biography
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1442–83)
|
| biography:
| King of England (1461–70, 1471–83), the eldest son of Richard, Duke of York, born in Rouen, NW France. His father claimed the throne as the lineal descendant of Edward III's third and fifth sons (respectively Lionel, Duke of Clarence, and Edmund, Duke of York), against the Lancastrian King Henry VI (the lineal descendant of Edward III's fourth son, John of Gaunt). Richard was killed at the Battle of Wakefield (1460), but Edward entered London in 1461, was recognized as king on Henry VI's deposition, and with the support of his cousin, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, decisively defeated the Lancastrians at Towton. He threw off his dependence on Warwick, and secretly married Elizabeth Woodville (1464). Warwick forced him into exile in Holland (Oct 1470), and Henry VI regained the throne. Edward returned to England (Mar 1471), was restored to kingship (11 Apr), then defeated and killed Warwick at the Battle of Barnet (14 Apr), and destroyed the remaining Lancastrian forces at Tewkesbury (4 May). Henry VI was murdered soon afterwards, and Edward remained secure for the rest of his reign. |
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