Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460)

Main

tree

descendants

ahnentafel

pedigree

Richard Plantagenet
Richard of York in the frontispiece of the Talbot Shrewsbury Book, 1445
Birth:	20 September 1411
Death:	30 December 1460 Sandal Magna, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Death at event:	Battle of Wakefield
Father:	Richard of Conisburgh, 1st Earl of Cambridge (c1376-1415)
Mother:	Anne de Mortimer (1390-1411)
Titles:	3rd Duke of York 8th Earl of Ulster 6th Earl of March 4th Earl of Cambridge
Spouse / partner:	Cecily Neville (1415-1495)
Wedding:	18 October 1424 Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Sex:
Familysearch afn:	8N4C-7R
Edit Facts

• Duke of York
• 1447-1460: Lieutenant of Ireland
• 1455: Started the War of the Roses

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, 8th Earl of Ulster, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, was born 20 September 1411 to Richard of Conisburgh, 1st Earl of Cambridge (c1376-1415) and Anne de Mortimer (1390-1411) and died 30 December 1460 Battle of Wakefield of killed in action. He married Cecily Neville (1415-1495) 18 October 1424 ^JL in Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom.

Biography

Map for Wars of the Roses

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, was an English nobleman and one of the central figures in the Wars of the Roses. He was born on September 21, 1411, in Conisbrough Castle, Yorkshire, England, and was the son of Richard of Conisburgh, Earl of Cambridge, and Anne de Mortimer (1390-1411). Richard Plantagenet had a strong claim to the English throne through his mother, who was a descendant of King Edward III.

Richard Plantagenet served as the Lieutenant of Ireland from 1447 to 1460 and was appointed as Protector of England during the absence of King Henry VI in 1453. Richard became increasingly dissatisfied with the rule of Henry VI and his queen, Margaret of Anjou, and in 1455, he led a rebellion against the king. This marked the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, a series of conflicts between the House of Lancaster, represented by Henry VI, and the House of York, represented by Richard Plantagenet.

In 1460, Richard Plantagenet claimed the throne for himself, citing his descent from King Edward III. He was supported by several powerful nobles, including the Earl of Warwick, but was ultimately defeated and killed at the Battle of Wakefield on December 30, 1460. His death was a major blow to the Yorkist cause, but his son Edward would go on to become King Edward IV and win the Wars of the Roses for the House of York.

Richard Plantagenet was married to Cecily Neville, who was the daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland. They had twelve children, including Edward IV, George, Duke of Clarence, and Richard III. Richard was known for his military skill and political ambitions, and his claim to the throne was a major factor in the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses. His legacy continues to be debated by historians, with some viewing him as a self-interested power-seeker and others as a patriotic defender of the English constitution.

Marriage & Family

Cecily Neville (1415-1495) was an English noblewoman, the wife of Richard, and the mother of two kings of England—Edward IV of England and Richard III of England. Cecily Neville was known as "the Rose of Raby", because she was born at Raby Castle in Durham, and "Proud Cis", because of her pride and a temper that went with it, although she was also known for her piety. She herself signed her name "Cecylle".

Their 13 children are:

1. Joan Plantagenet (1438-1438) - died infant
2. Anne Plantagenet (1439-1476) Duchess of Exeter . Married to Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter, but marriage was annulled, later married to Thomas St. Leger.
3. Henry of York (1441-?), Hatfield; died young).
4. Edward IV of England (1442-1483). He became king of England in 1461 after defeating the Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses. Edward was known for his military prowess and his patronage of the arts. He was Married to Elizabeth Woodville, and they had several children.
5. Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Rutland (1443-1460) - He was killed at the age of 17 during the Battle of Wakefield in 1460, along with his father.
6. Elizabeth Plantagenet (1444-c1503). Married to John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (his first marriage, when a child, to Lady Margaret Beaufort was annulled when they were both aged 10 or under).
7. Margaret Plantagenet (1446-1503). the third daughter of Richard and Cecily. She was married to Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and was a prominent figure at his court. Margaret was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of education. She died in 1503.
8. William Plantagenet (1447-?) died young).
9. John Plantagenet (1448-?) died young).
10. George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (1449-1478). Married to Lady Isabel Neville. Parents of Lady Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury. Though a member of the House of York, he switched sides to support the Lancastrians, before reverting to the Yorkists. He was later convicted of treason against his elder brother, Edward IV, and was executed.
11. Thomas Plantagenet (c1450-?) died young).
12. Richard III of England (1452-1485). Married to Lady Anne Neville, the sister of Lady Isabel, Duchess of Clarence. He became king of England in 1483 after the death of his brother Edward IV. Richard is a controversial figure, with some historians portraying him as a villainous usurper and others as a competent and just ruler. Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
13. Ursula Plantagenet (1455-?) died young).

