Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond - The Tudor Society The Tudor Society Get to know the personalities behind Tudor history You are here : Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond 1 year ago Today marks the anniversary of the death of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, on 1st November 1456. He died from the plague at Carmarthen Castle. Thank you to Sarah Bryson for writing this article on Edmund for us. Henry Tudor, King Henry VII, was the founder of the Tudor Dynasty. His mother was the imposing Margaret Beaufort who risked everything to see her son on the throne and in turn the houses of Lancaster and York united through the marriage of her son to Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV. But who was Henry Tudor's father? While so much is known about Henry's mother, his father is a much more elusive figure and sadly he did not live to see his only son and heir claim the English throne. Edmund Tudor was the son of Owen Tudor and the Dowager Queen Katherine Valois.

Young and beautiful Katherine Valois was the French consort of the great King Henry V and the mother of Henry VI. She was just twenty years of age when her husband Henry V died on the 31st August 1422 at the Chateau de Vincennes, near Paris, while in Europe campaigning. It was reported that Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, sought to marry the Dowager Queen and it may very well have been that Katherine returned these feelings. In response, Parliament set out a statue which stated that no man was allowed to marry a former queen of England without a special licence and permission from the King. If a man dared to marry a former queen then not only would he forfeit his lands and tenements, he would also forfeit his life. The Duke of Somerset paid attention to this statue and reined back his intentions. However, Owen Tudor was a completely different story. Reported to be a squire in the service of the dowager queen, Owen Tudor soon caught the queen's attention.

There are various stories as to how this happened, one being that while dancing Owen fell into the queen's lap, another being that she spied him while he was swimming naked – whatever the true story is, the pair married in secret, going against the statute of parliament. The pair had several children together, the two most famous of those being Edmund Tudor and his younger brother Jasper. Edmund Tudor was born around 1430 at Hadham, Hertfordshire. It has been suggested that Edmund was the son of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, as there are no Edmunds in either Owen Tudor or Katherine Valois' families. However, this is unlikely and it may simply be that he was named after the duke in his honour or that both Owen and Katherine liked the name. Katherine would have several more children before retiring to the Abbey of Bermondsey in 1436 where she died less than a year later on 3rd January 1437. At just six or seven years of age, Edmund and his younger brother Jasper went to live with Catherine de la Pole, Abbess of Barking.

Unfortunately there are very few details of Edmund's early years, but it is known that both Owen and Jasper were raised with Catherine de la Pole until around 1442, when they were taken to court to meet their older half-brother, King Henry VI. After this time, the King took charge of Edmund and Jasper's education and Edmund remained at court. Sketch of the effigy of Edmund Tudor To strengthen the position of the King's half-brothers, on 23rd November 1452 Henry VI had Parliament begin the process to declare both Edmund and Jasper legitimate. The King then created Edmund Earl of Richmond while his younger brother Jasper was created the Earl of Pembroke. They were to take precedence above all the noblemen below the rank of a duke. Then on 5th January 1453, at the Tower of London, both Edmund and Jasper were knighted. Finally, on the 6th March 1453, the Commons petitioned the king to declare Edmund and Jasper as his legitimate brothers, due to them sharing the same mother, and the king graciously accepted.

In 1454, The king made several large grants to Edmund to strengthen his land base and wealth, and in addition to this, on 24th March, Edmund and Jasper were jointly granted the wardship of nine year-old Lady Margaret Beaufort. Margaret Beaufort, daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, was the sole heiress to her father's great fortune. She had originally been betrothed to John de la Pole, son of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, but the king annulled the marriage and sought a marriage for the young heiress elsewhere. To secure Margaret's wealth, Edmund married her on 1st November 1455. He was twenty four/five years of age and she was just twelve. Although the accepted age for marriage during the Tudor period was around twelve years of age for girls and fourteen years of age for boys, most believed that twelve was far too young for a girl to be participating in sexual intercourse. Thus, many young married couples were ordered to wait to have sex until the girl was around fourteen to sixteen years of age.

