Elizabeth of York was already Queen Regnant when she married Henry VII. They ended the Wars of the Roses and founded the Tudor dynasty.
She was known as “one of the most gracious and best-beloved princesses in the world” despite not taking an active role in politics. Elizabeth was an embodiment of all the admired female virtues of the time: a pious, charitable Christian; a chaste, fruitful and submissive wife; a loving mother; a dutiful daughter and an affectionate sister.
Early Life
Elizabeth of York was born on 11 February 1466 at Westminster. She was the eldest of ten children born to Edward IV and his Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Her younger brothers became known as the Princes in the Tower.
Edward IV signed the Treaty of Picquingny in 1475 with Louis XI of France where Elizabeth was betrothed to the Dauphin (later Charles VIII). Her parents were extremely pleased as they anticipated Elizabeth’s glorious future as the Queen of France. Elizabeth was dressed in the French style and addressed as Madame la Dauphine.
However, Louis XI changed his mind as he decided Margaret of Austria was a better match for his son, so he and Maximilian signed the Treaty of Arras on 23 December 1482. Edward IV was furious when he heard his daughter was shamefully jilted, so he summoned parliament and declared war on France. Alison Weir believes Edward never got over this huge disappointment.
Edward IV died from suspected pneumonia on 9 April. Elizabeth Woodville, her daughters and her youngest son fled to Sanctuary in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth and her siblings were declared illegitimate and the crown offered to her uncle Richard III.
Richard III
Elizabeth Woodville and her brothers planned to send her daughters abroad for their safety, where Elizabeth was free to marry a foreign prince willing to take up arms to restore her heritage and crown. These plans came to nothing as the princesses remained in Sanctuary with their mother. Elizabeth Woodville began scheming with Margaret Beaufort to arrange a marriage between her daughter and Henry Tudor who pledged to marry Elizabeth of York at Rennes Cathedral on Christmas Day.
Richard III was determined to thwart Henry Tudor’s plans by finding a suitable husband for his niece, including the Earl of Desmond and the Portuguese Duke of Beja. Elizabeth of York was now eighteen, of medium height, and considerably beautiful with her fair complexion and her long red-gold hair. Elizabeth was intelligent, pious, literate, bi-lingual (although she did speak a little Spanish), excelled at embroidery and she loved music, card games and gardens.
Elizabeth Woodville was forced to surrender her daughters as Richard promised to protect his nieces. Elizabeth and her sisters left Sanctuary in early March 1484 to join Richard’s court.
Rumours claimed Richard intended marrying Elizabeth after his wife’s death. Elizabeth Woodville’s scheming no doubt added fuel to the fire in her bid to restore her own power and influence. It made no sense for Richard to marry Elizabeth as she was declared illegitimate by an act of parliament. Richard’s contemporaries condemned such an incestuous match which needed the necessary papal dispensation.
Elizabeth was sent north to the royal household at Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire between March and June, so she was out of Henry Tudor’s reach if he attacked in the south.
The Tudor Dynasty
Henry Tudor kept his promise after defeating Richard III at Bosworth. The Titulus Regius was repealed and a dispensation was required, as they were both descendants of Edward III, and closely related. They finally married on 18 January 1486 at Westminster Abbey.
Henry VII was reserved and distant although he was a faithful husband. Affection between Elizabeth and Henry developed during the years, as they were both loving parents. Margaret Beaufort made important decisions regarding their children’s upbringing.
Their first child, Arthur, was born in September 1486 at Winchester—the eldest of seven. Only three, Margaret, the future Henry VIII and Mary survived into adulthood.
Elizabeth was again pregnant and unable to attend her mother’s funeral in 1492. She gave birth to a daughter who died three years later.
Arthur married Catherine of Aragon in 1501, cementing a grand alliance with Spain, but he died from consumption the following year. Elizabeth was again pregnant, in a bid to produce another son, but she died in childbirth on 11 February 1503, aged 38. Her baby daughter Catherine died a few days later.
Henry was grief stricken as he honoured his wife with a magnificent state funeral. Elizabeth was genuinely mourned by her subjects as she was popular—known as one of the most gracious and best beloved princesses in the world. Elizabeth was buried in Westminster Abbey. Henry aged prematurely as he became a recluse, and focused on acquiring more wealth as his government became more authoritarian.
Sources
Fraser, Antonia [Editor], The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, (reprinted 2005)
Hilton, Lisa, Queens Consort: England’s Medieval Queens, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2008
Lamb, V B, The Betrayal of Richard III: An Introduction to the Controversy, Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, Stroud, UK, 1959 [Reprinted 1990]
Plowden, Alison, Tudor Women: Queens & Commoners, Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2002 (Reprinted 2007)
Ross, Charles, Richard III, Yale University Press, New Haven, 1999
Starkey, David, Monarchy: From the Middle Ages To Modernity, HarperCollins Publishers, London, 2006
Weir, Alison, Lancaster & York: The Wars of the Roses, Pimlico, London, 1998
Weir, Alison, The Princes in the Tower, Pimlico (an imprint of Random House), London, 1992
© 2010 Carolyn M Cash
This article was originally published by Suite 101 on 11 September 2010.
Elizabeth of York WAS NOT Queen Regnant ever!
Henry Tudor beat Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, becoming King Henry VII of England. At that time Elizabeth of York wasn’t even a Princess since her uncle, Richard III, had declared Elizabeth and her siblings as bastard children of his bastard brother King Edward IV, who should never have been on the throne – all this according to Richard III.
Henry Tudor became King Henry VII in 1485. He later married Elizabeth of York in 1486, to unite the Houses of York and Lancaster. Elizabeth of York became Queen Consort to King Henry VII. At NO time did she become Queen Regnant. She died in 1503. Henry VII died in 1509.
Please fix that bit about Elizabeth of York being Queen Regnant. That means she was the ruling Queen without a husband. It’s not true.
Her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth I was a Queen Regnant.
Henry VII reversed the decision about illegitimacy when he became King. Elizabeth of York was Queen in her own right, but she did not assume this title.
A Queen Regnant can be married or single. Mary I, Mary II, Queen Anne, Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II had husbands.
Er, Elizabeth of York was never Queen Regnant. not only did Henry take the crown right after Richard III, he backdated his reign by one day, just to be sure. As such, Elizabeth was only ever Queen Consort (upon her marriage to Henry).
Elizabeth of York was Queen in her own right, as she was Edward IV’s heir, seeing both her brothers were no longer alive. However, Elizabeth had a stronger claim to the throne than Henry Tudor, which was said to be one reason he married her, but she did not assume the title of Queen Regnant. Elizabeth left the ruling to her husband Henry VII and happy to be Queen consort.
Elizabeth was never Edward IV’s heir. His sons were. They were locked away by Richard III, who promptly crowned himself. He ruled until his death. Elizabeth was never Queen in her own right.