Richard III, 1483-1485

Richard had a fairly fruitless reign. The majority of acts he achieved had been completed by the time he came to the throne. He knew that many people were plotting to oust him and who their chosen successor for him was: Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond who would marry Elizabeth of York, thus uniting the White and Red Rose factions.

Henry did try to invade England, but failed, and this only served to show Richard who Henry's supporters were and to immediately behead them.

Richard's son and heir died and Anne, his wife, became very sick. It was at his time that the King began to court Elizabeth of York in preparation for his wifes death. But this act was too insulting for the people of London and Richard withdrew.

The inevitable invasion came on 7 August 1485 at Milford Haven. The two armies met at Bosworth Field , near Leicester. The King and Henry had one to one combat and Richard could easily have slain Henry, as he was a great and noted fighter and Henry was not. Henry's bodyguard came to the rescue and felled Richard, knocking his crown off. Lord Stanley took the crown and placed it on Henry's head.