However, Edmund decided not to wait until his new wife was fourteen and wished to consummate the marriage as soon as possible to secure its legitimacy. Shortly afterwards, Margaret became pregnant. She gave birth before she was even thirteen years old. It is believed that due to her young age and slender frame the birth had a dramatic and lasting effect upon her body and despite marrying twice more she never conceived another child. Edmund did not live to see the birth of his son, the future Henry VII. During this time, the famous Wars of the Roses had begun. There were periods of time when King Henry VI was not able to rule effectively, due to what was suspected to be some form of mental illness. During this time, the Duke of York took control of the kingdom and ruled as Protector of the Realm. When Henry VI returned to full sanity, his wife, Margaret of Anjou, and Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, took control once more. Soon war was declared between the houses of York and Lancaster and while the Wars of the Roses are far too great to detail here it was in one of these battles that Edmund was involved and which led to his end.

Edmund, a Lancastrian and fighting for his king and half-brother, was captured in 1456 by William Herbert, a Yorkist supporter. Edmund was taken to Carmarthen Castle in Wales, where he was held captive. It was there on 1st November 1456 that he died of the plague, just two months before his only son and heir was born. There were rumours at the time that Edmund had been poisoned or perhaps succumbed to injuries sustained during fighting, but nowadays it is generally accepted that he died of the plague. Edmund was buried at the monastery of Grey Friars in Carmarthen. However in 1539, more than eighty years after his death, at the dissolution of the monasteries, Edmund's grandson Henry VIII had his grandfather's remains moved to the to the choir of St David's Cathedral, where they remain today. At the time of his death, Edmund's lands were valued at around £600 a year and they reverted back to the crown. However, Edmund's young wife Margaret received a dower of £200 a year.

Edmund's younger brother Jasper took care of his young sister-in-law, taking her in to stay with him at Pembroke Castle. It was there, on 28th January 1457, that Edmund's son and heir, Henry VII, was born. Sarah Bryson is the author of Mary Boleyn: In a Nutshell. She is a researcher, writer and educator who has a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education with Honours and currently works with children with disabilities. Sarah is passionate about Tudor history and has a deep interest in Mary Boleyn, Anne Boleyn, the reign of Henry VIII and the people of his court. Visiting England in 2009 furthered her passion and when she returned home she started a website, queentohistory.com , and Facebook page about Tudor history. Sarah lives in Australia, enjoys reading, writing, Tudor costume enactment and wishes to return to England one day. She is currently working on a biography of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Sources Image: The shrine of St David and the tomb of Edmund Tudor, © Copyright Philip Pankhurst and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Bayani, Debra (2014), Jasper Tudor: Godfather of the Tudor Dynasty. Gregory, Philippa (2015) Edmund Tudor, Philippa Gregory, viewed 17 October 2015, . Higginbothom, Susan (2013) Arms and the Man: Was Edmund Tudor Illegitimate?, History Refreshed, viewed 17 October 2015, . Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage and Death 2013, BBC Scotland. Ridgway, Claire (2012) On This Day in Tudor History, MadeGlobal Publishing. Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond | Queen to History Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Posted on November 15, 2015 by Sarah Henry Tudor, King Henry VII, was the founder of the Tudor Dynasty. His mother was the imposing Margaret Beaufort who risked everything to see her son on the throne and in turn the houses of Lancaster and York united through the marriage of her son to Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV. But who was Henry Tudor’s father?

While so much is known about Henry’s mother, his father is a much more elusive figure and sadly he did not live to see his only son and heir claim the English throne. Edmund Tudor was the son of Owen Tudor and the Dowager Queen Katherine Valois. Young and beautiful Katherine Valois was the French consort of the great King Henry V and the mother of Henry VI. She was just twenty years of age when her husband Henry V died on the 31st August 1422 at the Chateau de Vincennes, near Paris, while in Europe campaigning. It was reported that Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, sought to marry the Dowager Queen and it may very well have been that Katherine returned these feelings. In response, Parliament set out a statue which stated that no man was allowed to marry a former queen of England without a special licence and permission from the King. If a man dared to marry a former queen then not only would he forfeit his lands and tenements, he would also forfeit his life. To read the rest of my article on Edmund Tudor please head on over to The Tudor Society…. Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond .

