King of England
1461-1483
4th Duke of York
1460-1461
Son of Richard, 3rd Duke of York & Cicely Neville.
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| Elizabeth Woodville Queen of England @Wikipedia |
"Elizabeth and Edward had met, according to local legend, in the forest near her family home of Grafton. She was the daughter of the aristocratic Jacquetta of Luxembourg, whose first marriage to John of Lancaster had made her the first lady in the land after Queen Margaret and a staunch Lancastrian. Her second union with Richard Wydeville, Earl Rivers, was a forbidden love match, which produced fourteen children, the eldest of whom was Elizabeth. The blonde beauty, variously described as 'icy' and 'haughty' by her enemies, had been married to Sir John Grey and bore him two sons before his death at the Second Battle of St. Albans in 1461. The late medieval and early Tudor chroniclers agree that the amorous Edward was struck by her beauty upon seeing her and determined to have her, as he had many other women on whom his fancy has fallen. Elizabeth held out for more, thought. Refusing to become his mistress, she became, instead, his queen. It was an unpopular match among the king's family and Parliament from the start." (Licence. Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen)
Widow of: Sir John Grey of Groby (1432-1461), mar 1452
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| Edward IV & Elizabeth Widville Wedding |
Elizabeth's personal & family background.
"Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward, granddaughter of the Duke Duke of Bedford, was maid of honor to Margaret of Anjou, and married for her first husband Sir John Gray, a cavalier firmly attached to the House of Lancaster. He lost his life at the second battle of St. Albans. Elizabeth, sometime afterwards, waited for Edward IV, who was hunting near her mother's castle, under a noble tree, still called the Queen's Oak, holding her fatherless boys by the hand, threw herself at his feet, and pleaded earnestly for the inheritance of her children. Her downcast looks and mournful beauty gained not only her suit, but the heart of the conqueror, and they were secretly married in May 1464. Elizabeth from first to last held potent sway over the mind of her husband, but she seldom had a wise or good end in view; the advancement of her own relatives, and the depreciation of her husbands friends and family, were her chief objects. Margaret of Anjou and Elizabeth founded Queen's College, Cambridge. After the death of Edward IV, and the murder of her sons in the Tower, she fell ill. . . ." (History of the German Emperors and Their Contemporaries: 211)
Edward IV's physical appearance & personal qualities.
"On becoming King of England, Edward IV presented a noble picture to the rest of the world. Standing six feet three inches tall, he was a big, well-made man who was well aware of the effect he had on people. Although a surviving, anonymous portrait shows a beefy face and small eyes, Sir James Strangeways, the first speaker of Edward IV's parliament, addressed the new king in terms that were complimentary to his looks and made a point of referring to 'the beauty of personage that it hath pleased Almighty God to send you.' He also dressed well, another attribute that made him a pleasing personality and added to his personal reputation as a genial and open soul. Sir Thomas More, who knew him, described him as 'a goodly personage and very princely to behold, of heart courageous, politic in counsel.' Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that Edward was not above using his personal charm to get his own way, particularly in securing loans and gifts from wealthy merchants in London. A corollary was that he could appear lazy and vainglorious and had a tendency to over indulge, not least as far as women were concerned, a fact noted many years later by an Italian correspondent, Dominic Mancini: Moreover, it was said that he had been most insolent to numerous women after he had seduced them, for as soon as he had satisfied his lust he abandoned the ladies much against their will, to other courtiers. He pursued with no discrimination the married and unmarried, the noble and lowly. However, he took none by force. He overcame all by money and promises, and, having conquered them, he dismissed them." (Lancaster Against York: the Wars of the Roses and the Foundation of Modern Britain)
" . . . King Edward was headstrong, ruthless, and pleasure-loving. He was tall (six-feet four), handsome and charming. He had a taste for fine foods, music, dance, poetry, and expensive clothes. . . . " (The British Chronicles, Vol 1: 332)
"Edward of York was to grow tall and handsome, masculine and athletic. He looked and acted like a king---more so than Henry VI---and looked more like the Plantagenets of old. He could read, write and speak English, French and some Latin. He was intelligent, but not an intellectual; religious, but not a saint. He was raised an aristocrat, and understood his aristocracy. He was neither devious nor cunning (like predecessors and successors), but was direct and straight-forward. He jousted, hunted, hawked, feasted, and wenched---like any good aristocrat of the fifteenth century. A good general in his youth, he took the strategic and tactical initiative while his rivals dithered. He wanted to, and attempted to be, a good king---restoring order and good government, assuring justice and stability, As King, he became a resolute womanizer, which some would say helped lead to the downfall, not just of himself, but worse, of his dynasty." (Squires, Knights, Barons, Kings)
The look of a Greek god.
