• Welcome
  • Blog
  • Interviews
    • Nathen Amin
    • Simon Anderson
    • Dr. John Ashdown-Hill
    • Catherine Hokin
    • Matthew Lewis
    • Amy Licence
    • Toni Mount
    • Claire Ridgway
    • Dmitry Yakhovsky
  • Library
  • Shop
  • Research Trips
    • Tewkesbury Abbey
  • About
  • Other related websites
  • Contact
  The Wars of the Roses Catalogue

25 August 1485, execution of William Catesby, Richard III's closest advisor

25/8/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Today, 25 August, in 1485, execution by beheading of William Catesby in Leicester, at the age of about 35. He was the son of Sir William Catesby of Ashby St Ledgers and Philippa Bishopston.
Catesby and one of Richard III closest friends and advisors. Catesby had been captured at the Battle of Bosworth or soon after.

Just before his execution Catesby made his last will, leaving its fulfilment entirely to his wife, 'to whom, I have ever been true of my body.' He wished his wife to restore all the land he had wrongfully purchased, and to divide the rest of his property among their children. 'I doubt not, the king will be good and gracious lord to them; for he is called a full gracious prince, and I never offended him by my good and free will, for God I take to my judge I have ever loved him.' And even more remarkable he wrote : 'My lords Stanley, Strange, and all that blood, help and pray for my soul, for ye have not for my body as I trusted in you. Perhaps suggesting he had surrendered to the Stanleys who had promised him protection but broke word and handed him to Henry for execution.

Catesby lands were confiscated but eventually in 1496 restored to his son George. Catesby was buried in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin and Leodigarius in Ashby-St-Ledgers.

Comments

Exclusive Richard III prints by artist Dmitry Yakhovsky

19/8/2017

Comments

 
Picture
I'm very excited and pleased to announce that, to commemorate the Battle of Bosworth, you can now order a limited-edition print of a unique Richard III painting exclusively done for The Wars of the Roses Catalogue by the amazing artist Dmitry Yakhovsky. There are only 50 prints available, so don't miss out and order one now on the website! To order it click HERE

Here you can see the process of painting:
Comments

7 August 1485, Henry Tudor's arrival at Mill bay

7/8/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Henry Tudor's arrival at Mill Bay 7 August 1485, by Graham Turner.
Without encountering any obstacle at sea, Henry Tudor and his c. 4000 followers had sailed from the coast of Harfleur arriving safely at Mill Bay, along the rocky Pembrokeshire coastline after a 6-days journey on 7 August 1485.
Preparations had been going on for their arrival and amongst those waiting on the shore was Jasper’s half-brother and Henry’s uncle, the 26-year-old David Owen, illegitimate son of Owen Tudor who had spent the first years of his life with Henry at Pembroke Castle.

Picture
Picture
Henry’s mixed sense of relief and anxiety was obvious. He then ‘kissed the ground meekly, and reverently made the sign of the cross upon him’. Soon after their landing Henry also decided to knight eight of his foremost followers – his uncles David Owen and John, Lord Welles, Philibert de Chandée, James Blount, Edward Courtenay, John Cheyne, Edward Poynings and John Fort.
Picture
Tomb effigy of Henry's uncle Sir David Owen in St. Mary's Church in Easebourne, Sussex (courtesy of Jean McCreanor)
​Their first task was to climb up the steep sea cliff, followed by the decision to go the village of Dale and its castle and set up camp in the village. According to Henry’s biographer Bernard André, Henry, perhaps especially mindful of his French troops, reprimanded his men not to do anything to others, ‘either by word or by deed, which you not wish to have done to yourselves’. Rules of war were crucial if authority was to be maintained and order kept.
Both Jasper and John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford inspected the French troops in order to determine what gear and weaponry they were short of. It was probably, the constable of Pembroke, Richard Williams, who hastened 200 miles over 4 days, to King Richard at Nottingham and told him the news about their landing. Good news also came, the people of Pembroke ‘were ready to serve Jaspar ther erle’.   
                                                                            

Further reading: 
  • W.H. Blaauw, ‘On the effigy of Sir David Owen’,  pp. 25, 38, 39, vol. 7, History and Antiquities of that county, The Sussex Archaeological Society, vol. 7 (London 1854).
  • Fabyan, p. 672.
  • Harleian 78 fo. 31v.
  • Vergil, p. 216
  • Debra Bayani, Jasper Tudor, Godfather of the Tudor Dynasty, p. 187-208 (MadeGlobal Publishing 2015)
Comments

Battle of Bosworth - The Aftermath

22/8/2016

Comments

 
'"A battle was fought. King Richard was killed on the battlefield and the Earl of Richmond was crowned King of England on the field with Richard's crown." Philippe de Commines.

