On 18 February 1478, aged 28, George, Duke of Clarence, brother to the King of England, was executed. A tradition has grown up that George was drowned in a vat a malmsey, an expensive sweet wine.
Why was Clarence drowned in wine?
On this day in 1478, George duke of Clarence was drowned, so legend has it, in a butt of Malmsey wine for plotting treason against his brother, Edward IV. A member of the Yorkist faction in the Wars of the Roses, George was the younger brother of Edward IV and elder brother of the future Richard III.
How was the Duke of Clarence executed?
He was imprisoned and charged with treason. He was found guilty and was privately executed at the Tower on 18 February 1478, allegedly by drowning in a barrel of malmsey wine. It may be myth, but a portrait thought at one time to be of his daughter Margaret Pole showed her wearing a silver barrel on her charm bracelet.
Did George Duke of Clarence go mad?
Clarence’s mental state, never stable, deteriorated from that point and led to his involvement in yet another rebellion against his brother Edward. In 1477 Clarence was again a suitor for the hand of Mary, who had just become duchess of Burgundy.
Was Richard III a good king?
Rejecting the ‘Tudor myth’ of a calculating schemer who revels in evil, they nevertheless point out that while Richard may not necessarily have been a bad man, he was certainly a bad king whose actions ultimately led to the destruction not only of himself but also of the Yorkist dynasty.
Which English king killed his brother?
Although after his death Richard III was accused of having Edward and his brother killed, notably by More and in Shakespeare’s play, the facts surrounding their disappearance remain unknown. Other culprits have been suggested, including Buckingham and even Henry VII, although Richard remains a suspect.
Who does Richard blame for Clarence’s death?
Queen Elizabeth and her kindred, on the one side, and Hastings, Buckingham, and Richard, on the other, vow to make and keep peace among themselves. Rejoicing about this “united league” is interrupted by news of Clarence’s murder, which King Edward blames on himself and Richard blames on the Queen’s kindred.
Who killed the princes in the tower?
The theory that Richard III killed the princes in the tower is the one most commonly accepted by historians, and originates from Tudor historians’, Polydore Vergil and Sir Thomas More’s, versions of events. It has been argued that Richard had the most motive and could easily access the princes.
Why was the Duke of Somerset executed in 1552?
Although Seymour was released from the Tower and restored to the council in early 1550, in October 1551 he was sent to the Tower on an exaggerated charge of treason. Instead, he was executed for felony (that of seeking a change of government) in January 1552 after scheming to overthrow Dudley’s regime.
What happened to the Duchess of Clarence?
Isabel Neville died on 22 December 1476, two and a half months after the birth of Richard.
What did king Edward the Fourth look like?
King Edward IV was a very tall man, his skeleton, exhumed in 1789, measured 6 feet 3-3/4 inches in height. Edward was well renowned for his fair complexion and good looks.
What happens to George in the White Queen?
He is tried for treason and drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.
Was Richard loyal to Edward?
Richard had been loyal throughout to his brother Edward IV including the events of 1470-71, Edward’s exile and their brother’s rebellion (the Duke of Clarence, who was executed in 1478 by drowning, reputedly in a barrel of Malmsey wine).
Why is Richard III so controversial?
Richard III represents the destruction of that promise and descent into tyranny, which can be seen in Henry’s early actions, including the executions of Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley. They were killed for doing as Henry VII had instructed them, sacrificed to court popularity.
Which King Richard was evil?
Richard III
Thomas More’s unfinished ‘History of Richard III‘, cemented Richard’s reputation as a tyrant. He was described as ‘piteous, wicked’, and responsible for the ‘lamentable murder of his innocent nephews’.
Was John a better king than Richard?
“King John was not a Good King…”
Whereas Richard exhibited little interest in his responsibilities as a king, John (1199-1216) exhibited too much. A bad press over the years has portrayed him as a villain, and the sad truth is that John was really not a very good king.
Which British king killed all his wives?
Henry VIII’s
Henry VIII’s reign (1509-47) is usually remembered for the King’s six wives and his legendary appetite. Infamously, he sent two of his wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, to their deaths on the executioner’s block at the Tower of London.
Which king killed the most?
Whether these unfortunates were once adored royal wives, close friends, respected advisors or simply perceived as enemies of the state, they all contribute to a tally of death that makes Henry VIII the most prolific serial killer England has known.
Which king killed his wives for a son?
Of his six wives, Henry VIII had two killed: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. He accused Anne of adultery, and she was convicted and beheaded on May 19, 1536; that she had not given birth to a male heir was, however, Henry’s primary motive for having her executed.
Who kills Richard III Shakespeare?
In the end, Henry of Richmond raises an army, kills Richard in battle, and becomes King Henry VII.
Why does the dying King Edward IV call together all his family members at his sickbed?
King Edward, whom we meet for the first time, has called the queen and members of the family and court to his bedside. He commands them to be reconciled to one another and to swear to refrain from enmity in the future.