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Born

4 Nov 1470

Born At

Westmineter Abbey

Died

1483

Buried At

Westminster Abbey

Royal House

York

Titles Include: King of England from 1483

Too young to rule

dward was the King of England for less than three months during 1483. He was the son of Edward IV, King of England and Elizabeth Woodville. Edward V was only thirteen years old when his father died in April 1483 and was too young to rule unaided. His uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester (future Richard III) stepped in to assist Edward and his younger brother and transferred them to the Tower of London for safe keeping.

The murder of the Princes in the Tower

Unfortunately for the two boys, Gloucester had his own plans of becoming king and mysteriously the two boys disappeared, supposedly murdered in the Tower. Although it has never been proven, it is suspected that Gloucester had the two boys killed so he could become the king as Richard III.

Bodies Found

In 1674 the bodies of two children were found within one of the towers. Unidentified, the bodies were reburied in Westminster Abbey.

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Preceded by
Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483)

Succeeded by
Richard (III, King of England 1483-1485)

Family Tree Details

Father:	Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483) (b.1442 - d.1483)
Mother:	Woodville, Elizabeth ( - d.1492)

Edward (V, King of England 1483) (b.1470 - d.1483)

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1470	Qtr 4	Edward (V) is born
		Edward IV's wife Elizabeth gave birth to her first son. Elizabeth had taken refuge at Westminster Abbey after the King had fled to Burgundy.
1472 - 1483		Ludlow home for the two princes
		The young Prince of Wales and his brother lived at Ludlow Castle.
1483	Apr	Richard made Protector
		Edward IV declared that Richard should be made Protector of England as the Prince of Wales was only twelve and too young to rule. Edward did not want the Queen and the Woodville family to have complete control of the country and by making Richard Protector, the King hoped to prevent civil war.
	Apr 9	Edward IV dies, Edward V becomes king
		Upon the death of the King Edward IV, his son Edward V became King of England. The nature of Edward IV's death is not known, but could have been caused by catching malaria in France or more likely due to excessive eating which he was known to often do according to a chronicler of the time. He died on April the 9th at the age of 41. Edward was buried at Windsor in the new chapel of St. George.
	Apr 29	Woodvilles escort Edward V
		The 4th of May had been set as the coronation date for Edward V, the new king. The Woodvilles wanted Edward crowned as soon as possible and they wanted Richard's role as Protector changed so that he didn't command so much power. The Woodvilles were concerned that with the death of Edward IV who had been their protector, old rivalries would resurface and their grip on power may fail. The King was at Ludlow and the Woodvilles escorted him to London via Northampton where it was agreed that they should meet Richard, the Duke of Gloucester. When Richard reached Northampton, he discovered that the Woodvilles had already left and were at Stony Stratford.
	Apr 30	Richard captures the King
		Richard, assisted by the Duke of Buckingham rode to Stony Stratford where they met with the King under the pretence of offering their condolences for the death of his father. Instead, they captured King Edward and took him directly to London and safe keeping in the Tower. Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers was arrested and imprisoned at Sherriff Hutton Castle, near York.¹
	Jun 22	Edward V declared illegitimate
		To become king Richard had to remove Edward V. Richard declared that Edward IV was already married when he married Elizabeth Woodville which meant that the marriage to Elizabeth was invalid. This also meant that Edward V was born out of wedlock and not able to become king. At this time Richard also arranged that the King's brother was moved to the Tower of London from Westminster Abbey where he had been looked after by his mother Elizabeth.
	Jul	Murder of Princes in the Tower
		At some point the young king Edward V and his brother Richard disappeared. Whether they were murdered in the Tower of London and by whom is not known, but they were not seen of again. Later, in 1499, a man called Perkin Warbeck appeared in Ireland and claims were made that he was really Richard, one of the princes.