1470! An air of chuminess begins with the new decade! But before long it will inevitably fade!
King Edward IV.
(Elizabeth’s hubby!)
Some of his actions could be described as rather grubby!
Yes! And he is beginning to look somewhat chubby!)
The king’s fondness for good food and drink was beginning to show hence, chubby King Ted!
However,’Grubby King Ted’ was exactly what Earl Warwick thought of his sovereign lord. But what to do?’ He plotted to invade England and topple Edward from the throne with the aid of King Louis of France. Warwick’s aim was to replace Edward with Henry VI. This suited Louis’ purpose but there was one mighty obstacle. Henry’s queen, Margaret of Anjou had a pathological hatred of the earl.
‘Would Queen Margaret reconcile with Warwick? My goodness no she said!
In that case replied King Louis, you will have to put your plan to dethrone Edward to bed!’
King Louis using all of the persuasive devices for which he was known, eventually drew Queen Margaret into his orbit. She would enter into an alliance with Warwick. The alliance would be cemented in holy matrimony. Margaret’s son, prince Edward and Warwick’s daughter, Anne Neville would marry. The scene for an invasion of England was now set. One of Warwick’s main collaboraters was Jasper Tudor, Henry VI’s half-brother.
‘Prince Edward would marry Warwick’s daughter, Anne!
Now was the time to set into motion, the invasion plan!’
The invasion was a two pronged assault, one would come from the west in Wales and the other from England’s south coast. Warwick’s fleet arrived in the west of England on the 13th of September. The Earl received a tumultous welcome, many flocking to his standard. Worse still, was the fact that many of Edward’s allies had deserted him for Warwick. Mass desertions greatly depleted his army and he quickly realised that support for him had collapsed. The unfortunate Edward IV fled to Holland in the hope of being granted refuge.
Meanwhile on October 6th, Warwick entered London and freed Henry VI from the tower, he was to be restored to the throne.
He may have been given the sack!
But now!
He’s back!
(without vengence)!
‘First kill!
Blood on Tower Hill!’
Henry was prepared to be magnaminous but many of the people were out for revenge. The first casualty of Henry’s restored reign was the deeply hated John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester.
‘Master executioner. I do beseech thee!
Pray sever my head in blows of three!’
He lost his head at Tower Hill on October 14th having asked the axeman to sever his head in three blows as a rather grim tribute to the Holy Trinity.
By late 1470, Warwick was handling the levers of power in England but was still unsure of the loyalty of some of the people of power in the realm.