The Tragedy of King Richard IIIThis historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 edition. Excerpt: ... in 1377, he was succeeded by his grandson, Richard II., son of the Black Prince. Richard proved weak and incompetent, and in 1399 was easily overthrown by his cousin, Henry of Lancaster, eldest son of John of Gaunt, who again had been the fourth son of Edward III. The victor, who took the title of Henry IV., reigned until his death in 1413. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Henry V., whose brilliant reign was cut short by his early death in 1422. Henry V.'s only child, Henry VI., who now became king, was a mere infant when his father died. In the latter part of his long reign (1422-1461) the Wars of the Roses commenced, the standard of revolt being raised in 1455 by Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. York was a man of much more character and ability than Henry, and he based his claim to the throne on hereditary right, inasmuch as he was descended both from the third and from the fifth son of Edward III., while his rival was descended only from (he fourth. At first the Yorkists carried all before them, but in 1460 the.Lancastrians won a victory at Wakefield, where York himself was slain, while his son, the Earl of Rutland, was cruelly murdered after the battle. King Edward IV., eldest son of the Duke of York, now became head of the Yorkist party. He was at this time a mere youth, having been born in 1442. A victory at Mortimer's Cross in 146I, even though followed almost immediately by a Yorkist defeat at St. Alban's ("Margaret's battle"), led to his being offered the crown, and on March 4th of that year he assumed the title of king. The strife, however, still continued, and it was not until 1471 that the Lancastrians were finally crushed at Tewkesbury. In this last battle Prince Edward, only child of Henry VI., was killed, and shortly... |