Parents
Father: King Edward IV of England
Born: April 28, 1442 in Rouen, France
Married: May 1, 1464 in Grafton, Yorkshire, England
Died: April 9, 1483 in Westminster, Middlesex, England
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Mother: Lady Elizabeth Woodville of Rivers
Born: 1437
Died: June 8, 1492 in London, England
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Children:
1. Princess Elisabeth of England (b.2/11/1466)
2. Princess Mary of England (b.8/11/1467)
3. Princess Cicely of England (b.3/20/1469)
4. King Edward V of England (b.11/2/1470)
5. Princess Margaret of England (b.4/10/1472)
6. Prince Richard Duke of York (b.8/17/1473)
7. Princess Catherine of England (b.8/14/1475)
8. Princess Anne of England (b.11/2/1475)
9. Prince George Duke of Bedford (b.3/1477)
10. Princess Bridgit of England (b.11/10/1480)
Note: Edward IV (reigned 1461-70 and 1471-83) was able to restore order, despite the temporary return to the throne of Henry VI (reigned 1470-71, during which time Edward fled to the Continent in exile) supported by the Earl of Warwick, 'the Kingmaker', who had previously supported Edward and who was killed at the Battle of Barnet in 1471. Edward also made peace with France; by a shrewd display of force to exert pressure, Edward reached a profitable agreement with Louis XI at Picquigny in 1475. At home, Edward relied heavily on his own personal control in government, reviving the ancient custom of sitting in person 'on the bench' (i.e. in judgement) to enforce justice. He sacked Lancastrian office-holders and used his financial acumen to introduce tight management of royal revenues to reduce the Crown's debt. Building closer relations with the merchant community, he encouraged commercial treaties; he successfully traded in wool on his own account to restore his family's fortunes and enable the King to 'live of his own', paying the costs of the country's administration from the Crown Estates profits and freeing him from dependence on subsidies from Parliament. Edward rebuilt St George's Chapel at Windsor (possibly seeing it as a mausoleum for the Yorkists, as he was buried there) and a new great hall at Eltham Palace. Edward collected illuminated manuscripts - his is the only intact medieval royal collection to survive (in the British Library) - and patronised the new invention of printing. Edward died in 1483, leaving by his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville a 12-year-old son Edward to succeed him. He was buried in Saint George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England.
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