Warwick's Treachery

I hope I'm not rehashing old ground already trod upon, but I am very
interested in your opinion's of Warwick's treachery against Edward
IV. Do you feel he was justified since Edward made such an unsuitable
(in his opinion) match behind his back? Was Richard correct in being
loyal to his brother? I'm waiting with baited breath for your
replies! <G> Jill

Jill asked: I hope I'm not rehashing old ground
already trod upon, but I am very interested in your
opinion's of Warwick's treachery against Edward
IV. Do you feel he was justified since Edward made
such an unsuitable (in his opinion) match behind his
back? Was Richard correct in being loyal to his
brother? I'm waiting with baited breath for your
replies!

***

Hello Jill, welcome to the list!

I have mixed feeling about Warwick's decision to
switch to the Lancastrian side.

Warwick wasn't doing anything unusual when he switched
from the Yorkist to the Lancastrian side. Many nobles
in England and Europe switched sides when it seemed to
be in their best interests. But my difficulty with
Warwick's decision to support Margaret of Anjou and
Henry VI against Edward comes from Warwick's alliance
with Louis XI. If Warwick had been able to fight
Edward IV without getting entangled with Louis XI, I'd
feel better about his decision. In "Warwick, the
Kingmaker," P.M. Kendall says that Louis offered
Warwick land in Flanders, an independent territory of
his own, as part of the deal including Edward IV's
overthrow. That makes Warwick's decision look more
like self-interest and power-drive than a desire for
justice and good government.

Louis XI was good at buying men off. He got the money
to do it by overtaxing his own subjects.

But I also feel Edward IV brought Warwick's rebellion
on himself. I think Edward IV's decision to marry
Elizabeth Woodville was unfair to all of his
supporters and family. I think his marriage to
Elizabeth Woodville was bad for his kingdom. I think
Edward IV sould have treated Warwick more
respectfully. Maybe Warwick wouldn't have switched
sides if Edward IV had been more respectful.

One of Warwick's contemporaries (maybe Commynes) wrote
that Edward IV's decision to marry his sister Margaret
of York to Charles the Bold was the last straw for
Warwick. According to this contemporary, Warwick was
even more angry about this Burgundian alliance than he
had been about Edward's marriage. This triggered
Warwick's decision to switch to the Lancastrian side.

I think Richard's decision to support Edward IV was
right at the time.

But I think Edward IV was much too casual in his
treatment of his allies and supporters. I think
Edward IV made a mistake in accepting Louis XI's
buy-out at Picquigny, although Charles the Bold's
behavior partly justified Edward's decision there. If
the treaty of Picquigny led Richard to have doubts
about staying loyal to Edward IV, I'd say Richard's
doubts were justified. Because he didn't want to lose
Louis IX's yearly payments, Edward IV didn't send
military assistance to his sister, Margaret, dowager
duchess of Burgundy, when Louis XI annexed some of her
land. That failure to support Margaret justified
everyone in doubting Edward's reliability, IMO.

I hold Edward IV responsible for the situation that
led Richard to replace Edward V. I think Richard and
all other Yorkists paid for Edward IV's
irresponsibilities throughout his reign.

Have you read "Warwick, the kingmaker," by Paul Murray
Kendall, Jill? If you haven't, it would be a good
starting point.

Marion





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Marion, I have not read that particular book about Warwick. Edward
did make many mistakes during his reign. It has always bothered me
how easily the nobles switched sides. Lancaster and York were such
bitter enemies and Warwick was instrumental in Edward's rise to power.
I have read that one reason Edward did marry Elizabeth was to use her
large family to form a faction to defray Warwick's power. I will
have to try and find that book. Thanks, Jill