Assessment of Edward IV is inextricably bound up not only in the record of his reign, itself much disputed, but also with what proved to be his baleful legacy. Edward IV, the first Yorkist king, ruled for 22 years, ending the Wars of the Roses, redeeming royal prestige at home and abroad, restoring order and public finances, and crushing his opponents. His son succeeded him peacefully, but was deposed within months in favor his uncle Richard III. This book explores how Edward IV’s reputation has changed and analyzes the major issues in light of contemporary and later perceptions of this controversial king
Michael Hicks is Head of History at the University of Winchester, UK
Assessment of Edward IV is inextricably bound up not only in the record of his reign, itself much disputed, but also with what proved to be his baleful legacy. Edward IV, the first Yorkist king, ruled for 22 years, ending the Wars of the Roses in 1471, redeeming royal prestige at home and abroad, restoring order and public finances, and crushing his opponents. His son, while still a minor, succeeded him peacefully, but was deposed within months in favor his uncle Richard III, his uncle. When the War of the Roses resumed, Edward IV's sons met violent deaths as did Richard III. This book explores how Edward IV’s reputation has changed and analyzes the major issues this king and his reign.
"All students, from beginners to hardened campaigners in modern Wars of the Roses debates, will find perceptive, thought-provoking insights that enrich their own understanding of the king and his reign." —Speculum, Michael Jones, University of Nottingham, UK
