Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville (c.
Elizabeth Woodville (c. 1437–1492) was queen consort of England as the wife of Edward IV during the Wars of the Roses. Her marriage helped bridge the Yorkist and Tudor dynasties.
What it is
Elizabeth Woodville was born around 1437 into the noble Woodville family and first married Sir John Grey of Groby. After his death, she secretly wed Edward IV in 1464, becoming queen consort during a turbulent period of English history.
Why it matters
Elizabeth Woodville's daughter, Elizabeth of York, married Henry VII, uniting the rival Houses of York and Lancaster and founding the Tudor line. This marriage ended the Wars of the Roses and shaped later English and British monarchy.
Key details
She was mother to Edward V and Elizabeth of York. After Edward IV's death, Richard III took the throne. Elizabeth Woodville later withdrew to Bermondsey Abbey, where she died in 1492. She is buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, alongside Edward IV.
In short
- Queen consort of Edward IV during the Wars of the Roses.
- Her daughter, Elizabeth of York, married Henry VII, linking York and Tudor.
- Mother of Edward V and Elizabeth of York.
- Died in 1492 at Bermondsey Abbey.
Quick questions
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Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-WoodvilleSupports: Queen consort of Edward IV, death date, children, and political significance
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_WoodvilleSupports: Birth estimate, family background, marriages, reign dates, and burial
- Westminster Abbey — https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/elizabeth-woodville/Supports: Parentage, sanctuary at Westminster Abbey, later life, death, and burial context
- Simple English Wikipedia — https://www.simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_WoodvilleSupports: Marriage to Edward IV and relationship to Edward V and Elizabeth of York