The Real Game of Thrones — Wars of the Roses Part III, The Princes of the TowerFor previous in

The Real Game of Thrones — Wars of the Roses Part III, The Princes of the TowerFor previous installments: Part I, Part IIEdward IV has successfully killed and murdered most of his enemies.  He had defeated the mad Henry VI and become King of England. He had exterminated most of the House of Lancaster, all except for a minor noble named Henry Tudor, who was hiding in France.  Finally he had executed his brother, the Duke of Clarence, who had rebelled against him.The reason why the Duke of Clarence was upset with Edward IV was because Edward decreed that the crown should be inherited by his two sons rather than his younger brothers.  Clarence was dead, and his youngest brother, Richard, seemed to have no aspirations for the throne.  It seemed that his royal line was secure.  Little did Edward IV suspect that Richard was only biding his time, waiting for the right moment to act.On April 9th, 1483 Edward IV died of pneumonia and typhoid.  Before his death he named Richard Protector of England, and thus regent.  While Edward’s oldest son, the 12 year old Edward V, would be king, Richard would rule England in his stead until Edward V came of age.  The two brothers were called from Ludlow to London to be crowned King of England and Prince of Wales.  Richard met them on the way with the guise that he was there to safety escort them.  When they neared London, he kidnapped the two brothers and had them locked up in the Tower of London.  He then made his move, ordering the arrests of various nobles (his rivals and enemies) who protested the brothers imprisonment.  He had them either imprisoned or executed.  In the meantime Richard ordered the clergy of England to give a sermon damning his deceased brother Edward IV as an adulterer and bigamist.  The sermon also declared that the sons of Edward IV were the product of an illegitimate marriage.  After hearing the sermon, the people and nobles of England drew up a petition to have Richard crowned as King.  He accepted the petition, and took the throne as Richard III on July 6th, 1483.As for the two brothers locked up in the Tower of London, little is known about their fate.  The prevailing rumor at the time was that Richard had them smothered with a pillow while they slept. -- source link

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