Edward IV Coins

Edward IV of England

Edward of York was born in Rouen, Normandy. He was the second son of Richard, Duke of York. His life was one of conflict; battles for power between the Yorkists and the Beaufort family resulted in the Yorkists fleeing to Ireland and France.

The turmoil caused King Henry VI to suffer a series of mental breakdowns. The loss of his faculties gave more power to his wife, Margaret of Anjou, and her Beaufort family. In 1460 the Yorkists fought back, sieging London and forcing Parliament to recognise Edward's father, Richard - Duke of York, as King Henry VI's heir. A battle later that year saw Richard killed, at which point Edward became the head of the House of York.

Edward declared himself King in 1461, which lasted until 1470. Henry briefly became the King again between 70 and 71, before being replaced again by Edward. Henry saw out the rest of his life imprisoned in the Tower of London, while Edward enjoyed a relatively calm reign.

A strategic slip-up against France risked defeat, and so forced an uneasy truce between them and England. In 1483, Edward IV succumbed to illness - believed to be either pneumonia or typhoid - leaving his son, Edward V, as the heir to the throne. His brother, Richard - Duke of Gloucester, was to act as Protector. Richard performed this role briefly before overthrowing Edward V, taking the throne as Richard III, and imprisoning Edward and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury.