Elizabeth Woodville

Elizabeth Woodville, also known as Dame Elizabeth Grey, was Queen of England from 1 May 1464 until 3 October 1470 and again from 11 April 1471 until 9 April 1483 as the wife of King Edward IV. She played an important role in the Wars of the Roses, a civil war between the Lancastrian and Yorkist families from 1455 to 1487.

Elizabeth was born into a family of middle rank in the English social hierarchy. Her mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, was related to King Henry VI. Before marrying Edward IV, Elizabeth was already a widow with two young sons.

Her marriage to Edward IV in 1464 was kept secret at first. This marriage made Elizabeth the first queen in England since the Norman Conquest to be one of her own people. The couple had ten children together. However, this marriage created tension with powerful nobles, especially Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, "The Kingmaker", who later turned against the king.

After Edward IV died, Elizabeth stayed important in politics. Even when her son, Edward V, was removed from the throne by her brother-in-law, Richard III, she worked to support the claim of Henry VII. Her daughter, Elizabeth of York, later married Henry VII, helping to end the Wars of the Roses and begin the Tudor dynasty. Through her daughter, Elizabeth Woodville became the grandmother of the future Henry VIII.

Early life and first marriage

Elizabeth Woodville was born around 1437 in Grafton Regis, Northamptonshire. She was the first child of Richard Woodville and Jacquetta of Luxembourg. Her parents’ marriage was unusual because her mother was from a very important family, while her father was not as high in rank. They married in secret and later received forgiveness from the king.

When Elizabeth was about 15, she married John Grey of Groby. Sadly, he died in a battle in 1461 while fighting for the Lancastrian side. Elizabeth had two sons from this marriage, Thomas Grey and Richard Grey.

Queen consort

Edward IV married Elizabeth Woodville in secret in 1464, just over three years after becoming king. Only a few people were present. He introduced her as queen at court later that year.

Elizabeth was crowned queen in 1465. Her family became very important, with many of her relatives marrying into noble families. However, some people were unhappy because Elizabeth came from a less noble background. There were conflicts involving her family and political rivals. After Edward was temporarily overthrown, Elizabeth stayed safe in Westminster Abbey and had a son there. She and Edward had ten children in total. Elizabeth also supported religious activities and helped start a chapel in Westminster Abbey.

Queen dowager

After King Edward IV passed away suddenly in April 1483, Elizabeth became known as the queen dowager. Her young son, Edward V, became king, and his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, acted as Lord Protector. During this time, Elizabeth and her children stayed safe in a special place called sanctuary.

Richard took control and made many changes. He arrested some of Elizabeth’s family members. Sadly, two of them, Richard Grey and Anthony, Earl Rivers, were executed. Richard later claimed that Elizabeth was planning to harm him, though it is not clear if this was true. Because of these events, Richard became King Richard III, and Edward V and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, stayed in the Tower of London. After that, they were never seen again. Elizabeth lost many of her royal lands but got some of them back a few years later.

Life under Richard III

Elizabeth Woodville, now called Dame Elizabeth Grey, joined forces with Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, and Margaret Stanley (also known as Margaret Beaufort) to support the claim of Margaret’s son, Henry Tudor. Henry Tudor was a close relative of King Edward III and had a strong claim to the throne. To bring together the two rival families, they planned for Henry Tudor to marry Elizabeth of York, Elizabeth Woodville’s eldest daughter, who became the heir of the House of York after her brothers passed away.

In 1484, Richard III took away the lands Elizabeth had during her husband Edward IV’s time as king. However, Elizabeth and her daughters left their safe hiding place after Richard III promised they would not be hurt or put in prison. He also promised to help them get married to noblemen and gave Elizabeth a yearly payment. Later, after Richard III’s wife Anne Neville died, there were rumors he might marry Elizabeth of York himself, though he was also talking to others about possible marriages for her.

Life under Henry VII

In 1485, Henry Tudor became king after winning the Battle of Bosworth Field. He married Elizabeth of York. Elizabeth Woodville, the former queen, was given the respect and title of a queen dowager.

Elizabeth Woodville chose to live the last years of her life at Bermondsey Abbey. Some think she went there because King Henry VII asked her to leave the court. Others believe she wanted to live a quieter, more peaceful life there. She was treated well, receiving money each year and small gifts from the king.

She was able to see her family grow, including the birth of her grandson, the future Henry VIII. Her daughter Elizabeth of York, the queen, visited her sometimes, and another daughter, Cecily of York, visited more often.

Elizabeth Woodville passed away at Bermondsey Abbey in 1492. Her funeral was simple, just as she had wished, and she was buried next to her husband, King Edward IV, in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Issue

Elizabeth Woodville had children from two marriages.

With her first husband, John Grey, she had a son named Thomas Grey. He held many important titles and had children of his own. Another son, Richard Grey, sadly passed away during his life.

With her second husband, King Edward IV, Elizabeth had several children who became important figures in history. Her daughter Elizabeth of York later became queen and was the mother of King Henry VIII. Another daughter, Mary of York, passed away at a young age. Two of her sons, Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, were known as the Princes in the Tower. Elizabeth had many other children who lived fuller lives and had their own families.

In literature

Elizabeth Woodville has inspired many books and poems over the years. One famous poem, “My heart is set upon a lusty pin,” is thought to be written by her. It is one of only three poems from Middle English known to be written by a woman.

She also appears in several novels and plays. For example, she is a character in two of William Shakespeare’s plays: Henry VI Part 3 and Richard III. She shows up in many historical fiction books as well, written by authors like Philippa Gregory and Sharon Kay Penman.

Media portrayals

Elizabeth Woodville has been shown in many films and television shows. Some of these include Richard III from different years, Jane Shore, Tower of London, Looking for Richard, The White Queen, and The White Princess. She was also part of a musical called A Mother's War.

Schools named after Elizabeth Woodville

There are schools named after Elizabeth Woodville. These include Elizabeth Woodville Primary School in Groby, Leicestershire, which opened in 1971. There is also Elizabeth Woodville Secondary School in Roade, Northamptonshire, established in 2011.

Arms

Elizabeth Woodville was known as Dame Elizabeth Grey during her first marriage and later became Queen of England. She was married to King Edward IV and was Queen from 1 May 1464 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until 9 April 1483. Her family was of middle rank in English society at the time of her birth. Her mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, was related to King Henry VI through marriage.