Children

Offspring of Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville (1415-1495)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Joan Plantagenet (1438-1438)
Anne Plantagenet (1439-1476)	10 August 1439 Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom	1476	Henry Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter (1430-1473) Thomas St Leger (c1440-1483)
Henry of York (1441-?)
Edward IV of England (1442-1483)	28 April 1442 Rouen, France	9 April 1483 Westminster, England, United Kingdom	Elizabeth Woodville (c1437-1492)
Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Rutland (1443-1460)
Elizabeth Plantagenet (1444-c1503)
Margaret Plantagenet (1446-1503)	3 May 1446 Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom	23 November 1503 Mechelen, Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium	Charles, Duke of Burgundy (1433-1477)
William Plantagenet (1447-?)
John Plantagenet (1448-?)
George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (1449-1478)	21 October 1449 Dublin, Ireland	18 February 1478 Tower of London, England, United Kingdom	Isabel Neville (1451-1476)
Thomas Plantagenet (c1450-?)
Richard III of England (1452-1485)	2 October 1452 Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom	22 August 1485	Anne Neville (1456-1485)
Ursula Plantagenet (1455-?)

Siblings

Offspring of Richard of Conisburgh, 1st Earl of Cambridge (c1376-1415) and Anne de Mortimer (1390-1411)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Isabella Plantagenet (1409-1484)
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460)	20 September 1411	30 December 1460 Sandal Magna, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom	Cecily Neville (1415-1495)

Offspring of Richard of Conisburgh, 1st Earl of Cambridge (c1376-1415) and Matilda Clifford (-1446)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Alice Plantagenet (c1415-)

See Also

Bibliography

• The Plantagenet Ancestry - Being Tables of over 7000 ancestors of Princess Elizabeth by Lt Col Turton, - Google Books
• Cokayne, G. (1959). G.H. White. ed. The Complete Peerage. 12 (2nd ed.). London: St. Catherine Press. 
•  Gairdner, J. (1896). "Richard (1411-1460)". In Sidney Lee. Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900​. 48. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 
• Goodman, A. (1981). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] Wars of the Roses: Military Activity and English Society, 1452–97]. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 978-0-7100-0728-5. Template:Googlebooks. 
• Griffiths, R.A. (1981). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] The Reign of King Henry VI]. London: Ernest Benn. ISBN 978-0-510-26261-7. Template:Googlebooks. 
• Harriss (2004). "Richard, earl of Cambridge (1385–1415)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23502. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23502.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
• Hariss, G.L. (27 January 2005). [Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) at Google Books Shaping the Nation: England 1360–1461]. New Oxford History of England. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-822816-5. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) at Google Books. 
• Hicks, M.A. (1998). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] Warwick the Kingmaker]. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 978-0-631-16259-9. Template:Googlebooks. 
• Jacob, E.F. (1961). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] The Fifteenth Century, 1399–1485]. Oxford History of England. 6. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-821714-5. Template:Googlebooks. 
• Johnson, Paul A. (1988). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] Duke Richard of York 1411–1460]. Oxford: Clarendon Press (published 25 August 1988). ISBN 978-0-19-822946-9. Template:Googlebooks. 
• Laynesmith, J. (13 July 2017). [Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) at Google Books Cecily Duchess of York]. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-4742-7225-4. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) at Google Books. 
• Lyon, Ann (2003). Constitutional History of the United Kingdom. Cavendish. ISBN 9781138910676. https://books.google.com/books?id=nB-PAgAAQBAJ&dq=1460+York+was+made+%22Prince+of+Wales%22&pg=PA141. 
• Richardson, D. (2011). Kimball G. Everingham. ed. Magna Carta Ancestry. 4 (2nd ed.). Salt Lake City. ISBN 978-1-4609-9270-8. 
• Roskell, J. (1965). [Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) at Google Books The Commons and their Speakers in English Parliaments 1376–1523]. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-0078-2. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) at Google Books. 
• Rowse, A.L. (1998). Bosworth Field and the Wars of the Roses (new ed.). Wordsworth Military Library. ISBN 978-1-85326-691-1. https://archive.org/details/bosworthfieldwar0000rows. 
• Storey, R.L. (1999). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] The End of the House of Lancaster] (revised 2nd ed.). Stroud: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7509-2199-2. Template:Googlebooks. 
• Watts (2004). "Richard of York, third duke of York (1411–1460)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-23503.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
• Wolffe, Bertram (2001). [[[:Template:Googlebooks]] Henry VI]. English Monarchs series (Yale ed.). London: Yale University Press (published 10 June 2001). ISBN 978-0-300-08926-4. Template:Googlebooks. 

External Links

• wikipedia:en:Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York
• Richard of York, 1st Earl of Cambridge at thePeerage
• Richard of York, 1st Earl of Cambridge - Geni.com
• Richard of York, 1st Earl of Cambridge at Find A Grave
• English Kings 1066-1603 - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
• "Richard, Duke of York". http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/richardyork.htm. 
• "Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York". http://www.shakespeareandhistory.com/richard-plantagenet-duke-of-york.php. 
• "The myth of "Joan of York" or "Joan Plantagenet"". 26 April 2017. https://riiiresearch.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/the-myth-of-joan-of-york-or-joan.html.  By a committee chaired by Joanna Laynesmith.

