Personally he was as brave as he was cruel and unscrupulous.  He promoted some reforms; he encouraged Caxton in his great work (S306), and he abolished the forced loans ironically called “benevolences” (S307), at least for a time.

314.  Revolts; Buckingham; Henry Tudor.

During his short reign of two years, several revolts broke out, but came to nothing.  The Duke of Buckingham, who had helped Richard III to the throne, turned against him because he did not get the rewards he expected.  He headed a revolt; but as his men deserted him, he fell into the King’s hands, and the executioner speedily did the rest.

Finally, a more formidable enemy arose.  Before he gained the crown Richard had cajoled or compelled the unfortunate Anne Neville, widow of that Prince Edward, son of Henry VI, who was slain at Tewkesbury (S305), into becoming his wife.  She might have said with truth, “Small joy have I in being England’s Queen.”  The King intended that his son should marry Elizabeth of York, sister to the two Princes he had murdered in the Tower (S310).  By so doing he would strengthen his position and secure the succession to the throne to his own family.  But Richard’s son shortly after died, and the King, having mysteriously got rid of his wife, now made up his mind to marry Elizabeth himself.

The Princess, however, was already betrothed to Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, the engagement having been effected during that sad winter which she and her mother spent in sactuary (S95) at Westminster Abbey, watched by Richard’s soldiers to prevent their escape (S310).  The Earl of Richmond, who was an illegitimate descendant of the House of Lancaster (see the Genealogical Table, p. 172), had long been waiting on the Continent for an opportunity to invade England and claim the crown.

Owing to the enmity of Edward IV and Richard toward him, the Earl had been, as he himself said, “either a fugitive or a captive since he was five years old.”  He now determined to remain so no longer.  He landed (1485) with a force at Milford Haven, in Wales, where he felt sure of a welcome, since his paternal ancestors were Welsh.[1]

Advancing through Shrewsbury, he met Richard on Bosworth Field, in Leicestershire.

[1] Descent of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond: 

Henry V (House of Lancaster) married Catharine of France, who after
|       his death married Owen Tudor, a Welshman of Anglesey
Henry VI                          |
Edmund Tudor (Earl of Richmond) married Margaret
Beaufort, a descendent of John of Gaunt, Duke
of Lancaster [she was granddaughter of John,
Earl of Somerset; see p. 161]
|
Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond (also called
Henry of Lancaster)

315.  Battle of Bosworth Field, 1485.