Elizabeth of York is known by many as the wife of King Henry VII of England and the mother of King Henry VIII. Viewed as a quiet and submissive queen consort, it may be shocking for many to learn that she was possibly anything but. Regardless, this isn't about her life as queen, but about the events that happened on February 11 in 1466 and 1503.
Not only was she born on this day in history, but she also died on this day. It's not often I write that and here's a look at both her birth and her death.
1466: The Birth of a Queen
Elizabeth was the eldest child of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. However, she knew that she was more of a pawn in the world of politics, especially after the birth of her younger brother, Edward.
That being said, at the time of her birth, she would have never been a disappointment. Kings needed princesses to make deals and Edward and Elizabeth were still relatively young (Edward certainly was).
Elizabeth's life, in the beginning, was relatively easy, even though there was some civil unrest. It would have been in her childhood instead of infant days that she was in more danger, as the House of Lancaster grew and found a way to take the throne back from Edward, the man they viewed as a usurper.
At first, a marriage between Elizabeth and George Neville was arranged. After the Neville family turned against the House of York for the House of Lancaster, the arrangement was broken and Elizabeth was later arranged to marry the Dauphin of France. That never happened.
1503: The Death of Elizabeth of York
Instead, Elizabeth would marry Henry VII of England and give birth to seven children. Four of those survived childhood and three would become adults and had children of their own. However, she would never see any of those children.
After the death of her eldest child, Arthur Tudor, Elizabeth suffered from the loss but there was only one prince of England left. The royal couple chose to try for another child out of fear of the loss of Prince Henry and the potential unrest that could follow. Whether they truly wanted another child is unknown, but it wasn't about what they (especially what Elizabeth) wanted and more about duty to the country.
Elizabeth did fall pregnant with her seventh and final child, carrying that child to term and giving birth to Katherine on Feb. 2, 1503, who died on the same day. Elizabeth never recovered after that pregnancy, dying of childbed fever just days later.
Elizabeth and Katherine were buried together in what is now known as the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey. Henry VII would join them.
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