• OTHER TITLES:
  Duke of Gloucester
  
• BIOGRAPHY
  Richard was born on 2 October 1452 at Fotheringay Castle, the son of Richard, 3rd duke of York, and Cicely Nevill.
  
  In June 1461, at the coronation of his brother, he was created Duke of Gloucester. In contemporary sources he was described as dark, short and slight, with uneven shoulders; however, there are no references to him as having been hunchbacked.
  
  In September 1370 he fled with his brother, Edward IV, to Flanders after the Lancastrian invasion led by Margaret of Anjou and Richard Neville, 'the Kingmaker'. Richard commanded the vanguard for Edward IV at the decisive battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury in 1471, in which the House of York finally crushed the Lancastrian forces. It was rumoured that Richard killed Henry VI's son, Edward, Prince of Wales, after Tewkesbury, and murdered the captive Henry VI in the Tower of London soon after.
  
  He was rewarded with the substantial northern estates of the Earl of Warwick and married the Earl's daughter, Anne Neville. Richard then disputed the Neville inheritance with his brother George, Duke of Clarence, who had married Anne's sister in 1469.
  
  With Edward IV's support, Richard became master of the north of England. Here he won admiration for upholding justice and bringing peace to this area as well as for leading an effective campaign against the Scots in 1482.
  
  When Edward IV died on 9 April 1483, the royal council planned the immediate coronation of his son, Edward V, as this would avoid a minority government and leave the power in hands of the Widville family. However, on 24 April 1483, Richard seized Edward V and arrested Anthony Widville, Earl Rivers, and named himself protector of England. Edward IV's widow, Elizabeth Widville, took sanctuary in Westminster Abbey with her daughters and other son, Richard, Duke of York.
  
  In June 1483, Richard took Lord Hastings, a one-time supporter, and had him put to death. Ten days later Anthony Woodville was also executed. Edward V was taken to the Tower of London and, on Richard's behalf, the Archbishop of Canterbury persuaded Elizabeth Widville to allow her younger son to join Edward V in The Tower. The legitimacy of Edward IV and Elizabeth Widville's children was called into question and, on 26 June 1483, Richard took the throne.
  
  In January 1484, Richard III passed a number of statutes of benefit to his subjects. However, opposition became focussed on Henry Tudor, especially after the rumours that both Edward V and his brother had been murdered by Richard III. On 7 August 1485, the exiled Henry Tudor and his forces arrived at Milford Haven in Wales and, on 22 August 1485 at Bosworth, were met by the army of Richard III. Although this army was larger, morale was low amongst his troops and Lord Stanley, previously loyal to Richard III, changed sides and so tipped the balance against Richard III. The last Plantagenet king died leading a charge against his Tudor rival.