Edward IV
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‘All men of Englond ar bounde for hym to pray’: The Funeral of King Edward IV, April 1483
Reports have suggested that as many as 35 million viewers in the UK tuned in to watch the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. As much of the nation, and the world, continues to reflect on her passing, here…
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The termination of medieval Parliaments on the demise of the reigning monarch
As much of the nation, and the world, continues to reflect on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and accession of King Charles III, here Dr Hannes Kleineke from our Commons 1461-1504 project explores the now retired practice…
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Funding the defence of the realm (or not…)
As questions of defence spending continue to be discussed in the chambers of Westminster, here Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, looks into 15th century attempts to secure more money for this purpose, to varying degrees of…
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‘Make good your ways and your habits’: Edward IV’s first Parliament of 1461-2
During the winter of 1461, Edward IV’s first Parliament began. Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project explores the priorities of the session… On Wednesday, 4 November 1461, Edward IV’s first Parliament opened at Westminster. It was an…
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‘Without any worldly pompe’: the burial of Elizabeth Woodeville, Queen Consort
As the nation mourns the passing of Prince Philip, the duke of Edinburgh, today Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, reflects on the burial of another royal consort in the midst of an epidemic, some six centuries…
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‘How much ancient divisions survive’: unnatural alliances and the battle of Barnet, 14 April 1471
On 14 April 1471 a crucial battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought. Just outside the town of Barnet, Edward IV’s Yorkist force faced off against the Lancastrians, led by his former ally the earl of Warwick. In…
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The battle of Towton and the Parliament of 1461
On 29 March 1461 the battle of Towton took place. A notoriously violent encounter, the battle is the topic of a previous History of Parliament blog. But today Dr Charles Moreton, from our Commons 1461-1504, project explores Towton’s longer impact…
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A New Dawn? The accession of Edward IV on 4 March 1461
On 4 March 1461 Edward duke of York was proclaimed King in Westminster Hall. But the authority of this new regime was not universally accepted. Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, continues our look at what some…
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Turning back the clock: the Readeption Parliament of Henry VI, 1470-71
In today’s blog Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, looks back to the winter of 1470, as Henry VI found himself on the throne once more… On 26 November 1470 a Parliament assembled at Westminster. This was…
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Was the battle of Towton as bloody as all that?
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Towton, a violent battle in 1461 which resulted in Edward IV claiming the throne from Henry VI. The battle is often thought to be the bloodiest ever fought on British soil, but…
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Making the most of a parhelion: the earl of March and the battle of Mortimer’s Cross
In our latest blog Dr Simon Payling, Senior Research Fellow for the Commons 1461-1504 project, looks back to this date in 1461, when a natural phenomenon appeared to the future King Edward IV on the eve of battle… The battle of…
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Yorkist Parliaments, but not at York
At the beginning of this week, the government sparked debate by announcing the possibility of relocating the House of Lords away from Westminster to the city of York. But this is not the first time that the city has been…