The Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Legacy

While some may argue that it was the most political of Royal marriages, there is no doubting the dynastic success of the joining of the houses of Lancaster and York. When Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of Edward IV and heiress of the Yorkist claim to the throne, in January 1486 the Wars of the Roses were effectively over (in so much as their offspring would collectively hold claim from both parents and would therefore end the question of who the rightful ruler was). Henry and Elizabeth both appear to have taken their ‘job’ in creating heirs very seriously and went on to have seven children together. Of those seven, three would die in infancy or childhood; however the surviving four went on to produce a legacy that would still be visible to this day.

 

Arthur, Prince of Wales

Born:  September 1486

Died: April 1502

Arthur’s birth just 9 months after their marriage was considered a sign from God that their rule and marriage were the true path for the monarchy. He was given the title of Prince of Wales and was expected to one day inherit the throne from his father. In 1489 the first Treaty of Medina Del Campo was signed including the provision for Arthur to marry the youngest daughter of the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, the Princess Catherine of Aragon. They were betrothed in 1497 and wed in November of 1501 when the Prince was just 15 years old. Unfortunately, their marriage did not last long as in the April of 1502 Prince Arthur took ill with what is thought to have been the sweating sickness and died, just 6 months after their wedding.

 

Margaret Tudor

Born: November 1489

Died: October 1541

Margaret was the second child to be born to the couple and from her earliest days a political marriage was expected. In January 1502 the Treaty of Perpetual Peace was signed with Scotland and at the same time a marriage between Margaret and King James IV of Scotland was agreed. They were married by proxy in January 1503 and shortly afterwards Margaret went to Scotland to begin life as Queen. She had just one child with the King, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, and at that point Margaret became regent for her son who was still only seventeen months old at the time. Margaret went on to re-marry twice and spent time in England, exiled due to political turmoil in Scotland throughout the period.  Through Margaret, the Scottish royal line came to have its claim to throne of England and eventually the joining of the two nations under King James VI of Scotland and I of England in 1603, following the death of Elizabeth I.

 

Henry, Duke of York

Born: June 1491

Died: January 1547

Possibly the most well-known of their offspring, Henry went on to become King Henry VIII. Due to his position as the ‘spare’ for his childhood, he was not given the formal education that Arthur was, nor was he part of many marriage negotiations. It was not until his brother’s untimely death that Henry was elevated to the position of Prince of Wales and heir to the throne. He would go on to marry Catherine of Aragon, his brother’s widow, immediately upon being pronounced King.

 

Elizabeth Tudor (No Picture)

Born: July 1492

Died: September 1495

Just as was the case with Margaret, marriage talk began from an early age in Elizabeth’s case too. There was some early agreement for her to marry the Prince Francis of France. She died at the age of three, at the Royal nursery at Eltham Palace.

 

 

Mary Tudor

Born: March 1496

Died: June 1533

Following the death of her sister the year before, Mary’s arrival meant that a marriage and alliance  was once again on the table. She was originally betrothed to Charles, the son of Philip I of Castile, who would later go on to be Holy Roman Emperor, but the betrothal was called off in 1513 and instead arrangements were made for her marry King Louis XII of France, who was some thirty years her senior. He died in January 1515, just three months after their wedding. Her brother, the now King Henry VIII attempted to arrange a new match for his own political gain but Mary had other ideas and on the way back to England she secretly married Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. They went on to produce a progeny that includes Lady Jane Grey amongst her descendants.

 

Edward/Edmund Tudor (No Picture)

Born: February 1499

Died: June 1500

Another of Henry and Elizabeth’s children to die in early childhood, records regarding Edward or Edmund are scarce. There is evidence that he was to be given the title of Duke of Somerset but this was never bestowed upon him. He died around eighteen months of age.

 

Katherine Tudor (No Picture)

Born: February 1503

Died: February 1503

Baby Katherine was the last of their children. She lived for only a few days and her birth led to the death of the Queen, most likely due to infection following the birth of the baby.

 

The Tudor children who did survive are responsible for a great deal of events that have shaped history, from the English Reformation, to the union of England and Scotland, they all form part of the tapestry of English history. It is sad to see how, even the Royal family, were struck by the high infant mortality rates of the period. Losing three of their seven children in early childhood, plus losing their eldest at such a tender age must have been an ordeal for them as parents and as a family. Elizabeth’s death just a few days on from the birth of their youngest, must have been even more of a blow to the family and also the dynastic health of the household. With only 3 surviving children at that time, Henry VII started to look at a second marriage for himself to bolster his position politically and perhaps to add another heir to his family line. He did not remarry though, and his death in 1509 led to the inheritance of the throne by his only surviving son, Henry VIII, and the continuation of the Tudor dynasty.

 

Where are the Tudor children buried?

The tomb of Henry VIII is housed in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The memorials for Elizabeth, Edmund and Katherine can be found in Westminster Abbey, located on the north side of the Chapel of Edward the Confessor. Arthur is buried in Worcester Cathedral and Mary’s tomb can be found at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmonds. Margaret’s tomb was originally erected at Perth priory in Perthshire, which unfortunately is no longer standing.