Thus was the Tudor dynasty founded, of whom we shall hear more in the next chapter. Henry VII united the rival Houses of York and Lancaster by marrying Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV. The Wars of the Roses ended in 1487 with the Battle of Stoke, when John, Earl of Lincoln, Richard III’s nephew and heir, perished. But the tragedy of the House of York would be drawn out for a further eighty years, during which time its surviving members were either brutally eliminated or neutralised by the usurping, ever-suspicious Tudors.

Henry IV

FATHER: John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster(

see here, under Edward III).

MOTHER: Blanche of Lancaster(

see here, under Edward III).

SIBLINGS: (

see here, under Edward III)

HENRY IV

He was born probably on 3 April, or – less probably – on 30 May, 1367, at Bolingbroke Castle, Lincs. He was made a Knight of the Garter on 23 April, 1377, and styled Earl of Derby from 16 July, 1377. He was created Earl of Northampton and (probably) Earl of Hereford in right of his wife on 22 December, 1384. He was created Duke of Hereford on 29 September, 1397, and succeeded his father as Duke of Lancaster, Earl of Leicester and Earl of Lincoln on 3 February, 1399. He usurped the throne of England upon the abdication of Richard II on 30 September, 1399, and was crowned on 13 October, 1399, at Westminster Abbey.

Henry IV married firstly, between 20 July, 1380, and 10 February, 1381, either at Rochford, Essex, or at Arundel Castle, Sussex:

Mary

She was the daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton, by Joan, daughter of Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, a descendant of Henry III. Her sister Eleanor was married to Henry IV’s uncle, Thomas, Duke of Gloucester (

see here, under Edward III). Mary was born around 1369/70. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1388. She died on 4 June, 1394, at Peterborough Castle, in childbirth, and was buried in St Mary’s Church, Leicester. Her remains were later removed to Trinity Hospital, Leicester.

Issue of marriage:

1   Edward

He was born in April, 1382, and died aged 4 days. He was perhaps buried in Monmouth Castle Chapel.

2 Henry V(

see here).

3 Thomas

He was born on 29 September, 1388, either at Kenilworth Castle, Co. Warwick, or in London. He was made a Knight of the Bath on 12 October, 1399, when the Order was founded by his father, and a Knight of the Garter in c.1400. He was created Duke of Clarence and Earl of Aumale on 9 July, 1412. He was killed on 22 March, 1421, at the Battle of Baugé, France, and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral.

Thomas had the following illegitimate issue:

1  John de Clarence; he was a knight, and was sometimes known as the Bastard of Clarence.

Thomas married, after 10 November, 1411 (date of dispensation) (although no evidence exists as to where):

Margaret

She was the daughter of Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent, son of Joan, Princess of Wales (

see here, under Edward III), by Alice, daughter of Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, a descendant of Henry III. Margaret was born in c.1381/5. She married firstly John Beaufort, Marquess of Somerset, son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ( see here, under Edward III), and had issue. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1399. She died on 30/31 December, 1439, at St Saviour’s Abbey, Bermondsey, London, and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent.

4   John

He was born on 20 June, 1389. He was made a Knight of the Bath on 11 October, 1399, when the Order was founded by his father, and a Knight of the Garter in c.1400. He was created Earl of Kendal and Duke of Bedford on 16 May, 1414, and Earl of Richmond on 24 November, 1414. He died on the night of 14/15 September, 1435, at his house called ‘Joyeux Repos’ at Rouen, Normandy, and was buried in Rouen Cathedral, Normandy.

John had the following illegitimate issue:

1  Richard.

2  Mary ( d. after 1458); she married Peter of Montferrat.

John married firstly by proxy on 13 or 17 April, 1423, at Montbar, France, and in person on 14 June, 1423, at Troyes Cathedral, France:

Anne

She was the daughter of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, by Margaret, daughter of Albert of Bavaria, Count of Hainault, Holland and Zeeland, and she was born around 1404/5 at Arras, Burgundy, France. Anne died on 14 November, 1432, at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, Paris, in childbirth, and was buried in the Church of the Celestines, Paris. Her remains were later removed to the Chartreuse de Champnol, Dijon, Burgundy, France.

Issue of marriage:

(i)   Unnamed child

It was born in November, 1432, in Paris, and died shortly after its birth.

John married secondly, on 20 or 22 April, 1433, at the Bishop’s Palace, Thérouanne, France:

Jacquetta

She was the daughter of Peter of Luxembourg, Count of St Pol, by Margaret, daughter of Francis del Balso or Baux, Duke of Andria, and she was born in 1416 (?). After the death of Bedford, she married secondly Richard Woodville or Wydville, 1st Earl Rivers (1405?–executed 1469), between 16 September, 1435, and 23 March, 1436, and had issue:

1  Elizabeth; she married Edward IV (

see here).

2  Anne (1438?–1489); she married firstly William, Viscount Bourchier (killed 1471 or d.1483?), son of Isabella Plantagenet (

see here, under Edward III) and cousin of Edward IV, and had issue. She married secondly Sir Edward Wingfield, and thirdly George Grey, Earl of Kent ( d.1503).

3  Margaret (1439?–1490/1); she married Thomas Maltravers, Earl of Arundel (1450?–1524).

4  Anthony, 2nd Earl Rivers (1440/2?–executed 1483); he married firstly Elizabeth (1436?–1473), daughter of Thomas, Baron Scales of Neucelles. He married secondly Mary, daughter of Sir Henry FitzLewes. Anthony had illegitimate issue.

5  Mary (1443?–by 1481); she married William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and Huntingdon ( d.1491), and had issue.

6  Jacquetta (1444/5?–1509); she married John le Strange, Baron Strange of Knockin ( d.1479), and had issue.

7  John (1445–executed 1469); he married Katherine ( d.after 1483), daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, by Joan Beaufort (

see here, under Edward III).

8  Lionel, Bishop of Salisbury (1446?–1484).

9  Edward (killed 1488).

10  Richard, 3rd Earl Rivers ( d.1491).

11  Thomas; he married Anne Holland.

12  John ( d.young).

13  Lewis ( d. young).

14  Katherine, Duchess of Buckingham and Bedford (

see here, under Henry V).

15  Martha; she married Sir John Bromley.

16  Eleanor or Joan; she married Anthony Grey, Baron de Ruthin ( d.1480), and had issue.