ABSTRACT
Seized forcibly from Richard III on Bosworth Field in the summer of 1485, Henry Tudor’s crown was by no means secure. Although a Parliament declared his title good, Henry knew as well as anyone that his power might not survive a challenge from an enemy. The new king’s experience taught that the English throne was a perilous seat. Moreover, there was no shortage of rivals with closer ties to the blood royal than Henry’s own. Although Richard III had probably murdered the two most dangerous members of the Royal Family – his nephews Richard and Edward, sons of Edward IV – there was still another potential threat alive in 1487: Edward, earl of Warwick. Son of the duke of Clarence, Edward IV’s younger brother, Warwick might plausibly claim to be the true king. Henry wasted no time locking him up in the Tower, but there he remained, alive.
