Text this colour links to Pages. Text this colour links to Family Trees. Place the mouse over images to see a larger image. Click on paintings to see the painter's Biography Page. Mouse over links for a preview. Move the mouse off the painting or link to close the popup.
Birth of Edward of Westminster is in 1453-1458 Wars of the Roses: First War.
On 13th October 1453 Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales was born to Henry VI (age 31) and Margaret of Anjou (age 23) at Westminster Palace [Map]. King Henry had suffered his first bout of mental illness three months before. When presented with Prince in January 1454 he made no response - see Paston Letters Volume 2 235. A letter from Prospero di Camulio, Milanese Ambassador to the Court of France, etc., to Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan makes reference to Henry having said that the child "must be the son of the Holy Spirit".
In 1459 the English Chronicle makes reference to Edward being illegitimate eight years after his birth... "The quene was defamed and desclaundered, that he that was called Prince, was nat hir sone, but a bastard goten in avoutry [adultery]"
Various online sources suggest the child was fathered by either Edmund Beaufort 1st or 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 47) or his son-in-law James Butler 1st Earl Wiltshire 5th Earl Ormonde (age 32) without referring to contemporarty sources. He married 13th December 1470 his half third cousin Anne Neville Queen Consort England, daughter of Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury and Anne Beauchamp 16th Countess Warwick.
Bale's Chronicle [1450-1460]. Item the moneth of Octobr [1453] the day of seint Edwarde which is the xiij day þerof of the quene beyng at Westminster had a prince. Wherefor the belles rang in every chirch and Te Deum prince solempny song. And he was cristened at Westminster and his godfadres been the Cardinall Erchebisshop of Cauntbury Chanceller called Kemp and the Duk of Somerset and his Godmoder Duches of Buk. Of whoos birth the peple spake stranngely. And a geinst his birth was begonne a newerk at Westminster a place for a worys.1
Note 1. "And about the time of his birth, a new building was begun at Westminster — a place for the nuns." 'worys' the plural of 'wore' i.e. a woman under religious vows.
Chronicle of Robert Fabyan [-1512]. 13th October 1453. And in ende of this mayers yere, and begynnynge of the xxxii yere of the kyng, that is to meane, upon the daye of Translancion of seynt Edwarde, or the xiii day of Octobre, the quene (age 23), at Westmynster, was delyuered of a fayre prynce, for the whiche great reioysynge and gladnesse was made in sundry placys of Englonde, and speciallye within the cytie of London, wherof the expressement of the cyrcumstance wolde axe longe leysoure to vtter. This prynce beynge with all honour and reuerence sacryd & crystened, was named Edwarde, and grewe after to perfyght and goodlye personage; and lastlye of Edwarde the iiii was slayen at Tewkysburye felde, as after to you shall be shewyd, whose noble mother susteynyd not a little dysclaunder and obsequye of the common people, sayinge that he was not the naturall sone of kynge Henrye, but changyd in ye the cradell, to hyr great dyshonour and heuynesse, which I ouer passe.
An English Chronicle. 13th October 1453. The xxxij. yere of kyng Harry, and the yere of oure Lorde M1.iiijc.liiij. [Prince Edward was born Saturday 13th October, feast of translation of Edw. Conf. 1453.] on the Saturday the xiiij. day of Octobre, in the feste of seynt Edwarde the Confessoure, was bore at Westmynstre Edward the furst sone of kyng Harry (age 31); whoos godfadres were master Johan Kempe (age 73), archebysshoppe of Caunterbury and bysshoppe cardinal of Rome, and Edmunde (age 47) duke of Somerset, his godmother was the duchesse of Buckynghame (age 45): and master William Wayneflete (age 55), bysshop of Wynchestre, hym baptized.