Timeline of Key Dates | King Edward IV Timeline Key events |
| King Edward IV reigned as King of England from March 4, 1461 - Oct 31,1470 and April 11, 1471 - April 9, 1483 |
1442 | Edward of York was born on April 28, 1442 at Rouen. Edward was the son of Richard, Duke of York (1411-1460) and Cecily Neville (1415-1495) |
1454 | Richard, Duke of York, Edward's father, was named regent as Protector of the Realm due to the mental illness of King Henry VI, and started pressing his Yorkist claim to the throne |
1455 | May 22, 1455: The First Battle of St Albans was the start of Civil war in England called the Wars of the Roses |
1455 - 1460 | There were constant clashes between the Lancastrian faction of King Henry VI, his wife Margaret of Anjou and the Yorkist forces led by Richard, Duke of York and the Earl of Warwick |
1460 | Battle of Northampton, on July 10, 1460: The Yorkist army under Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick ( the Kingmaker ) captured King Henry VI |
1460 | King Henry VI again suffered a bout of madness and Richard Duke of York was again appointed Regent of England |
1460 | October 1460 the Act of Accord: Richard, Duke of York was named as successor to the throne, disinheriting Henry's six year old son Prince Edward |
1460 | The Battle of Wakefield: Richard took a strong position at Sandal castle and far out numbered the Lancastrian army. Unbelievably Richard left Sandal castle and was defeated by the Lancastrian army. Richard was killed in the battle. His son, Edward of York, now pressed his claim to the throne of England |
1461 | March 4: Edward of York was declared King Edward IV of England |
1464 | May 4: Edward marries Elizabeth Woodville (c. 1437-1492). They have three children: Elizabeth of York (1466-1503) and the two little princes - Edward V (1470- c. 1483) and Richard, Duke of York (1473 - c. 1483) |
1470 | A rebellion led by Warwick and Clarence failed and they were forced to flee to France where they made an alliance with Margaret of Anjou |
1470 | The French support an English invasion led by Margaret, Warwick and Clarence. |
1470 | King Edward IV was forced to flee when Warwick's brother, John Neville changed to the Lancastrian side |
1470 | 3 October 1470, Readeption of Henry VI: Henry VI was briefly restored to the throne of England |
1471 | March: King Edward IV lands with an invasion force in England |
1471 | Battle of Barnet -14 April: King Edward IV wins the battle and Warwick is killed. |
1471 | Battle of Tewkesbury - May 4: King Edward IV wins a decisive victory and the Lancastrian male line are virtually destroyed. Edward, Prince of Wales was one of those who were killed |
1471 | May: Queen Margaret and her daughter-in-law, Anne Neville, are taken as prisoners by King Edward IV |
1471 | May 22, 1471: The death of King Henry VI at the Tower of London. The cause of his death is unknown, but he is believed to have been murdered. |
1471 | King Edward IV continues on his role as King of England |
1475 | King Edward IV declared war on France |
1475 | The Treaty of Picquigny: The treaty with France gave King Edward 75,000 crowns and a yearly pension of 50,000 crowns |
1476 | King Edward IV, a notorious womaniser, started his affair with Jane Shore, his most famous mistress |
1478 | February 18, 1478: Edward's brother, the Duke of Clarence, was imprisoned in the Tower of London for treason. He was "privately executed" (later tradition states he drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine) |
1483 | Easter: Edward fell ill during Easter 1483. He named his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester as Protector after his death and entrusted his young sons and little princes, Edward and Richard, to his care |
1483 | King Edward IV died: April 9, 1483 at Westminster. He was buried at Windsor Castle |
1483 | The young prince ascended the throne as Edward V when his father died in 9th April 1483. Edward V was joined by his brother Prince Richard at the Tower of London to await his coronation |
1483 | 16th June 1483: The coronation of Edward V was cancelled |
1483 | June 25 1483: Parliament declared the two little princes illegitimate and, as next in line to the throne, their uncle and Protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was declared the true King. The two little princes were never seen again |
1483 | 26 June 1483: Richard, Duke of Gloucester was declared King Richard III |
Timeline of Key Dates | King Edward I Timeline Key events |