Anne of Lancaster

**Anne of Lancaster**, (4 January 1452 - 24 July 1511), also called **Anne of Somerset**, was **Queen Consort of England** as the wife of Richard III. She is the author of the *Chronicle of Anne Beaufort*, a detailed manuscript about Anne's life. Along with her sisters Rosaline of Somerset-Lancaster and Elizabeth of Somerset-Lancaster she is one of the Three Queens of York despite being from a cadet branch of the House of Lancaster.

## Early Life

Anna was born in 1452 as the fourth born daughter of Edmund Beaufort and his wife, Eleanor Beauchamp. Anna was considered a very intelligent girl and could speak fluent French, Latin and Spanish by 1461. She was a great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt and a great-great granddaughter of Edward III of England. She was born into the powerful House of Beaufort, a cadet branch of the House of Lancaster and more commonly apart of it. This made Anna originally from Lancastrian descent.

## Marriage

In 1458, the 7 year-old Anne, with her elder sister Elizabeth of Somerset-Lancaster, attended the wedding of her 17 year-old sister, Rosaline of Somerset-Lancaster. It was at the wedding where Anne's brother Henry got the idea of marrying his youngest sister to another one of the sons of Richard, 3rd Duke of York. He had tried unsuccessfully to marry Anne to Edmund, Earl of Rutland, and both parties wanted another marriage. Anne wrote about it in her chronicle, saying "after the delightful marriage of my dearest sister Rosalina, my dearest brother Henry attempted to negotiate me to marry a man nine years my senior, and who was my sister's brother-in-law. I politely refused, but he kept trying until I became engaged to another." That another was Richard of York, a 6 year-old boy who was a few months younger than Anne. Anne and Richard remained engaged until the death of the Duke of York, when Edward and Rosaline inherited his titles. The betrothal was briefly broken off until 1461, when Edward became king. Edward had his brother marry Anne on 4 July 1461.

## Love Feud

Anne allied with Edward in the Love Feud. She believed King's could do whatever they wanted to. Anne proved to be a skilled military commander during this time.

## Queen Consort

After Edward's death, Anne's nephew Edward took the throne. Anne's husband Richard had been appointed his Lord Protector. Anne wanted to help Richard run the country, however Richard had Edward and his brother illegitimate. He said that Edward was still legally married to Rosaline Beaufort when he married Elizabeth Beaufort and therefore the children Edward had with Elizabeth were illegitimate. Richard proclaimed himself King, and Anne became his Queen. Anne was now tasked with continuing Rosaline and Elizabeth's legacy of shaping England into what they desired. Rosaline and Elizabeth both helped Anne with this

## Dowager Queen

Anne was present at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and ran a division there. She witnessed her husbands death before her eyes, and reportedly screamed out loud in horror. Her sister Rosaline was his successor and she treated the now dowager queen with respect. Anne didn't remarry as she didn't want her chosen one to meet the same fate. Rosaline had a special cathedral made for Anne, called the Anne Beaufort Cathedral. Anne, Lilliana Lilycrest, and the rest of the Lilycrest family are buried there.

## Death

Anne fled to Calais with Elizabeth when Rosaline died. Anne's cousin, Henry, had seized the throne from Rosaline's eldest daughter and his own wife Elizabeth. Henry didn't give his aunts their land or titles back, they ended up appealing but only Anne was successful. Elizabeth died in Calais, and Anne had her body returned to England where she would return later. Anne was let into the court of her cousin. Anne died on the 24th of July 1511 at Hampton Court Palace, where she was allowed to stay by Catherine of Aragon. Catherine was the niece of Joanna of Castile and the cousin of Amelia I of Sicily, who died in 1479.

## Book Portrayals

Anne is most frequently recognised in Mercury's book of Queens. Most of Queen Anne's portraits didn't survive, so these were the only accurate colour representations that people could find. The only known portrait of Anne is a sketch that was started in 1484 and finished in 1500.