Biography of Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers 1453-1491

On 22nd April 1433 John Duke Bedford [aged 43] and [his mother] Jacquetta Luxemburg [aged 18] were married at Thérouanne [Map]. She by marriage Duchess Bedford. The difference in their ages was 25 years. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Peter Luxemburg I Count Saint Pol [aged 43] and [his grandmother] Margherita Baux [aged 39]. He the son of King Henry IV of England and Mary Bohun. They were half fifth cousins. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

The marriage caused a rift with Philip "Good" Duke Burgundy [aged 36], John's late wife's brother, who regarded the marriage, some five months after his sister's death, an insult to her memory. There was no issue from the marriage with John dying a year and a half later.

On 20th July 1460 Thomas Scales 7th Baron Scales [aged 63] was murdered by boatmen whilst travelling from the Tower of London [Map] to Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey [Map]. His daughter [his future sister-in-law] Elizabeth succeeded 8th Baroness Scales. She was, or had been married to, Henry Bourchier (the year of his death may been 1458). She was in 1466 married to Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers [aged 20], brother of King Edward IV's [aged 18] wife Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 23]; an example of the Woodville family marrying rich heiresses.

On 1st May 1464 [his brother-in-law] King Edward IV of England [aged 22] and [his sister] Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 27] were married at Grafton Regis, Northamptonshire [Map]. Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford [aged 49], Elizabeth's mother, being the only witness. The date not certain. She the daughter of Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers [aged 59] and Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford. He the son of Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York and Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York [aged 48]. They were sixth cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 26th May 1465 [his sister] Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 28] was crowned Queen Consort England by Cardinal Thomas Bourchier [aged 47] at Westminster Abbey [Map].

[his brother-in-law] King Edward IV of England [aged 23] attended.

John Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne [aged 23], Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers [aged 25], Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers [aged 12] and William Calthorpe [aged 55] were created Knight of the Bath.

Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey [aged 21] carried her train.

Richard Choke [aged 45] was created Knight of the Bath.

On 27th July 1469 William Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke [aged 46] was executed following his capture at the Battle of Edgecote Moor. His son [his brother-in-law] William [aged 18] succeeded 2nd Earl Pembroke, 2nd Baron Herbert of Raglan. [his sister] Mary Woodville Countess Pembroke and Huntingdon [aged 13] by marriage Countess Pembroke.

On 12th August 1469 Woodvilles father and son were beheaded at Kenilworth Castle [Map] by supporters of Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury [aged 40].

Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers [aged 64] was beheaded. His son Anthony [aged 29] succeeded 2nd Earl Rivers, 2nd Baron Rivers. Elizabeth Scales Countess Rivers by marriage Countess Rivers.

John Woodville [aged 24] was beheaded.

On 30th May 1472 [his mother] Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford [aged 57] died. Not known where she was buried.

On 9th April 1483 [his brother-in-law] King Edward IV of England [aged 40] died at Westminster [Map]. His son [his nephew] Edward [aged 12] succeeded V King of England. Those present included [his sister] Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 46], William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings [aged 52] and Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset [aged 28].

On 13th June 1483 Richard, Duke of Gloucester [aged 30], [future King Richard III] held a Council meeting at the Tower of London [Map] attended by William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings [aged 52], Cardinal John Morton [aged 63], Archbishop Thomas Rotherham [aged 59] and [his brother-in-law] Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham [aged 28]. During the course of the meeting Richard accused William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings, Cardinal John Morton and Archbishop Thomas Rotherham of treasonable conspiracy with the [his sister] Queen [aged 46].

William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings was summarily beheaded at Tower Green, Tower of London [Map]. He was buried in North Aisle St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle [Map] next to King Edward IV of England. His son Edward [aged 16] succeeded 2nd Baron Hastings.

Cardinal John Morton and Archbishop Thomas Rotherham were arrested.

On 25th June 1483 supporters of the Woodvilles were executed at Pontefract Castle [Map]..

Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers [aged 43] was beheaded. His brother Richard [aged 30] succeeded 3rd Earl Rivers, 3rd Baron Rivers.

Richard Grey [aged 26] and Thomas Vaughan [aged 73] were beheaded.

In October 1483 Buckingham's Rebellion was an attempt to replace King Richard III of England [aged 30] with Henry Tudor [aged 26]. Richard Haute took part. He escaped execution, and was subsequently pardoned. Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers [aged 30] was attainted.

On 28th October 1485 [his future brother-in-law] Jasper Tudor 1st Duke Bedford [aged 53] was created 1st Duke Bedford by Henry VII [aged 28] for having supported Henry's claim to the throne. [his sister] Catherine Woodville Duchess Buckingham and Bedford [aged 27] by marriage Duchess Bedford.

Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby [aged 50] was created 1st Earl Derby.

Edward Courtenay 1st Earl Devon [aged 26] was created 1st Earl Devon. It is believed he was restored as 11th Baron Okehampton at the same time?

Reginald Bray [aged 45], John Fitzwalter, Thomas Cokesge, Roger Lewknor, Henry Haydon and John Verney were appointed Knight of the Bath.

On 24th September 1486 Prince Arthur Tudor was christened at Winchester Cathedral [Map] by Bishop John Alcock [aged 56].

Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York [aged 71] held the child. His godparents included Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby [aged 51], William Fitzalan 9th or 16th Earl of Arundel [aged 68], John de Vere 13th Earl of Oxford [aged 44], [his brother-in-law] Thomas Fitzalan 10th or 17th Earl of Arundel [aged 36], [his sister] Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 49] and [his niece] Cecily York Viscountess Welles [aged 17]. Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers [aged 33] was present.

His grandmother Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond [aged 43] has written the Ordinances as to what Preparation is to be made for the Christening of the Child of which she shall be delivered that describe the form of the Christening.

On 25th November 1487 [his niece] Elizabeth of York [aged 21] was crowned Queen Consort England at Westminster Abbey [Map].

Giles Daubeney 1st Baron Daubeney [aged 36], Edward Stafford 2nd Earl Wiltshire [aged 17], Christopher Willoughby 10th Baron Willoughby [aged 34], Giles Daubeney 1st Baron Daubeney, Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers [aged 34], [his former brother-in-law] William Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Huntingdon [aged 36] and Thomas Fitzalan 10th or 17th Earl of Arundel [aged 37], who carried the Rod and Dove, attended as did Cecily York Viscountess Welles [aged 18].