Share this: Edmund Tudor Archives - The Tudor Society The Tudor Society Get to know the personalities behind Tudor history You are here : Today marks the anniversary of the death of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, on 1st November 1456. He died from the plague at Carmarthen Castle. Thank you to Sarah Bryson for writing this article on Edmund for us. Henry Tudor, King Henry VII, was the founder of the Tudor Dynasty. His mother was the imposing Margaret Beaufort who risked everything to see her son on the throne and in turn the houses of Lancaster and York united through the marriage of her son to Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV. But who was Henry Tudor’s father? While so much is known about Henry’s mother, his father is a much more elusive figure and sadly he did not live to see his only son and heir claim the English throne.

Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (1430 - 1456) - Genealogy Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love Build your family tree online Share photos and videos Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Also Known As: Royal Manor of Hadham, Hertfordshire, England Death: Saint David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, Wales Immediate Family: 1430 - Much Hadham Palace, Hertfordshire or Hadham, Bedfordshire, England Death: Nov 1 1456 - Carmarthen Castle, South Wales Parents: Sir Owen Tudor, Catherine England Wife: Henry of England Siblings: Jasper Tudor, Tacinda Tudor, Mary Tudor, David Tudor, Owen Tudor, Edward Tudor, Margaret Catherine Tudor, Thomas Tudor July 13 1430 - Much Hadham Palace In Hertfordshire Or, Bedfordshire, England Death: Between Jan 10 1430 and Jan 9 1431 - Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, England Death: Nov 12 1

456 - Carmarten Castle, Wales, England Mother: Henry VII King of England Tudor, Henry VII Tudor Brother: brother About Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond "Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (1430 – 1 or 3 November 1456), also known as Edmund of Hadham (Welsh: Edmwnd Tudur), was the father of King Henry VII of England and a member of the Tudor family of Penmynydd, North Wales." ==================================================================== ==================================================================== Citations / Sources: [S11] Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 148.

Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Family. [S11] Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Family, page 148, says 1 November. [S8] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 1, page 220. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition. [S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 45. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

[S338] Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families (2004), Richardson, Douglas, edited by Kamball G. Everingham, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2004), FHL book 942 D5rd., p. xxix. [S452] #21 The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant (1910), Cokayne, George Edward (main author) and Vicary Gibbs (added author), (New edition. 13 volumes in 14. London: St. Catherine Press,1910-), vol. 1 p. 28; vol. 2 p. 45 fn. (c), 73, 206; vol. 4 p. 207. [S2436] #4569 Welsh Genealogies AD 1400-1500 (1983), Bartrum, Peter C. (Peter Clement), (18 volumes, with supplements containing additions and corrections.

Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales, 1983), FHL book 942.9 D2bw., vol. 8 p. 1284*; vol. 9 p. 1567. [S712] #1039 Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families: with Their Collateral Branches in Denbighshire, Merionethshire (1914), Griffith, John Edwards, (Horncastle, England: W.K. Morton, 1914), FHL book Folio 942.9 D2gr; FHL microfilm 468,334., p. I, 26, 106*, 158*, 223*. [S1800] #771 The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fodog and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen and Meirionydd (1881-1887), Lloyd, Jacob Youde William, (6 volumes. London: T.

Richards, 1881-1887), FHL book 942.9 D2L; FHL microfilms 990,213-990,214., vol. 2 p. 135*; vol. 4 p. 283*. [S2434] #2105 Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches Between the Years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn (1846), Dwnn, Lewys; transcribed and edited with notes by Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, (2 volumes. Llandovery: William Rees, 1846), FHL book 942.9 D23d; FHL microfilm 176,668., vol. 2 p. 88*, 88 fn. 1, 108*. [S2411] #11915 British Genealogy (filmed 1950), Evans, Alcwyn Caryni, (Books A to H.

