John Woodville

John Woodville (1444? – August 12, 1469) was the second son, and fourth child, of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxembourg.

In January 1465, John's sister Elizabeth, Queen Consort to Edward IV, procured his marriage to Catherine Neville, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk the aunt of the powerful Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. As the Duchess was aged between 70 and 80 at the time and John was only 20, the marriage was seen by all, particularly Warwick, as an indecent grasp for money and power by the Woodville family.

In 1469, John and his father accompanied King Edward on a march north to put down, what was thought to be, a minor rebellion supporting Edward's brother the duke of Clarence as the legitimate king. Before they met the rebels both Clarence and Warwick had announced their support for the rebellion and by the time Edward met the rebels, the rebel force was far stronger than his. In a parley, the rebels told Edward that they had no fight with Edward but advised him to distance himself from the Woodvilles. In no position to argue, Edward sent the Woodville party away.

John and Rivers went first to the Rivers' house at Grafton and from there made their way westwards towards Wales. They were captured by Warwick's men on the western bank of the Severn and taken to Warwick in Coventry.

Before leaving Calais, to support the uprising, Warwick had published a Manifesto citing the Woodvilles in general and the Earl and John, among others, specifically as his reason for supporting Clarence against the king. The publication of this manifesto was deemed, by Warwick, to justify the execution of Rivers and his son. They were beheaded on August 12 and their heads placed on spikes above the gates of Coventry.

Unsurprisingly, there was no issue from the marriage of John Woodville and the Catherine Neville.

ources

* "The Princes in the Tower" by Elizabeth Jenkins