Gloucester. This is great new that now they are both an excellent part of the english nobility who need to be married. As King Edward IV!

           They received some proposals but no one could say what will hapen to this. Then at the age of twelve years old - he was born the 21st October 1449-, George could stay at Westminster palace with the king. 

            However, Richard Duke of Gloucester is too young and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, called The Kingmaker, kept him at Middleham Castle. He studies the kinghtly conduct, he learns latin, French, law, mathematics, penmanship, music, horsemanship and military training. Moreover, Warwick teachs him  to pratice with sword, dagger and battle-axe, and how to manage a hawk and to hunt. He'll become the most cultivated man of England my Dear Readers... Then he spends his time at Middleham with Warwick's daughters; Isabel and Anne Neville, and Francis Lovell, one of the boy Warwick has in charge.

Cecily Neville,
Duchess of York

           Then Lord Hasting assured : "Actually, Edward is King of England and to give these titles to his brothers, this is a huge consideration and I do not doubt they will be forever faith to him. He is their brother." and Cecily Neville, the king's mother added : " I rememeber when they were young and now they grew up and they're Dukes. I am proud of them, this was God's wishes, and by the God' sake they are blessed."

             

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King Edward IV betrothed to a French Princess?!

17^th July 1462

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Bona of Savoy

          This is for women a sad new. Our beloved King of England is already betrothed to a French Princess, as Warwick wished.

          To secure the alliance between England and France, Richard Neville plans to marry Edward IV to Bona of Savoy.

          She is the daughter of Louis, Duke of Savoy and of his beloved wife Anne de Lusignan of Cyprus. His father thought to engage her to Galeazoo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan.

Richard Neville; 33; Earl of Warwick, The Kingmaker

          Edward IV and England have to secure the alliance with France, Marguerite d'Anjou is French and the cousin of Louis XI of France. Then we have to eliminate all possibilities of  a war with France.

Engage our greatest King Edward IV in a wedding with a French Princess, you don't eliminate all possibilities of war with the noble english women, a fight will come to determine who could be the next Queen of England.

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Our King Edward already married?! Who is the greatest Lady?

3rd May 1464

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          Some rumours say our King Edward IV refused the betrothal of the French Princess, Bona of Savoy because he is already married! Creating by this way a huge conflict with his cousin Richard Neville, Earl of Wawrick.

          Who could be this lucky women who caught the king's heart, daring the Warwick influenced? No one know, some of them tell she is a whore or a married woman.

George Plantagenet; 14 ; Duke of Clarence

          There is no one who know who she is, but I can assure you, she must have skills that any other women have to keep close to her the king..
.

Those words cannot be tell by a young boy as you are, Duke... But who knows? You are probably right.

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Edward IV revealed his name's wife

24th November 1464

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          Edward IV has confirmed his wedding with a women and revealed her identity and sit down comfortably on your chair my Dearest Reader; she is a Lancastrian Woman!

The Marriage of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV

          Her name is Elizabeth Woodville, a Lancastrian widow of Sir John Grey of Groby who died on the battle field of St Albans in december 1461. She has two sons, Thomas and Richard Grey.

          But what an ironic thing, a Lancastrian widow married with Edward IV, a Yorkist fighting  and claiming the throne of England as his own.

          This announcement sounds has an horrible revelation, Yorkist soldiers died to put on the throne the heir of this house, and now he is married with a woman from the ennemy house. Warwick must be the most angry man of the world.

Richard Neville; 35 ; Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker

          I cannot realise that Edward, my beloved cousin, is married to a Lancastrian woman. Does he forgot his brother Edmund and his father Richard has been executed by the Lancastrian army in 1461? Does he forgot all the sacrifies we've done for him? How could he do that to me and to the Yorkist soldiers? Then the betrothal with the French Princess, Bona of Savoy, is annulled but I won't forget what he has done to me. I have done too much for him and lost enough to forget. I swear I won't.

Jacquetta of Luxembourg; 48 ; Countess Rivers

           I am glad to see my eldest daughter happy with the king and this is an honour to be his mother-in-law. What could be more wonderful to marry my daughter by love to a man? I married Sir Richard Woodville because of love and we've had fourteen children. England will have heirs soon, I am sure of it. And I am not afraid of the rumours, King Edward IV loves Elizabeth and all will be fine for them.

 
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Richard, Duke of Gloucester, appointed by King Edward IV

2nd February 1465

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Coat of Arm of Richard,
Duke of Gloucester

           Richard, Duke of Gloucester, aged of eleven, has been appointed by our prettier King of England the sole Commissioner of Array in the last months of 1464 for the Western Counties. This is a great distinction made by Your Majesty and it shows his trust in his brother.

           Now aged of tweleve, he has left Middleham Castle, the mansion where Warwick made his knightly training, and he is now involved in the politics of the War of the Roses even if he is young.

Edward IV; 22 ; King of England

          I've appointed my youngest brother, Richard Duke of York, as Commissioner of Array because he has grow up and I am sure he will be a great man in politic.

This is indeed a huge distinction give to the Duke, but what about George, Duke of Clarence? Isn't he enough faith to you, King of England? Rumours tell he is obsessed by the power and the power of money...

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A Lancastrian Queen on the throne!

26th May 1465

Elizabeth's dress during her coronation

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          This is official, any other women will be the next Queen of England but Elizabeth Wydville, the wonderful woman with gorgeous blond hair. And she is just 28 years old!

          She has been crowned at Westminster Abbey as Queen of England, and the abbey was full of Yorkist Soldiers.

          All her familly was present as Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Countess of Rivers, her husband, Earl of Rivers, Richard Wydville, and her sisters and brothers as Anthony Wydville.

          Her beauty caught the attention of everyone and the whispers of jealousy current all of the coronation. She looked majestic on her seat with the crown on her pretty head. She gave us a little smile and among the crowd there were the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, the Earl of Warwick and his wife and daughters, Anne and Isabel Neville. All of the greatest nobility were here!

Have you seen the Queen of England, the woman who is called "the most beautiful woman in the Island of Britain" with "heavy-lidded eyes like those of a dragon".

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Gregory; 45 ; Loyal man from the House of Lancaster

          How could I be happy? She is not a Lancastrian Queen. She is a traitor who betrayed us of marrying this impostor! She is attracted just by the power, and she will fall as all of the women who've done this.

Good to see you, Gregory, I remind that after your declaration of the hasty coronation of Edward IV on 4 March 1461, you've been imprisoned during one month. But I am not sure you will keep your head where she is, the king is actually in love with his Queen. Pay attention of what you say.

Anne Wydville; 27 ; Lady-in-waiting

          My sister Elizabeth, the Queen Consort of England, was the most beautiful women in the abbey. She wore a pretty coat with ermine and the crown suits her perfectly. I guess, this was the wishes of God, she was made to be queen.

If this was the wishes of God, the we've nothing to say. I hope you will serve perfectly your beloved sister.

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