Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York

Also known as: R. Yorke / Richard duke of York / Richard late duke of Yorke / duke Richard / lord Richard Plantagenet / lord Richard Plantagenet duke of Yorke · Family: England · Role: duke of York · First appears: Richard II 29

In 1424, after Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March died without issue, his inheritance descended to Richard Plantagenet, son and heir of Richard of Conisburgh, Earl of Cambridge. Around 1425, Henry VI created him Duke of York and he was knighted during the same feast. In 1435 he was appointed regent in France, though Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset hindered his dispatch; their rivalry deepened into mortal war. Richard later invaded Anjou and Maine with Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, was again made regent of France in 1441, and in 1445 was discharged from Normandy when John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset received that office, while Henry VI revoked Richard’s further grant of the French regency.

By 1447, Richard had secretly declared his title and right to the crown. Around 1451, he secretly planned with John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon, and Edward Brooke, Lord Cobham to remove the king’s councillors, chiefly Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. He raised ten thousand men, demanded Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset’s imprisonment, and offered to dissolve his army, but later submitted to Henry VI, received a pardon, was briefly kept as a prisoner, and swore to remain a faithful and obedient subject. In 1454 he became protector of the realm while Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury became chancellor and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick captain of Calais; in 1455, after civil factions formed around Henry VI and Richard’s claim through Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, he joined the two Nevilles and marched on London. At Saint Albans, his army defeated Henry VI’s forces and killed the leading commanders.

The factions later agreed to reconciliation, but renewed conflict drove Richard, Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick to raise an army. After Andrew Trollope defected to Henry VI, Richard fled through Wales into Ireland with his younger son Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Rutland, while his lands and titles were confiscated and he was attainted. Around 1460 he returned to Westminster, occupied the king’s principal lodging “more like to a king than a duke,” and declared his title openly, saying, “I haue and doo take possession of this roiall throne.” Parliament preserved Henry VI’s crown during his lifetime but named Richard heir apparent and protector, and Richard swore to protect the king’s life, reign, and dignity.