National Library of Wales MSS 12359-12360D. Manuscript filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950), FHL microfilms 104,355 and 104,390 item 2., book 6 p. F4, 5; book 8 p. H45*. [S673] #1079 A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans into Wales down to the Present Time (1904-1993), Bradney, Sir Joseph Alfred, (Publications of the South Wales Record Society, number 8. Five volumes in 13. London: Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1904-1993), FHL book 942.43 H2b., vol. 2 p. 26. [S2436] #4569 Welsh Genealogies AD 1400-1500 (1983), Bartrum, Peter C. (Peter Clement), (18 volumes, with supplements containing additions and corrections.

Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales, 1983), FHL book 942.9 D2bw., vol. 8 p. 1284. [S712] #1039 Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families: with Their Collateral Branches in Denbighshire, Merionethshire (1914), Griffith, John Edwards, (Horncastle, England: W.K. Morton, 1914), FHL book Folio 942.9 D2gr; FHL microfilm 468,334., p. I, 106. [S712] #1039 Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families: with Their Collateral Branches in Denbighshire, Merionethshire (1914), Griffith, John Edwards, (Horncastle, England: W.K. Morton, 1914), FHL book Folio 942.9 D2gr; FHL microfilm 468,334., p. 158.

[S2411] #11915 British Genealogy (filmed 1950), Evans, Alcwyn Caryni, (Books A to H. National Library of Wales MSS 12359-12360D. Manuscript filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1950), FHL microfilms 104,355 and 104,390 item 2., book 6 p. F4, 5. [S2434] #2105 Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches Between the Years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn (1846), Dwnn, Lewys; transcribed and edited with notes by Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, (2 volumes. Llandovery: William Rees, 1846), FHL book 942.9 D23d; FHL microfilm 176,668., vol. 2 p. 108.

[S2434] #2105 Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches Between the Years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn (1846), Dwnn, Lewys; transcribed and edited with notes by Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, (2 volumes. Llandovery: William Rees, 1846), FHL book 942.9 D23d; FHL microfilm 176,668., vol. 2 p. 88 fn. 1. Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond's Timeline 1430 Edmund Tudor (1430 - 1456) - Find A Grave Memorial Carmarthen Carmarthenshire, Wales English Aristocracy. He was the 1st Earl of Richmond and father of King Henry VII of England. He was the older son of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois who was the former wife of King Henry V of England. It is not known for sure if he was born at Much Hadham Palace in Hertfordshire or at Hadham in Bedfordshire.

King Henry VI recognized him as Earl of Richmond in November 1452. He married Lady Margaret Beaufort of the powerful Beaufort family in November of 1455 when she was only twelve years old. It was in the beginning of the Wars of the Roses that he was captured by the Yorkist Herbert family. He was imprisoned at Carmarthen Castle in South Wales where he caught the plague and died. King Henry VI, his only child was born posthumously at Pembroke Castle only two months after his death.

(bio by: Cemetery Cop) King Henry VII | Britroyals Father: Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort Born: January 28, 1457 at Pembroke Castle, Wales Ascended to the throne: August 22, 1485 aged 28 years Crowned: October 30, 1485 at Westminster Married: Elizabeth of York, on January 18 1486 Children: Arthur, Margaret, Henry, Elizabeth, Mary, Edmund, Katherine Died: April 21, 1509 at Richmond Palace, aged 52 years, 2 months, and 21 days Buried at: Westminster Abbey Henry was the son of Edmund Tudor, earl of Richmond, who died before Henry was born, and Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of Edward III through John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Although the Beaufort line, which was originally illegitimate, had been specifically excluded (1407) from all claim to the throne, the death of the imprisoned Henry VI (1471) made Henry Tudor head of the house of Lancaster.

At this point, however, the Yorkist Edward IV had established himself securely on the throne, and Henry, who had been brought up in Wales, fled to Brittany for safety. The death of Edward IV (1483) and accession of Richard III, left Henry the natural leader of the party opposing Richard, whose rule was very unpopular. Henry made an unsuccessful attempt to land in England during the abortive revolt (1483) of Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Thereafter he bided his time in France until 1485 when, aided by other English refugees, he landed in Wales. At the battle of Bosworth Field, Leicestershire, he defeated the royal forces of Richard, who was killed. Henry advanced to London, was crowned, and in 1486 fulfilled a promise made earlier to Yorkist dissidents to marry Edward IV's daughter, Elizabeth of York. He thus united the houses of York and Lancaster, founding the Tudor royal dynasty. Although Henry's accession marked the end of the Wars of the Roses, the early years of his reign were disturbed by Yorkist attempts to regain the throne.