Amongst Richard III’s men casualties were ofcourse heavy. Amid his closest supporters the elderly John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, Walter Devereux (the younger), Lord Ferrers, Richard’s close companion Sir Richard Ratcliffe, Keeper of the Tower of London Sir Robert Brackenbury, Controller of the King’s household Sir Robert Percy and the King’s secretary  John Kendall were all killed in battle. Richard’s other close friend Sir William Catesby fled but was soon captured and executed. Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland and Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey (son of the slain Duke of Norfolk) were both taken into custody and imprisoned but later restored to their lands and titles. John de la pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln, Francis Viscount Lovell and the brothers Humphrey and Thomas Stafford all escaped.
Polydore Vergil reported that a 1,000 men were slain amongst Richard III’s  men and about 100 on Henry Tudor’s side. According to Vergil Henry’s standard bearer Sir William Brandon was ‘the only one from the nobility’ who had fallen on the victor’s side. For my second book (The Wars of the Roses Visitors Companion: Wales and the Borders, Book 1) I recently travelled through Wales and the borders and discovered that this is not the case. Sir Humphrey Cotes (or Coates) of Woodcote joint Henry’s army on route between Shrewsbury to Bosworth around 19 August, at Muster Hill near Woodcote, Shropshire. While on the winning side Sir Humphrey Cotes did not return home, he was killed during battle. He was buried at the church on the grounds of his home Woodcote Hall. Eventhough kept locked I was very lucky to visit the church and see the beautiful incised slab to Sir Humphrey Coted and his wife Eleanora Blount.
Picture
Incised slab to Sir Humphrey Cotes and his wife. © Debra Bayani.
Comments
    Picture
    Wars of the Roses Postcards AVAILABLE NOW!
    Picture
    The Wars of the Roses Colouring Book AVAILABLE NOW!
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    May 2019
    February 2019
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All
    13th Earl Of Oxford
    1st Earl Rivers
    2nd Duke Of Buckingham
    3rd Duke Of Buckingham
    3rd Earl Rivers
    8th Earl Of Kildare
    Agnes Of Burgundy
    Alexander Bruce Of Earlshall
    Alison FitzEustace
    Anne Neville
    Anne Of Gloucester
    Anne Woodville
    Anthony Woodville
    Battle Of Blore Heath
    Battle Of Bosworth
    Battle Of Stoke Field
    Battle Of Towton
    Bishop Of Salisbury
    Book Reviews
    Bruges
    Cecily Neville
    Cecily Of York
    Charles The Bold
    Charles VIII
    Christmas
    Colouring Book
    Countess Of Westmorland
    David Owen
    Duchess Of Buckingham
    Duchess Of Clarence
    Duke Of Bedford
    Earl Of Derby
    Earl Of Devon
    Earl Of Exeter
    Earl Of Pembroke
    Earl Of Salisbury
    Earl Of Tankerville
    Earl Of Warwick
    Edmund Tudor
    Edward 17th Earl Of Warwick
    Edward Courtenay
    Edward Courtenay Earl Of Devon
    Edward IV
    Edward Poynings
    Edward Stafford
    Edward V
    Edward Woodville
    Eleanor Woodville
    Elizabeth Of York
    Elizabeth St. John
    Elizabeth Woodville
    George Stanley
    Gerald FitzGerald
    Guillaume De Casenove
    Henry Bourchier
    Henry Grey
    Henry Stafford
    Henry Tudor
    Henry VI
    Henry VII
    Isabella Of Bourbon
    Isabel Neville
    Isabel Of Cambridge
    Jacquetta Of Luxembourg
    Jacquetta Woodville
    James Blount
    James Touchet
    James-touchet-lord-audley
    Jasper Tudor
    Jasper Tudor Duke Of Bedford
    Jasper Tudor Duke Of Bedford. Earl Of Pembroke
    Joan Beaufort
    John Bourchier
    John Cheyne
    John De Vere
    John De Vere 13th Earl Of Oxford
    John Fort
    John Neville
    John Of Lancaster
    John The Fearless
    John Welles
    Katherine Woodville
    Keynsham Abbey
    Lambert Simnel
    Lewis Woodville
    Lionel Woodville
    Lord Audley
    Lord Fauconberg
    Lord Scales
    Lord Strange
    Margaret Beaufort
    Margaret Of Anjou
    Margaret Woodville
    Marques Of Dorset
    Marquess Montagu
    Marquess Of Montagu
    Martha Woodville
    Mary Of Burgundy
    Pembroke
    Pembroke Castle
    Philibert De Chandee
    Philippe Lullier
    Philip The Good
    Prince Edward Of Lancaster
    Ralph Neville. Earl Of Westmorland
    Rhys Ap Thomas
    Richard Duke Of York
    Richard Guildford
    Richard III
    Richard Neville
    Richard-neville-earl-of-salisbury
    Richard Williams
    Richard Wingfield
    Richard Woodville
    Roger Kynaston
    Sir Humphrey Cotes
    Sir William Brandon
    Thomas FitzGerald
    Thomas Grey
    Thomas Neville
    Thomas-neville-lord-fauconberg
    Thomas Stanley
    Thomas-stanley-earl-of-derby
    Thornbury Castle
    Tower Of London
    Walter Devereaux
    Westminster Abbey
    William Bourchier
    William Catesby
    William Herbert
    William Stanley
    Windsor Castle

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Interviews
    • Nathen Amin
    • Simon Anderson
    • Dr. John Ashdown-Hill
    • Catherine Hokin
    • Matthew Lewis
    • Amy Licence
    • Toni Mount
    • Claire Ridgway
    • Dmitry Yakhovsky
  • Library
  • Shop
  • Research Trips
    • Tewkesbury Abbey
  • About
  • Other related websites
  • Contact