The look of a Greek god.
"Three years after Edward IV took the throne of England from Henry VI, he was still footloose and fancy free. Over 6 feet tall with a muscular body, blue eyed with blonde hair, he had the look of a Greek god. His skin was bronze from the hours spent in the fields in battle or riding or hunting. He never lacked for attention from women." (The Ten Great Medieval Royal Romance)
Edward of York as Earl of March (17 years old).
" . . . He was a tall, handsome young man of athletic build, already skilled on the battlefield and a lover of good company, women and entertainment. . . ." (License. Anne Neville: Richard III's Tragic Queen)
Edward the womanizer.
" . . . Edward IV was a womanizer and would boast of this three mistresses whom he would refer to as: one, the merriest, another, the wiliest, and, the other the holiest harlots (2) in the realm. . . . " (The British Chronicles, Vol 1: 331)
" . . . Edward IV was a womanizer and would boast of this three mistresses whom he would refer to as: one, the merriest, another, the wiliest, and, the other the holiest harlots (2) in the realm. . . . " (The British Chronicles, Vol 1: 331)
Licentiousness undiminished with age.
"Whether any of Edward's numerous mistresses exercised much influence at court is a question almost impossible to answer. Among the ladies who graced the royal court in Edward's later years there were many who attracted the king's attention, for there is no evidence that his licentiousness diminished with age. Dominic Mancini, writing in 1483, insists that 'He was licentious in the extreme; moreover, it was said that he had been mist insolent to numerous women after he had seduced them, for, as soon as he grew weary of dalliance, he gave up the ladies much against their will to the other courtiers. He pursued with no discrimination the married and unmarried, the noble and lowly: however, he took none by force.' (Edward IV: 315)
Identities of all his many mistresses still a mystery.
"Edward was fond of saying that he always had three concubines---one the merriest, another the wiliest, and the third the holiest---but the identity of all his many mistresses remains a mystery., although his numerous affairs are well attested. Only two names are remembered---Elizabeth Lucy, daughter of a Hampshire squire, and Elizabeth Shore (also called Jane), a goldsmith's wife in whom, according to MOre, Edward 'took special pleasure.' The first mistress bore the king an illegitimate son, Arthur Plantagenet, and the second remained a lifelong friend. More left a charming portrait of Mrs. Shore, praising her for her beauty and pleasant behavior: 'For a proper wit had she and could both read well and write, merry in company, ready and quick of anser, neither mute nor full of babble.'" (Lancaster Against York)
Difficulty naming other female sex partners.
"In respect of the alleged bastardy issue, the present writer also demonstrated that apart from Eleanor Talbot (who has actually often been overlooked or ignored in the past) and Elizabeth Widville, in reality it is extremely difficult to actually name any other female sex partners of Edward IV. Traditional accounts have claimed 'Elizabeth Lucy', Catherine de Clarington, a girl from the Hampshire Wayte family, and Elizabeth ['Jane'] Shore (nee Lambert). But, as we have seen, 'Elizabeth Lucy' appears to be a mythical being being invented by the government of Henry VII in order to help ensure that the name of Eleanor Talbot would be forgotten. Even a modern account of her to be found on the internet, while continuing to claim that a woman of thar name may have been a mistress of Edward IV, and may have borne him children, makes it clear that no authentic contemporary evidence exists in respect of her. It also shows that the later accounts written about this alleged woman contradict one another in various respects." (Elizabeth Widville, Lady Grey: Edward IV's Chief Mistress and the 'Pink Queen': 139)
Edward IV's lovers were:
Wife of: Sir Thomas Butler (d.1461), son of Ralph Butler, Lord Sudeley, mar 1449.
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| Eleanor Talbot |
Eleanor Talbot (1436-1468)
Lover in 1460-1462.
Lover in 1460-1462.
Daughter of: John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury & Lady Margaret Beauchamp.
Wife of: Sir Thomas Butler (d.1461), son of Ralph Butler, Lord Sudeley, mar 1449.
Returning favours.
"Since Lady Eleanor wanted her properties back, she went directly to the king and asked for these in return. Being the ladies' man that he was, Edward did what he did best when it came to women; he tried to seduce her. Story has it that Eleanor did not succumb. Rather, she came out of this with both her properties and a pre-contract of marriage. Whatever happened to this is a mystery . . . except that Edward then secretly went on to marry Elizabeth Woodville. . . . " (Royal Intrigue)
Elizabeth Lucy (1444-1502)
Elizabeth Lucy (1444-1502)
Lover in 1461.