The first serious attempt, an uprising in favour of the imposter Lambert Simnel, was easily crushed (1487). In 1494, Henry sent Sir Edward Poynings�to Ireland to consolidate English rule there. Poynings drove out of Ireland the Yorkist pretender Perkin Warbeck, who then sought support from the Scottish king, James IV. James attempted (1496) to invade England, but the next year, under pressure from Spain, he expelled Warbeck. The latter was defeated shortly thereafter in an attempted invasion of Cornwall. A truce (1497) between England and Scotland was followed by the marriage (1503) of Henry's daughter Margaret Tudor,�to James a marriage that led ultimately to the union of the monarchies of England and Scotland. Henry succeeded in crushing the independence of the nobility by means of a policy of forced loans and fines. His chancellor, Cardinal Morton, was made responsible for the collection of these fines, and they were enforced by the privy councillors Empson and Dudley.

Henry married his son Arthur to Catharine of Arag�n, daughter of Ferdinand II of Arag�n and Isabella of Castile, his daughter Margaret to James IV of Scotland, and his youngest daughter Mary to Louis XII of France. After Arthur died in 1502, an agreement was reached by which Catharine married Arthur's brother Henry (later Henry VIII). King Henry VII's Signature Learn and talk about Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, 15th-century English people, Earls of Richmond (1452), House of Lancaster, House of Tudor St David's Cathedral , Pembrokeshire Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (11 June 1431 – 3 November 1456), also known as Edmund of Hadham ( Welsh : Edmwnd Tudur), was the father of King Henry VII of England and a member of the Tudor family of Penmynydd , North Wales. Born to Owen Tudor and Queen dowager Catherine of Valois , Edmund was half-brother to Henry VI of England . After being raised for several years by Katherine de la Pole , Henry took an interest in Edmund's upbringing.

Once he came to age, Edmund was granted a title and lands by Henry. Both Edmund and his brother Jasper , were each made advisers to the King as they were his remaining blood relatives. They were made the senior Earls in the Royal Court and had influential positions in the Parliament of England . Edmund was also granted Baynard's Castle , London, and ran a successful estate. He was married to Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby , after her first marriage was annulled. Prior to the start of the Wars of the Roses , Edmund liaised with Richard of York and supported him when the King fell ill during 1453 and 1454. After war began in 1455, York sent Edmund to uphold the authority of the King in South Wales. While he was there, York was overthrown by the King and in retaliation, Yorkist forces were sent to engage those of Tudor's in South Wales. Edmund was captured at Carmarthen Castle, and died there of the bubonic plague on 3 November 1456.

Contents Birth and early life[ edit ] Catherine of Valois gave birth to Edmund in secret, away from the Royal court Following the death of Henry V of England , the Queen dowager Catherine of Valois married Owen Tudor . The marriage was in secret, and was not common knowledge until after Catherine's death. It is accepted that Catherine and Owen were married around 1429/30, as the Queen stopped living in the household of her son, Henry VI and Owen was granted the rights of an Englishman in the Parliament of May 1432. [1] The children of Catherine and Owen were born away from court; their first son, Edmund, was born at Much Hadham Palace , Hertfordshire . The manor house was one owned by the Bishop of London . In 1436, his mother retired to Bermondsey Abbey , where she died on 3 January 1437. With Catherine dead, the Queen's enemies moved against Owen. He was called to London, and was acquitted by the Royal court of charges relating to the marriage. While en route to Wales, he was arrested and imprisoned in Newgate Prison .

