Elizabeth Woodville: What She Believed About the Princes in the Tower

Elizabeth Woodville's Perspective on Her Sons

• 💡 The central question is whether Elizabeth Woodville believed her sons, Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, were dead or alive, and whom she blamed if they were dead.
• 📌 Direct statements from Queen Elizabeth Woodville regarding the fate of the princes are not preserved, forcing reliance on assumptions and indirect evidence.
• 🏠 Her choice to retire at Bermondsey Abbey, with a daily view of the Tower of London, suggests a deliberate act of remembrance or penance.

Indirect Evidence and Interpretations

• 📜 Elizabeth Woodville's will does not explicitly name the princes, which some interpret as a belief in their death, though it's primarily a practical document for final wishes.
• 📚 William Caxton's anonymous dedication in "The Book of the Knight of the Tower" is seen as a subtle, yet unmistakable, defense of Elizabeth Woodville's family honor, written after the princes' disappearance.
• ⚖️ Henry VII's government and Parliament officially treated the princes as dead, with Richard III indicted for the "shedding of infants' blood", a conclusion Elizabeth Woodville never publicly contradicted.

The Tower and Royal Succession

• 🏰 Elizabeth Woodville's refusal to re-enter the Tower of London, despite its significance for royal events, highlights her profound dread of the fortress after her sons' disappearance.
• 👑 Her active role as godmother at Arthur's baptism (Henry VII's son) symbolized the transfer of the Yorkist claim to the Tudor dynasty and the replacement of the lost princes.
• 💔 The speaker suggests her actions, including the Tower view and Arthur's baptism, indicate she believed her sons were dead and likely held Richard III responsible.

Absence of Public Commemoration

• 🚫 A notable counterargument is the lack of a public memorial for the princes until the 16th century, which is striking given the social importance of commemoration in the late Middle Ages.
• 🤔 The reason for this absence is unclear, with speculation ranging from Elizabeth Woodville's own opposition to the Tudor government's preference for focusing on new heirs.

Speaker's Conclusion

• ✅ The speaker concludes that Elizabeth Woodville believed her sons were dead by late 1483, likely blaming Richard III for their demise.
• 🙏 Her seclusion near the Tower is interpreted as a place of quiet devotion and penance, where she prayed for her sons' salvation.