"Elizabeth Lucy (1444-1502) was sometimes known as Elizabeth Waite, possibly her married name. She became the king's mistress in the fall of 1461, succeeded Lady Eleanor Butler in the king's affections. . . Elizabeth Lucy may have been the wisest or wiliest mistress, but, like many other women, she mush have loved the king. She maintained a very low profile, remained obscured in the background, and kept out of trouble. Dr. Shaw, other prelates, and the duke of Buckingham said in 1483 that Edward had a marriage contract with her, but, like most liars, they were confused and could not keep their concocted story straight. Elizabeth Lucy is known to have denied any marriage contract with Edward when in 1464 she was questioned by Cecily, the dowager duchess of York, and other of the unhappy magnates before Edward IV married Elizabeth Woodville. . . ." (Edward IV, England's Forgotten Warrior King: 316)
"Thus, apart from Eleanor Talbot and Elizabeth Widville, the only authentic female sexual female partner of Edward IV for whom we have part of a name appears to have been a Miss Wayte. It has been alleged that her first name was Elizabeth -- part of an attempt to link her with the mythical 'Elizabeth Lucy' -- but does not appear to have been the case. There is a good deal of surviving contemporary evidence in respect of the fifteenth-century Wayte family of Hampshire, but it has not been possible to identify a daughter called Elizabeth in the right period. Thus Miss Wayte's first name remains unknown." (Elizabeth Widville, Lady Grey: 140)
" . . . Edward's other known mistress, Elizabeth Wayte (or Lucy), was the daughter of a minor Hampshire landowner. . . ." (Given-Wilson and Curteis, p. 13)
" . . . But after Richard's death, new evidence by Tudor historians found that after all that, Eleanor was not the one! Stillington actually had another woman named Elizabeth Lucy (also known as Elizabeth Wayte) married to Edward." (Royal Intrigue)
Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset (1436-1464)
English aristocrat & military commander
"The relationship between Edward and Henry, whatever its precise nature, appears to have commenced in about January 1462/3 and to have lasted six months. The two men remained together until July 1463 -- and possibly a little longer." (The Private Life of Edward IV: lxxiv)
First encounter & start of relationship.
"The Duke of Somerset surrendered Bamburgh Castle on Christmas Eve 1462, it was following this surrender that he then met Edward IV. Obviously that meeting had a great impact on the two young men, for 'the Yorkist king restored Somerset to favour with a speed that shocked contemporaries'. Peace was made between them, and Henry was even allowed to join the Earl of Warwick and his forces in the still-ongoing siege of Alnwick Castle. As we shall shee shortly, the conclusion of Gregory's Chronicle was that the Duke of Somerset was deceiving Edward throughout their relationship and was actually always his enemy is based purely on later evidence and on hindsight. There is actually no contemporary evidence to show that Somerset was deceiving the king during the months of their intimacy." (The Private Life of Edward IV: lxxii)
''Eleanor had produced no children by her first husband, Sir Thomas Boteler, and she doesn’t seem to have become pregnant as a result of her relationship with the king. Edward IV therefore found himself confronted by a fruitless relationship. But about 18 months after his secret marriage with Eleanor, Edward encountered one of her first cousins, who may well have shared Eleanor’s good looks, and who also, it seems, attracted the king. The cousin in question was Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. A wealth of clear contemporary evidence suggests that Edward loved Henry and that the two men slept together. This is by no means the only instance of an English king having a same-sex relationship. Earlier examples involved both Richard the Lionheart and King Edward II. Although Richard I’s same-sex relationship worried his father, Henry II, the intimacy took place in France, and aroused no hostile response in England. Edward II wasn’t so lucky. Likewise the relationship between Edward IV and the Duke of Somerset aroused opposition in some quarters. This led to an attack on the Duke of Somerset, which finally helped to break up his relationship with the king." (History Extra)
"Nevertheless, Edward IV's great love for Henry certainly produced some interesting results. It seems that Henry may sometimes have been rather too serious in character. Indeed, in some respects he was possibly rather a difficult man to deal with. Apparently he could be very quick-tempered on occasions. In Coventry, in October 1456, it had been necessary to physically restrain him in order to prevent him from attacking the Duke of York, and a month later he nearly came to blows with the Earl of Warwick in London. Yet it seems that Edward IV, by his easy and loving manner and by his not infrequent granting of favours, was able to make the Duke of Somerset relax and even laugh. In the joust described below, the king seems to have overcome Henry's bad temper simply by asking him to be merry, together offering him a small gift of some kind. . . ." (The Private Life of Edward IV: lxxiii)
Catherine de Clarington.
