**RICHARD III**, King of England. — Born on 2 Oct. 1452 at Fotheringay, died on 22 Aug. 1485. In 1461 he received the title of Duke of Gloucester. He energetically supported his brother EDWARD IV against HENRY VI, but there is no evidence of his personal responsibility in the latter’s death. EDWARD IV, trusting in the loyalty hitherto shown him, on his death in 1483 appointed RICHARD guardian of his young sons EDWARD V and RICHARD of York.
RICHARD had EDWARD V confined in the Tower of London and forced the queen mother to surrender the other son; then he declared EDWARD IV a usurper and had himself proclaimed king. Immediately afterwards he ordered the murder of the two nephews. Recognised by the Pope and Spain, he incurred the hostility of France, which had given asylum to exiles, among them the Welsh HENRY TUDOR, Earl of Richmond, a Lancastrian claimant. Despite efforts to reform the administration, his cruelty aroused widespread opposition, which increased when he proposed to marry ELIZABETH of York, sister of the two murdered boys. The malcontents of the rival houses of York and Lancaster united against him. HENRY TUDOR, landing in 1485 on the coast of Wales, succeeded with local support in raising a small army. In the fierce battle on the 22nd, despite desperate bravery, RICHARD was defeated and slain.
The following year HENRY TUDOR married ELIZABETH, thus ending the Wars of the Roses through the reconciliation of York and Lancaster and inaugurating the Tudor dynasty.
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