After he escaped in early 1438, he was recaptured and imprisoned once more in Windsor Castle . [2] Following the death of their mother and the imprisonment of their father, Edmund and his brother Jasper were brought up in the care of Katherine de la Pole , the daughter of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk , with whom they remained till at least March 1442. Henry VI began to take notice of his half-brothers by that point. He ensured that he was placed in the care of priests who oversaw their teaching. [2] Edmund, along with his brother and father were taken into Henry's royal household. Henry was seemingly fond of his half brothers, and ennobled each of them with Edmund becoming Earl of Richmond on 15 December 1449 and Jasper, Earl of Pembroke on 23 November 1452. [3] Earl of Richmond[ edit ] Coat of arms of Edmund Tudor, first Earl of Richmond As Earls, and recognised by court as the King's half brothers, Edmund and Jasper had unparalleled precedence over the other laypersons in court with the exception of the Dukes.

They were each given lands, although Jasper received a yearly stipend until Pembroke became available. After seven years of marriage to Margaret of Anjou , Henry was still without children. After the death of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester , the royal line was at risk and considerations were made about the Tudor brothers inheriting the throne. There were concerns that while they had descended from the French royal line through Catherine, they had no blood relation to the English throne. [3] Both Edmund and Jasper were among a small group of personal advisers to the King by 1452, representing the only blood relations in court. [4] However, neither was skilled at matters of state within England, and instead they were primarily given the task of ensuring the authority of the King within Wales. [5] This resulted in a long held affection for the family in that country. [4] The formal investiture of the duo took place in the Tower of London on 5 January 1453. Later that year on 6 March, they took their seats in the Parliament of England as the head of all the Earls in the court.

After a petition by the House of Commons of England , both Jasper and Edmund were recognised officially as legitimate half-brothers of the King and removed the statutory disabilities attributed with being considered Welsh. Throughout 1452 and 1453, they were given large monetary grants from the King, while Edmund was also given property in Westmorland and Lancashire . Edmund ran a profitable estate and invested in the wool industry based out of Boston, Lincolnshire . The King also granted him the medieval palace of Baynard's Castle , near to the Thames river in London. [6] Marriage and the Wars of the Roses[ edit ] Edmund was given the wardship of the nine-year-old Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby , daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset on 24 March 1453. She was the only heir of Beaufort and a kinswoman of the King. She had descended from the House of Lancaster through the eldest of John of Gaunt 's bastard sons, John Beaufort .

[7] She had been previously married to John de la Pole , whose father, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk had intended to seek the claim to the throne of her and any children should Henry fail to produce any heirs. [8] William was murdered in 1450, and the marriage between Margaret and John was annulled in the first months of 1453 to enable her to be remarried to Edmund. It was this marriage on 1 November 1455 at Bletsoe Castle which enabled any offspring to lay claim to the English throne due to the inheritance of the Plantagenet blood through Margaret. [8] A crisis emerged during the summer of 1453, as Henry fell ill lasting over 17 months, leaving him incommunicado and needing to be carried from place to place. Several parties sought to take power during this period, including Richard of York . Henry's wife, Margaret of Anjou, demanded to be declared Regent for the King, causing a division between her and the Tudor brothers who wished to lend assistance to York.

[5] However, Edmund did not attend the Parliament of 3 April 1454 where York was named protector of the realm during Henry's ongoing illness. Edmund continued to attend the advisory council for Richard of York, although not as frequently as his brother Jasper. Both brothers were in attendance during a meeting in November of that year when a decision was made to reduce the size of the Royal Household. As a result, they each received an entourage of a chaplain, two esquires , two yeomen and two chamberlains . [9] When the King recovered during the Christmas period of 1454, and dismissed York, with resultant hostility, it left both the Tudor brothers in a quandary. On 22 May 1455, Edmund was not present when the Wars of the Roses began with the First Battle of St Albans where Henry was captured by the forces of Richard of York. [9] [10] Both brothers attended the following Parliament where York was once again named Protector of England. While York cancelled the majority of the grants Henry had made during his reign, those to Edmund and Jasper were exempt.

