Edward of Westminster

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English Royalty
House of Lancaster
Armorial of Plantagenet
Henry VI
Edward, Prince of Wales

Edward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster (13 October 1453 – 4 May 1471), was the only Prince of Wales ever to die in battle. He was born in Westminster, London.

He was the son of King Henry VI of England and his consort, Margaret of Anjou. Their only child, he was born at the Palace of Westminster. His father was at the time suffering from mental illness, and there were widespread rumours that the prince was the result of an affair between his mother and some unnamed lover. However, there is no evidence for this, and Henry himself never doubted the boy's paternity. Edward was invested as Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle in 1454.

When King Henry VI signed away his son's birthright by agreeing to make Richard, Duke of York his heir, Queen Margaret immediately raised an army and attempted to fight the Yorkists. She and her young son went on the run, spending some time in both Scotland and Wales, before taking refuge in France. After several years in exile, Margaret took the best opportunity that presented itself, and allied herself with the renegade Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and Prince Edward was married off to Anne Neville, Warwick's younger daughter, in December 1470 -- although there is some doubt as to whether the marriage was ever solemnised.

Warwick succeeded in putting King Henry VI back on the throne. However, by the time Margaret and her son and daughter-in-law arrived back in England, a reversal of fortunes had taken place. Warwick had been defeated and killed at the Battle of Barnet and Edward IV was back on the throne. With little real hope of success, the inexperienced prince and his mother led the remnant of their forces at the Battle of Tewkesbury, where Edward was killed in battle ^[1].

According to later Tudor legend Edward was taken prisoner by Richard, Duke of Gloucester and brought before Edward IV. When the young Edward insulted the Yorkist king, Edward IV ordered his immediate murder.

He is buried at Tewkesbury Abbey.

His widow, Anne Neville, married Richard Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded as Richard III in 1483.

[edit] Reference

R. A. Griffiths, The Reign of King Henry VI (1981), especially the Epilogue

English royalty
Edward of Westminster House of Lancaster Cadet branch of the House of Plantagenet Born: 13 October 1453 Died: 4 May 1471
Preceded by Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter	Heir to the English Throne as heir apparent 13 October 1453 - 4 March 1461	Succeeded by George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence
Preceded by Elizabeth of York	Heir to the English Throne as heir apparent 30 October 1470 - 11 April 1471	Succeeded by Edward, Prince of Wales
Peerage of England
Preceded by Henry V of England	Prince of Wales 1453–1471	Succeeded by Edward IV of England

v • d • e Dukes of Cornwall

HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall Edward, the Black Prince (1337–1376) · Richard II (1376–1377) · Henry V (1399–1413) · Henry VI (1421–1422) · Edward of Westminster (1453–1471) · Edward V (1470–1483) · Edward of Middleham (1483–1484) · Arthur, Prince of Wales (1486–1502) · Henry VIII (1502–1509) · Henry Tudor (1511) · Henry Tudor (1514) · Edward VI (1537–1547) · Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (1603–1612) · Charles I (1612–1625) · Charles James (1629) · Charles II (1630–1649) · The Old Pretender (1688–1689) · George II (1714–1727) · Prince Frederick (1727–1751) · George IV (1762–1820) · Edward VII (1841–1901) · George V (1901–1910)· Edward VIII (1910–1936)