Elizabeth of York had a close connection to kings. She was a daughter, sister, niece, wife, and mother of various Kings of England. She also was instrumental in combing the York white rose with the Lancaster red rose to unite a country torn by civil war and bring forth a new dynasty, the tantalizing Tudors. Elizabeth's life was one of intrigue, plotting, and mystery and she often was the innocent pawn or bystander in this game for the throne.
Elizabeth of York was born February 11, 1466 in Westminster Palace to King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth Woodville. She was their first child, a beautiful and delightful princess who was eventually betrothed to Charles, Dauphin of France. Elizabeth's childhood was charming with her numerous brothers and sisters and she was the apple of her father's eye.
Her happy life ended when her father, King Edward died unexpectedly leaving her young brother, Edward V to become a very young king. Elizabeth's mother's family scheming and the uncertainty of such a young king on the throne had Elizabeth's uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester taking control. He became regent and protector of England to assist the young king.
Elizabeth's younger brothers, the young King Edward V and Richard, Duke of York were taken from their mother and her scheming Woodville relations and placed in the Tower of London for protection. Elizabeth was in sanctuary with her mother and the rest of the family at Westminster Abbey while her brothers disappeared in the Tower of London. Richard declared his brother the late King Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville to be invalid due to a past marriage promise on the part of King Edward. This made Elizabeth and all her siblings bastards. Richard then took the throne to become King Richard III. The young boys had disappeared and many believed them to have been murdered.
Elizabeth was then sent to King Richard and his wife Queen Anne Neville's court where she waited upon Queen Anne. Historians suggest that Elizabeth caught the eye of her uncle and because of her noble blood, great beauty, and her youth, Richard wanted to marry his niece after the death of his weak and frail Queen Anne. Richard wanted more sons after the death of his only son and child and Elizabeth was young and believed to be able to give him more children. Other historians suggest Richard and Elizabeth were simply in love.
It did not matter as Elizabeth Woodville schemed with the venerable Lady Margaret Beaufort to marry their children and put them on the throne. Elizabeth of York was the heir to the white rose dynasty and Henry Tudor, son of Margaret Beaufort was the heir to the red rose dynasty. Henry Tudor was living in exile in Brittany due to his Lancastrian blood, but made an oath to invade England, get Richard III off the throne and marry Elizabeth of York thus uniting the two houses.
The plans came to fruition with Henry Tudor defeating King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. Richard III was murdered and Henry Tudor became King Henry VII. King Henry VII then married Elizabeth of York on January 18, 1486 uniting York and Lancaster and creating the Tudor dynasty.
The marriage between King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York was a fruitful and happy one. Many children were produced including their son and heir Arthur, Prince of Wales in 1486, Margaret, who became a Queen of Scotland in 1489, Henry, Duke of York who became the future and well-known King Henry VIII in 1491, and Mary, who became a Queen of France and the Duchess of Suffolk in 1496. Other children were born as well, but died.
Elizabeth of York was a beautiful, kind, and generous queen who stayed in the background as a mother and support system to King Henry VII. She had no involvement in politics, but just focused on her children and her queenly duties.
After the sad death of Arthur, Prince of Wales shortly after his marriage to the Infanta, Catherine of Aragon, King Henry VII was in a worried state knowing he had only Henry, Duke of York left as his male heir. Elizabeth of York became pregnant once more to secure the succession, but it was a difficult pregnancy and childbirth. Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter named Katherine on February 2, 1503, but the baby died shortly after her birth. Elizabeth then grew ill herself with a post-partum infection. Elizabeth of York sadly died on February 11, 1503, her own 37th birthday in the Tower of London. King Henry VII never married again and mourned his beautiful wife greatly by building the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey where she was buried in great splendor and he would then join her upon his death. Their marriage which served as a way to avoid civil war and unite two houses ended up being a sweet love match.
Elizabeth of York appears in a variety of historical fiction. She is the main focus of the novels "The King's Daughter" by Sandra Worth, The Tudor Rose" by Margaret Campbell Barnes, and "To Hold the Crown" by Jean Plaidy. She is a supporting character in novels focusing on the Plantagenet period and early Tudor period. Her appearances range from "The White Queen" and "The Constant Princess" by Philippa Gregory, "To the Tower Born" by Robin Maxwell, "The Sunne in Splendour" by Sharon Kay Penman and other related novels to the Plantagenet and Tudor period.
Elizabeth of York was true royalty. She had close connections to various Kings of England and was pure nobility. She was a good, kind, and drama-free queen who lived a life of uncertainty and heartbreak after losing her brothers, but ended up forming a proud royal house and birthing a whole new dynasty.
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