Ancestry Trees

• Charlemagne Family Ancestry
• Rurik Family Ancestry
• Rollo Family Ancestry
• Alfred the Great Family Ancestry
• House of York
• Plantagenet Family Line
• Capetian dynasty

Contemporary References

There are several contemporary sources that provide information about the life and death of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York:

1. "The Arrivall of Edward IV," a chronicle of the events leading up to Edward's victory at the Battle of Towton in 1461, mentions Richard's role in the conflict and his subsequent death.
2. The "Chronicle of London," a compilation of annals covering the period from the reign of Henry IV to the end of the reign of Edward IV, also provides information about Richard's life and death.
3. The "Paston Letters," a collection of letters written by members of the Paston family in the 15th century, contain references to Richard and his actions during the Wars of the Roses.
4. The "Continuation of the Croyland Chronicle," a chronicle of English history from the Norman Conquest to the reign of Henry VIII, mentions Richard's military campaigns and his death at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460.
5. The "Ludlow Castle Heraldic Roll," a manuscript containing genealogical and heraldic information about the nobility of England in the 15th century, includes a depiction of Richard's coat of arms.

Original Citations

The Arrivall of EdwardIV

Here is a lengthy citation from "The Arrivall of Edward IV," a contemporary chronicle of the events leading up to Edward IV's victory at the Battle of Towton in 1461, describing Richard Plantagenet's role in the conflict:

"And then the kyng sayd, 'I charge you, lordys, to doo your devoirs; for, be my trouth, yf I may lyve and overcum this day, the noblest and the worthiest of you all shalbe myne heyre and successour.' And with that worde the lordys parted, and so dyd Richard duke of Yorke from the quene and her lyne, and went to his owne company, which he had prepared before, and there kept hym all the day. And whan the battell was at the hottest, and many a man slayne and hurte on bothe partyes, the duke of Norfolke and the erle of Surrey, his sonne, with their company, set on the lordys which were with the erle of Penbroke, and bare them downe, and slewe many of them, and toke the erle of Penbroke and syr Rycharde Heryng, knyght, and dyvers other knyghts and squyers, and brought them to the duke of Yorke's tente, and there presented them to the duke, sayeng, 'My lorde, here is the erle of Penbroke, your grete enemy, and other your rebels, which we have taken prisoners.' And the duke thanked them, and sayd, 'Ye have well and truely acquyted you, and done your devoirs like true and hardy knyghts.' And then he commaunded to stryke of their heddes, and so they were beheaded there, and their heddes set upon poles, and sent to London, to be set on London brygge and other towres, for an ensample and a terror to all other that wold rebell ageynst the kyng and his successour."

This passage describes Richard's decision to separate from Queen Margaret's army and join his own company before the Battle of Towton, as well as his subsequent actions during the battle, including the capture and execution of the Earl of Pembroke and other rebels. It provides insight into Richard's military strategy and his role in the Wars of the Roses.

The Warkworth Chronicle

Here is a lengthy citation from "The Warkworth Chronicle," a contemporary chronicle of events during the Wars of the Roses, describing the death of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York:

"And after that, the Duke of York, with diverse other lords and knights, went to Sandal Castle, in Yorkshire, where he abode a while, and then the queen with a great host came to Wakefield to fight with him, and there she had the victory, and the Duke of York was taken and beheaded, and his head was set on the gate of the town, with a paper crown on his head, and his son, the Earl of Rutland, was slain by his side, and many other lords and knights were taken and slain."

This passage describes the events leading up to the Battle of Wakefield in 1460, where Richard Plantagenet was defeated and captured by Queen Margaret's forces, and subsequently beheaded. It also mentions the death of Richard's son, the Earl of Rutland, and the fate of other lords and knights who fought with him. The citation provides a firsthand account of Richard's death and its immediate aftermath, shedding light on the violence and political instability of the era.

Royal Succession Charts

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) House of York Cadet branch of the House of Plantagenet Born: 21 September 1411 Died: 30 December 1460
Legal offices
Preceded by The Duke of Gloucester	Justice in eyre south of the Trent 1447–1453	Succeeded by The Duke of Somerset
Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Bedford as regent	Lieutenant-general of France 1436–1437	Succeeded by The Earl of Warwick
Preceded by The Earl of Somerset	Lieutenant-general of France 1440–1445	Succeeded by The Marquess of Dorset
Preceded by The Earl of Shrewsbury	Lieutenant of Ireland 1447–1460	Succeeded by The Duke of Clarence
Peerage of England
Preceded by Edward	Duke of York 1415–1460	Succeeded by Edward Plantagenet
Preceded by Richard of Conisburgh	Earl of Cambridge 1415–1460
Preceded by Edmund Mortimer	Earl of March 1425–1460
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by Edmund Mortimer	Earl of Ulster 1425–1460	Succeeded by Edward Plantagenet

Footnotes (including sources)

Thurstan, Phlox, Rtol, Bergsmit, MainTour