Lover in 1466.
"As for Catherine de Clarington, it is not certain that she really existed. Her name is only mentioned by a much later source (George Buck - early seventeenth century), and no contemporary evidence can actually be found in respect of her. While Elizabeth Lambert/Shore definitely did exist, and is stated in surviving contemporary sources to have been the mistress of both Elizabeth Widville's eldest son (the Marquess of Dorset) and of his stepfather-in-law, Lord Hastings, there is absolutely no authentic evidence to link her sexually to the king himself." (Elizabeth Widville, Lady Grey: 140)
"As we saw earlier, according to Buck, at some state Edward IV had a well-known mistress called Catherine de Clarington. She is described by Buck as one of 'the most famous.' Indeed, she figures first in his list. But the order of Buck's list is clearly irrelevant in terms of chronology, since the last partner of Edward IV who appears upon it is Eleanor Talbot -- who, in reality, was Edward IV's first known partner. As for Catherine de Clarington, sadly this 'famous' mistress is mentioned by no other surviving source." (The Private Life of Edward IV: xxi)
Elizabeth Lambert (1453?-1526/7)
Lover in 1470s-1483?.
Daughter of John Lambert, a London mercer, & Amy Marshall.
Wife of:
1. William Shore, mar c1468, ann 1476
2. Thomas Lyneham, mar 1483/4
"in one respect, Elizabeth Lambert (Shore) is unique. Of the four alleged mistresses of King Edward IV, she is the only individual whose existence appears to be reasonably well documented. Unlike 'Elizabeth Lucy', she was definitely a real person, and unlike 'Mistress Wayte' and Catherine de Clarington, we have solid evidence in respect of her family, and even a little evidence regarding here whereabouts. If her alleged relationship with the king ever truly existed, it must have dated during his second reign, and it would presumably have begun some time after his restoration to the throne in 1471. Nevertheless, the story of her alleged relationship with Edward IV as it has been passed down to the present day is just as completely lacking in contemporary evidence -- and just as full of later mythology --- as are the stories of the king's other so-called mistresses. (The Private Life of Edward IV: xiv)Lover in 1470s-1483?.
Daughter of John Lambert, a London mercer, & Amy Marshall.
Wife of:
1. William Shore, mar c1468, ann 1476
2. Thomas Lyneham, mar 1483/4
" . . . When compared to the clear documentary evidence of Edward IV's relationship with the only two women who can be proved to have been his partners, his allegedly well maintained relationship with Elizabeth Lambert would actually not have been unusual, if the later accounts of it were true. But although there is genuine contemporary evidence of Elizabeth Lambert's existence, of her bloodline and of her marriages, there is actually not one shred of genuine contemporary evidence of her alleged relationship with the king." (The Private Life of Edward IV: xv)
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| Jane Shore the Rose of London |
Lover in 1476-1483.
"According to the Patent Rolls for 4 December 1476, it was during the same year that Shore began her liaison with Edward IV, after his return from France. Edward did not discard her as he did many of his mistresses, and was completely devoted to her. . . Their relationship died until Edward's death in 1483." (The White Queen).
"Jane Shore is a woman who lived in Renaissance England, taking her place in history as one of the many mistresses to King Edward IV. Shore was his favorite concubine, which has awarded her a bit of fame: she appears in many works depicting the reign of Edward IV's successor, Richard III. . . ." (Jane Shore: Selfless Victim of Filthy Harlot?)
