Boy-king Edward V of England reigned for only two months. The story of his disappearance and likely murder is one of the great mysteries of English history.Historic UK: The Mystery of the Princes in the Tower
Fast Facts:
- Born: November 4, 1470
- Father: Edward IV
- Mother: Elizabeth Woodville
- Became king: April 9, 1483
- Never crowned
- Deposed: June 25, 1483
- Despite rumors implicating both Richard III and Henry VII, no conclusive proof exists that the king and his younger brother were murdered.Historic UK: The Mystery of the Princes in the Tower
A Brief Reign
Edward assumed the throne on April 9, 1483, at age twelve, following the sudden death of his father, Edward IV. His uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was to serve as regent. Richard met up with the young king and his brother, ten-year-old Richard of York, as they traveled from Wales to London so that the elder boy could assume the throne. Housing them in the Tower of London, Richard then had Parliament declare the boys illegitimate, and on June 25, he claimed the throne himself.
A Mysterious End
Edward and Richard were never seen publicly again. Sir Thomas More, and later William Shakespeare, popularized the claim that the two boys were killed on Richard's orders. Other suspects, including the future King Henry VII, have also been suggested. There were also rumors that one or both boys survived. For example, in 1495, Perkin Warbeck claimed the throne as Prince Richard.TudorHistory: Perkin Warbeck and his Friends
Skeletons in the Tower
In 1674, the skeletons of two children were unearthed in the Tower of London and claimed to be the remains of the "Little Princes." Despite forensic tests that were done in 1933, it was impossible to determine conclusively whose bones they were.Historic UK: The Mystery of the Princes in the Tower
Edward V Background and Profiles
Edward V Timeline
1470: Born on November 4
1471: Named Prince of Wales
1473: Brother Richard born on August 17
1483: Becomes king upon the death of his father, Edward IV on April 9
1483: Declared illegitimate and deposed on June 25
1483: Disappeared after being confined to the Tower of London
1495: Perkin Warbeck asserts that he is Edward's brother Richard, Duke of York
1674: Bones dug up in the Tower of London are claimed to belong to Edward and his brother
1674: The bones are re-interred in Westminster Abbey
1933: Testing of the skeletons fails to identify them conclusively
