Review: The Yorkists by Anne Crawford

The Yorkists: The History of a Dynasty by Anne Crawford
Hambledon Continuum, 2007
ISBN: 978 1 85285 351 8

I was excited when Anne Crawford's The Yorkists: The History of a Dynasty appeared on my Amazon screen. Among other works, Crawford, an archivist at Wells Cathedral, has edited Letters of the Queens of England, 1100-1547 and Letters of Medieval Women, both of which are extremely useful for the researcher and novelist.

The Yorkists did not disappoint. This is a concise (less than 200 pages) but information-packed history of the York dynasty, beginning with Richard, Duke of York, and concluding with Elizabeth of York, with a brief look at the fates of those who survived into the reign of Henry VIII.

Naturally, most of the book is devoted to the male members of the dynasty, as they were chiefly the ones who wielded power. Crawford, however, includes a chapter on Edward IV's sisters, including Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy, and the lesser-known Anne, Duchess of Exeter. Anne married Henry Holand, but the marriage broke down, probably in no small part because of Holand's fervent Lancastrian sympathies. Left for dead on the field of Barnet, he took sanctuary at Westminster but was forced into the Tower, where he remained until he was allowed to join Edward IV's French expedition. He drowned mysteriously on the trip home. Anne's lover and eventual second husband, Thomas St. Leger, was loyal to Edward IV but not to Richard III, who beheaded him for his participation in the rebellion of 1483. (Anne wasn't around to intervene, having predeceased her husband.) Episodes like this make The Yorkists fascinating reading.

Crawford takes an unsparing, though fair, approach to Richard III and his actions. She notes his piety and his abilities as a ruler, but also his ruthlessness and his ultimate betrayal of the brother he had served so loyally in life. Though Crawford acknowledges that the mystery of the Princes in the Tower is likely to remain unsolved, she reminds us of the damning fact that it was shortly after Richard seized the throne that they were never seen again.

In appendices, Crawford discusses the pre-contract story and the story of Edward IV's illegitimacy. Crawford is highly skeptical of both stories, though she spends more time on the latter and makes a number of salient points, including the fact that Cecily Neville in her will unequivocally described Edward IV as being the son of the Duke of York.

Balanced and written in a scholarly but accessible, readable style, The Yorkists will be a most useful addition to one's Wars of the Roses library.

Everything's Coming Up Roses

As we know thanks to Sarah, Philippa Gregory is set to write three novels set during the Wars of the Roses: The White Queen, The White Princess, and The Red Queen. Gregory's popularity can't help but aid other historical novelists publishing about the Wars of the Roses in finding readers, so with that in mind, I'm planning some novels of my own. Here are just a few:

Knights in White Satin

A mix-up by a royal clerk leaves Henry VI's troops scrambling for armor at the last minute, and Henry doesn't even notice.

Red Roses for a Blue Lady

After the Battle of Barnet, Somerset tries as best he can to cheer up Margaret of Anjou.

Better Dead Than Red

Before heading out to battle at Tewkesbury, Edward, George, and Richard enter into a suicide pact if things don't turn out as they've planned.

The White Stuff

To his horror, Edward IV discovers that even kings can get dandruff.

The White Bore

Since becoming king, Richard III's had a lot on his mind, and Anne starts to realize that he just hasn't been a lot of fun lately.

Red Letter Day

Nothing makes the exiled Henry Tudor happier than receiving a letter from Mum.

The Red in the Black

Thanks to Henry VII's new treasurer, the crown is solvent once again.

Red, White, and Blue

With nothing to fight about after the Battle of Stoke, Yorkists and Lancastrians alike are down in the dumps.