Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/546

This page needs to be proofread.
LEFT
474
RIGHT

EDWARD IV. 474 EDWARD VII. cannon began to be used in war; and the first English gold coin was struck. Ed- ward died in Shene, now Richmond, June 21, 1377. By his queen Philippa, daugh- ter of William III., Count of Holland and Hainault, he had six sons and five daughters. EDWARD IV., son of Richard, Duke of York, succeeded Henry VI. in 1461. He came to the throne in the midst of the fierce struggle between the Yorkists and Lancastrians, in which he greatly distinguished himself by his courage and military skill. He won a great victory over the Lancastrians at Northampton, in July, 1460, and a second at Mortimer's Cross, in February, 1461; after which he marched on London, and was proclaimed. A few weeks after his accession he de- feated them a third time at Towton, in Yorkshire. The war continued with varying fortunes till 1464. In the same year he married Lady Elizabeth Grey, which so disgusted the Earl of War- wick, conirnonly called the king-maker, that he joined the Lancastrian party, and the civil war was recommenced. Warwick defeated Edward's forces near Banbury in 1469. Soon afterward War- wick fled to France, from whence he re- turned with a supply of troops, and pro- claimed Henry. Edward escaped beyond sea, and Warwick released Henry from the Tower, and set him on the throne; but Edward returned with succor, and marched to London, where he took Henry prisoner. He shortly after won the bat- tle of Barnet, in which Warwick fell. Another victory at Tewksbury secured to him the quiet possession of the throne. Preparations were made for war with France, and an expedition sent, which was, however, fruitless. War broke out also with Scotland, but nothing of im- portance occurred. In 1478 Edward had his brother, the Duke of Clarence, con- demned and put to death as a traitor. Clarence had married Isabel, daughter of the Earl of Warwick, and had taken part with him against the king. He died in 1483. EDWARD v., son of the preceding whom he succeeded at the age of 12 years, was smothered, with his brother, in the Tower, by order of their uncle and guardian, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in 1488. EDWARD VI.. the only son of Henry VIII., by his queen, Jane Seymour; was born in 1537. He succeeded his father in 1547, but by reason of his tender age and early death, had little to do with the important measures that mark his reign. His uncle, the Earl of Hertford, was Tiamed protector, and created Duke of Somerset; but in 1549 his place was taken by Dudley, Earl of Warwick, created Duke of Northumberland; and Somerset, two years later, was charged with treason and felony, and beheaded. Both of these, however, carried on the work of the Reformation. Somerset made an expedition into Scotland, and gained the victory of Musselburgh, or Pinkie, in 1547; Warwick defeated the insurgents under Ket, the Norfolk tan- ner, in 1549; a very severe law was passed against vagabonds, but had to be soon repealed. The Act of Six Articles was repealed, and the use of the Book of Common Prayer established. The great aim of Northumberland was to se- cure the succession to the throne of Eng- land for his family. With this view he married his son, Lord Guilford Dudley, to Lady Jane Grey, and obtained from the weak and dying Edward, a document settling the succession on Jane Grey, to the exclusion of Mary and Elizabeth. He died in 1552. EDWARD VII., King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of all the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, born in Buck- ingham Palace, London, on Nov. 9, 1841. He was the second child and the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince EDWARD VII. Consort. He was christened Albert Ea- ward. He was made Prince of Wales at his birth and as heir to the throne succeeded to many other titles. He was educated privately and among his tutors was Charles Kingsley. He attended Edinburgh University for one session,