Depth 4 - The Yorkists divided, 1478-85

How significant were tensions in the Yorkist camp in the late 1470s and early 1480s?

Edward IV and the breach with the earl of Warwick

• Warwick lavishly awarded by Edward for help in usurpation - became overmighty subject
• Tension grew because Edward rejected marriage proposal of French lady from Warwick
• He married Elizabeth Woodville instead - nobles hated her because:
• She was English - no advantage in foreign diplomacy
• Member of the gentry - relatively poor by royal standards
• Widow with 2 children - not a virgin
• Her former husband was a Lancastrian
• Large family - was rewarded lavishly - infamous for greed
• Insulting for Warwick - undermined
• Edward wanted an alliance with Burgundy against France
• Warwick alienated by Edward's favour to Woodville's family - Elizabeth rejected Warwick's marriage proposal
• Warwick began to shift alliance to Lancastrians - Louis XI trying to cause civil strife
• Warwick betrayed Edward - married Clarence to Isabel Neville - invaded in July 1469 at Battle of Edgecote - captured the king but later released it
• Tension in court - Warwick fled again - made alliance with Margaret of Anjou - invaded in 1470 and reinstated Henry VI
• Edward invaded again and took the throne - Clarence betrayed Warwick - Prince Edward killed, Henry VI arrested, Margaret captured, Warwick killed
• Significance of the rebellion:
• Henry and Edward dead - no figureheads to rise up
• Warwick killed so no scheming from him
• Was able to reconcile with Lancastrians as they had noone to support

Royal patronage and the quarrel of Clarence and Gloucester

• Edward had a lot of land to distribute after defeating Henry
• Rewarded his brothers the most - gave Gloucester the North (and council of the north) - gave Clarence Courtenay estates - however had to take Percy estates from Clarence to keep order in the North - angered Clarence so was given earldom of Richmond - was initially granted to Gloucester and was a very sought after estate
• Tension around marriage - Isabel married to Clarence - Anne was widow of Prince Edward
• Clarence concealed Anne to prevent marriage to Gloucester
• Anne eventually married to Gloucester
• Quarrel was embarassing for the king - settled it by giving Clarence lots of land and made him Great Chamberlain of England (originally held by Gloucester)
• 1474-75 Acts of parliament to divide the Neville sister's inheritence between the 2 - showed Edward keen to reconciliate with Clarence
• Neville wife gave Gloucester power in the North - was popular and good warrior

The reasons for the attainder and murder of George, duke of Clarence in 1478

• Clarence's wife died - led to mental instability
• Attempted to remarry to Mary of Burgundy - denied by Edward to stop him getting too much power
• Clarence angry - spread rumours that the king was illegitamate - Edward blocked marriage to Scottish sister
• Clarence reluctant to attend court - refused food and drink for fear of poison - reflected badly on king and queen
• Clarence accused Isabel's handmaiden of killing her -…