Both brothers were absent from the second session of Parliament that year when it began on 12 November; [11] Edmund had been sent to Wales to ensure that the King's authority was enforced there after Gruffydd ap Nicholas had begun to move against other holdings. [12] Capture, captivity and death[ edit ] Tomb of Edmund Tudor, St David's Cathedral Gryffydd made war with the troops under Edmund, capturing the castles at Aberystwyth , Carmarthen and Carreg Cennen by June 1456. The rebellion didn't last long, and by early August, Edmund's forces had retaken those castles although minor skirmishes continued for several months longer. While Edmund was in Wales, the King had deposed York. In retaliation, York sent 2,000 men under William Herbert on 10 August to take South Wales. When they arrived at Carmarthen Castle, they took the stronghold and captured Edmund Tudor. [13] As Herbert's troops moved on to Aberystwyth, [13] Edmund was left behind, imprisoned in Carmarthen Castle. On 3 November 1456, Edmund became infected with the bubonic plague and died.

He was buried at the nearby Franciscan Church in Carmarthen . There were suspicions that Edmund may have been murdered, and so a trial was held several months later with several parties accused, but no one was found guilty. Edmund's remains were removed to the choir of St David's Cathedral , Pembrokeshire in 1539, due to the dissolution of the monasteries enacted by King Henry VIII of England , of the Royal House of Tudor . [14] #OnThisDay in 1431: Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, was born – Royal Central #OnThisDay in 1488: James III of Scotland is murdered When he was born on June 11, 1431, he was already the son of a Queen. Later in his life, he would father a son who would go on to be the King of England. However, despite lending his name to one of the most famous royal dynasties in English history, Edmund Tudor is virtually unknown. However, his short life was interesting and eventful.

Shortly after the death of King Henry V, his widow, the Dowager Queen Catherine secretly entered into a relationship with Owen Tudor, a Welsh courtier. Catherine was the daughter of King Charles VI of France, and the mother of the young King Henry VI, who was born a few months before his father’s death. It was while she was living with her infant son that Catherine met Owen, who was possibly a member of the Dowager Queen’s household. As it was unprecedented for a King’s widow to remarry, Catherine and Owen were forced to wed in secret. Catherine became pregnant soon after, and stopped living with her royal son, who was ten years old by then. Their first child, Edmund Tudor, was born in Hertfordshire, away from the hustle and bustle of the Royal Court. Another son, Jasper, was born soon afterwards. Because the Tudors led an extremely private life, it remains uncertain as to how many children Catherine and Owen had. Sadly, Catherine died in childbirth in 1437, and with the Dowager Queen dead, the King’s courtiers arrested and imprisoned her second husband for marrying without the young King Henry’s permission.

With their father in prison, six-year old Edmund and his younger brother were suddenly left without a guardian. They were brought up by Katherine de la Pole, the sister of the Duke of Suffolk. Making use of her brother’s close connection with the King, Katherine persuaded Henry to take an interest in his younger half-brothers. King Henry grew very fond of the two boys, and they joined his household. He also granted a general pardon to Owen Tudor, and restored his lands to him. As they grew older, Edmund and Jasper become an integral part of King Henry’s court. When he turned 18, Edmund was made the Earl of Richmond, which meant that he ranked higher than everyone except Dukes in the Royal Court. As blood relations of the King, both Tudor brothers were part of his intimate circle of advisors. Edmund also received sizable grants of money and land, including Baynard’s Castle in London. in 1455, Edmund was married to 12 year-old Margaret Beaufort, who was the daughter of the Duke of Somerset and a descendant of King Edward III. However, at the time of their marriage, England was in turmoil.

King Henry had taken ill, and was catatonic and incapable of running the country. It was around this time that Richard, Duke of York began his bid for power, setting into motion a series of events that would lead to the Wars of the Roses. When the war began with the First Battle of St Albans, Edmund was not present, having been sent to Wales to enforce the King’s authority. Meanwhile, King Henry had been captured by the Duke of York, who was named Protector of England during his illness. In 1456, York sent an army to South Wales, where they took Carmarthen Castle and captured Edmund Tudor. Edmund died of the plague on November 3, 1456, while still in imprisonment. He was 25 years old, and he left behind a young widow who was pregnant with their son. Edmund’s only child was born a few months after his death, and went on to become King Henry VII, the first Tudor King of England. Related Items

Question: Which English monarch was the son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond?
Answer: King Henry VII