EDWARD IV

King of England, was born in 1442, died in April, 1483. His father, Richard, Duke of York, was grandson of Edmund, Ear] of Cambridge and Duke of York, fourth son of Edward III, while the rival line of Lancaster descended from Jobn of Gaunt, the third son. The York line had intermarried with the female descendants of Lionel, the second son, which gave it the preferable right to the Crown. Edward, on the defeat and death of his father at the battle of Wake field, a umed his title and, having entered London after his splendid victory over the troops of Henry VI and Queen Margaret at Mortimer’s Cro in Feb. 1461, was declared king by acclamation. The victory of Towton, soon after his acce ion, confirmed his title, and three years after this, on 4th May, 1464, the battle of Hexham completely overthrew the party of Henry V1. The king now made an imprudent marriage with Elizabeth, widow of Sir John Grey, at the very time when he had dispatched the Kar] of Warwick to negotiate a marriage for him with the sister of the French king. He thus alienated powerful friends, and Warwick, pa ing over to the Lancastrian cause, gathered a large army and compelled Edward to fiy (in Sept. 1470). Henry’s title was once more recognized by Parliament. But in 1471 Edward, at the head of a small force given him by the Duke of 70 EDWARD V Burgundy, landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire, and his army, being quickly increased by partisans, marched swiftly on London and took the unfortunate Henry prisoner. Warwick now advanced with an army to Barnet, where a battle was fought, 4th April, 1471, which ended in the death of Warwick and a decisive victory for Edward. Shertiy afterwards KHdward also met and defeated a Lancastrian army, headed b Queen Margaret and her son Kdward, at Tewkesbury. The prince was murdered, and the queen was thrown into the Tower, where Henry VI soon atter died. Hdward was preparing for an expedition against France when he died.