"She attracted the notice of Edward IV, and soon after 1470, leaving her husband, she became the king's mistress. Edward called her the merriest of his concubines, and she exercised great influence. . . . " (Luminarium)
"Thomas More also asserted that the king had a love affair with a “Mistress Shore”. But, as in the case of Elizabeth Lucy, not a single shred of contemporary evidence exists to show that Edward IV had anything to do with Mistress Shore. Unlike Elizabeth Lucy, however, Mistress Shore definitely did exist. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Lambert. A marriage for her was arranged by her family, and her first husband was called William Shore. Unfortunately, that marriage proved difficult, and the young wife appealed to the church for its annulment. Eventually she married again. Before that, however, she had two love affairs: one with Lord Hastings, and the other with Edward IV’s step-son, the Marquis of Dorset. Curiously, a number of sources prove that her first husband, William Shore, was a supporter of Edward IV, and worked with him. However, no contemporary sources ever claim that Mistress Shore had a relationship with the king." (History Extra)
" . . . Jane's liaison with Edward IV began in 1476 after his return from France and lasted until the king's death in 1483; there was no known issue of this relationship. As the king said, he had three mistresses: ' one merry, one holy, one wily.' Janes was undoubtedly the merry mistress, beautiful, charming, fun-loving, and quick-witted. Aside from the king, she seduced many other men with her charm, including Lord William Hastings; Thomas Grey, the marquis of Dorset; and even the solicitor Thomas Lynom, who Richard III appointed to investigate her. After the death of Hastings, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, imprisoned her and made her do public penance for her alleged multiple moral transgressions and for her alleged role in the Hastings Conspiracy with the Woodvilles. . . ." (Edward IV, England's Forgotten Warrior King: 316)
Aftermath: "...After her lover King Edward IV of England died, Jane Shore not only lost her position at court, but was accused of witchcraft by Edward's successor, Richard III (according to Thomas Moore). Her wealth gone, Jane eventually became a pauper haunting the streets and prisons of London." (Williams and Echols, p. 91).
Personal & Family Background: "...Elizabeth Shore was the daughter of one wealthy London merchant and the wife of another...." (Given-Wilson and Curteis, p. 13)
Spouse & Children: "This lovely, though unhappy woman. . . was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Winstead, a wealthy and eminent citizen of London, and one of the worshipful company of mercers. . . . " (King, 1821, p. 9) [Bio2:Bennett]
"Jane Shore is a woman who lived in Renaissance England, taking her place in history as one of the many mistresses to King Edward IV. Shore was his favorite concubine, which has awarded her a bit of fame: she appears in many works depicting the reign of Edward IV's successor, Richard III. . . ." (Jane Shore: Selfless Victim of Filthy Harlot?)
"She attracted the notice of Edward IV, and soon after 1470, leaving her husband, she became the king's mistress. Edward called her the merriest of his concubines, and she exercised great influence. . . . " (Luminarium)
"Thomas More also asserted that the king had a love affair with a “Mistress Shore”. But, as in the case of Elizabeth Lucy, not a single shred of contemporary evidence exists to show that Edward IV had anything to do with Mistress Shore. Unlike Elizabeth Lucy, however, Mistress Shore definitely did exist. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Lambert. A marriage for her was arranged by her family, and her first husband was called William Shore. Unfortunately, that marriage proved difficult, and the young wife appealed to the church for its annulment. Eventually she married again. Before that, however, she had two love affairs: one with Lord Hastings, and the other with Edward IV’s step-son, the Marquis of Dorset. Curiously, a number of sources prove that her first husband, William Shore, was a supporter of Edward IV, and worked with him. However, no contemporary sources ever claim that Mistress Shore had a relationship with the king." (History Extra)
Aftermath: "...After her lover King Edward IV of England died, Jane Shore not only lost her position at court, but was accused of witchcraft by Edward's successor, Richard III (according to Thomas Moore). Her wealth gone, Jane eventually became a pauper haunting the streets and prisons of London." (Williams and Echols, p. 91).
Spouse & Children: "This lovely, though unhappy woman. . . was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Winstead, a wealthy and eminent citizen of London, and one of the worshipful company of mercers. . . . " (King, 1821, p. 9) [Bio2:Bennett]
Edward IV's acknowledged children.
" . . . There were multiple children associated with Edward IV, who gave the children his acknowledgement. Elizabeth Plantagenet was born in 1462; she married Sir Thomas Lumley in 1477. Arthur Plantagenet, later the Viscount Lisle, was born about 1463. . . Grace Plantagenet, born about 1465, was a lady-in-waiting at the Yorkist court; she alone among her father's biological daughters visited Elizabeth Woodville frequently during the reign of Henry VII as the star of the former queen faded. . . ." (Edward IV, England's Forgotten Warrior King: 316)
" . . . There were multiple children associated with Edward IV, who gave the children his acknowledgement. Elizabeth Plantagenet was born in 1462; she married Sir Thomas Lumley in 1477. Arthur Plantagenet, later the Viscount Lisle, was born about 1463. . . Grace Plantagenet, born about 1465, was a lady-in-waiting at the Yorkist court; she alone among her father's biological daughters visited Elizabeth Woodville frequently during the reign of Henry VII as the star of the former queen faded. . . ." (Edward IV, England's Forgotten Warrior King: 316)
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