fyhenryelizabeth:request by anon: Elizabeth of York + childhoodLife early taught Elizabeth that she
fyhenryelizabeth:request by anon: Elizabeth of York + childhoodLife early taught Elizabeth that she had to cope with events over which she had no control. At age three, her holiday in Norwich was interrupted by Warwick’s capture of Edward IV, changing dramatically the child’s luxurious, royal life to one of “scant state.” A year later, Elizabeth and her two younger sisters found themselves living in the even more straightened confines of Sanctuary, where her mother gave birth to Prince Edward. Further, her father used her as a pawn in his political games. Twice, she was betrothed: at age four to George Neville -Edward IV’s peace offering to Warwick- and at age nine to the Dauphin of France. Jilted at age 16 -when Louis XI cut a better deal with Maximilian- the princess was left bereft when Edward IV unexpectedly died.Emotional turmoil during the summer of 1483 added to Elizabeth’s lessons in life: once again living in Sanctuary, she saw her two brothers disappear into the Tower, learned of the executions of her uncle Anthony Wydeville and her half-brother Sir Richard Grey, and suffered Parliament’s declaration that she was a “Bastard.” The mature Elizabeth of York emerged from a childhood where she learned to survive overwhelming tragedies. Those lessons helped her prevail during the decade of rebellions against Henry’s reign–and later when coping with the death of her son Arthur.–Arlene Okerlund -- source link