he had previously visited at the head of a military expedition in 1394-1395. Henry of Lancaster seized on the opportunity afforded by the king's absence, and landed on July 4 (see Henry IV.). Richard at once hurried back, but had neither heart nor power to withstand his cousin. He submitted to Lancaster at Flint, Aug. 19, was carried to London, and placed in the Tower. On Sept. 29 he resigned the crown, and on the following day was likewise deposed by the Parliament, which chose Henry of Lancaster as his successor.
A month after his resignation Richard was condemned to perpetual imprisonment by Parliament. His fate is wrapped in obscurity, beyond the almost certain fact that he met a violent death, for which it is not altogether clear that Henry IV. was responsible. A month after Henry's accession some noblemen of Richard's party formed a conspiracy to restore Richard to the throne, but their purpose was discovered. No doubt this decided the fate of Richard; at all events, authentic history knows nothing more about him from this time.
RICHARD III., King of England; son of Richard, Duke of York, a descendant of Edmund, Duke of York, fifth son of Edward III.; born in Fotheringay Castle, Oct. 2, 1452. After the defeat and death of his father in 1460 he was sent, along with his brother George, to Utrecht for safety, but returned to England after his eldest brother Edward won the crown (1461). Two years later he was created Duke of Gloucester, his brother George being made Duke of Clarence. In the final struggle between the York and Lancaster factions he took an active share; he led the van at the battle of Barnet, rendered valuable aid in winning the fight of Tewkesbury, and is believed, on fairly good evidence, to have had a hand in the murder of Prince Edward, son of Henry VI., who was slain after that battle. All through the reign of Edward IV. he gave valuable and faithful support to his brother, and was rewarded by him with every confidence, and with numerous high offices. He was believed to have been concerned in the murder of Henry VI. in the Tower on May 21, 1471; but the evidence, though strongly pointing in that direction, is not conclusive.
In the following year he married Anne, the younger daughter of Warwick the Kingmaker, who had been betrothed to the murdered Prince Edward. This alliance was greatly resented by Clarence, who had married the elder sister, and wished to keep all of Warwick's vast possessions in his own hands. Clarence quarreled, too, with King Edward, who in 1478 procured his impeachment by Parliament. The refractory duke was put to death privately in the Tower on Feb. 18. Of this judicial murder Gloucester is likewise accused; but the evidence for his complicity is very slight. In 1482 he was put in command of the army that invaded Scotland. Along with the Duke of Albany he entered Edinburgh; but his one warlike achievement was the capture of Berwick town and castle. In the following year, while still in Yorkshire, he heard of King Edward's death (April 9), and
RICHARD III.
learned that he himself had been named guardian and protector of his son and heir, Edward V., then aged 13. On his way S. the Protector arrested Earl Rivers and Lord Richard Grey, the uncle and step-brother of the young king, and confined them in his castles. All who were of the old nobility, and resented the rise of the Woodvilles, rallied round Richard. From this time Richard of Gloucester schemed for the crown, and by craft, boldness, and utter unscrupulousness carried his project into execution.
The arrest of Rivers and Grey had put the king entirely into his hands, for the queen-mother had hastened to take sanctuary at Westminster. On June 13 Gloucester suddenly accused Lord Hastings, an influential member of the council, of treason, arrested him there and then, and had him instantly beheaded. The "crime" for which Hastings died was changing sides from Richard to the Woodville party. On June 16 the queen-dowager was induced to give up, at the
