The unofficial heir to Lancaster was now Henry Tudor.  Tudor was descended on his mother's side from John of Gaunt's illegitimate Beaufort children, and on his father's side from an unauthorized liaison between Henry V's widowed French queen, Katherine of Valois and Owen Tudor, a Welsh esquire. With the backing of the French king and an army gathered from the jails and mercenaries of France and the remnants of the Lancastrian army, they prepared to invade England in the summer of 1485.  By May, Richard left London for the last time and journeyed to Windsor.  His Knights and Esquires of his Household accompanied him.   Francis, Viscount Lovel, was sent to Southampton to lead the forces in case Tudor landed in the southern counties.  John, Duke of Norfolk, was stationed in Essex.  Sir Robert Brackenbury, the Constable of the Tower, was defending the capital.

Richard left Windsor and departed for Kenilworth.  By the middle of June, he was at the centre of his realm at Nottingham Castle.   He sent his niece, Elizabeth of York, along with her sisters, his nephews and his illegitimate son, John of Gloucester, to Sheriff Hutton.   From Nottingham, he sent instructions to the commissioners of array in all the shires alerting them to the invasion.  On the 11of August, a messenger brought news to Richard, who had been at Beskwood Lodge, that Henry Tudor had landed at Milford Haven in South Wales on Sunday, the 7th of August.

Richard sent word to Northumberland, Brackenbury, Lovel and Norfolk commanding them to join him in Leicester.  On Friday, August 19th, Richard left Nottingham and traveled south toward the city of Leicester.  On the 20th of August, Richard was in Leicester with his captains mustering his men.  By late afternoon, he learned from his scouts that the army of Lord Stanley was at Stoke Golding while William Stanley was at Shenton.   Henry Tudor and his men were at Atherstone.  On Sunday, the 21st of August, Richard and his royal army left the city of Leicester.   Richard and his commanders took their position on Ambion Hill at  Bosworth Field.

The Duke of Northumberland and Lords Thomas and William Stanley, along with their troops, waited out the start of the battle while the rest of Richard's army engaged Henry's exiles and French mercenaries.  After Richard's commander, the Duke of Norfolk was killed, Richard tried to win the conflict by a surprise charge at Tudor, before the waiting armies of the Stanley and Northumberland chose sides.  Richard led his household men against Tudor.  Richard killed Tudor's standard bearer, William Brandon, and a giant of a man named Sir John Cheyney.  When Richard was only a few feet away from Tudor, Stanley's army moved, surrounding and killing Richard and the men of his Household.   

As he swung his battle-axe, he was known to have shouted "Treason - Treason - Treason" as he was slain.   Northumberland and his army remained waiting on the sidelines and never engaged in battle to assist Richard.

Richard was 32 years old when he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth.   His reign showed great promise.  He was the only king from the north, the last of the Plantagenet kings and the last king of England to die in battle. Polydore Vergil, Henry Tudor's official historian wrote "King Richard, alone, was killed fighting manfully in the thickest press of his enemies". 

Through betrayal, Henry Tudor became Henry VII.  Henry attempted to backdate his reign to the date before the battle in order to attaint for treason men who had fought for King Richard III.

John Spooner, rode into the city of York the day after the battle.  The Mayor and Alderman of York assembled in the council chamber and recorded "it was recorded by John Spooner that King Richard, late mercifully reigning upon us, was piteously slane and murdered to the grete heaviness of this citie". 

Roll Call of the Battle of Bosworth

           

Name	Town/City	County	Date of Birth	Died	Yorkist	Lancastrian
Adam Ap Evan						X
Alington, William	Horseheath	Cambridgeshire		1485+	X
Arundel, Thomas	Lanherne	Cornwall				X
Ashton, Ralph	Ashton Under Lyne	Lancashire		4/28/1507
Ashton, Richard
Aske, John	Aughton	Yorkshire			X
Audley, John	Markeaton	Derbyshire
Babington, John	Dethick	Derbyshire		1485+		X
Babthorpe, Ralph	Babthorpe	Yorkshire			X
Bagot, Richard	Blithfield	Staffordshire				X
Beaufort, Humphrey	Barford St. John	Oxfordshire
Berkeley, William (earl)	Uley	Worcestershire			X
Berkeley, William (sir)	Beverstone	Gloucestershire		1485		X
Bernard Stuart
Bernard, John	Islesham	Cambridgeshire		1485+	X
Bicknell, John	South Perrot	Dorset				X
Bigod, Ralph	Settington	Yorkshire		1515	X
Blount, James	Tutbury	Staffordshire				X
Bodrugan, Henry	Restronget	Cornwall			X
Boughton, Richard	Lawford	Warwickshire			X
Bourchier, Thomas	Horsley	Surrey				X
Bracher, William and son
Bracher, William and son
Brackenbury, Robert	Denton	Durham		1485+	X
Brampton, William	Burford				X
Brandon, William	Sohan	Cambridgeshire		1485+		X
Bray, Reginald	Eaton Bray	Bedfordshire		1500		X
Brook, John	Holditch	Staffordshire
Broughton, Thomas	Broughton-in-Furness	Cumbria			X
Bruce, Alexander						X
Buck, John	Harthill	Yorkshire		1485+	X
Bulmer, William	Wilton	Yorkshire			X
Butler, Arnold	Dunraven	Glamorganshire				X
Byron, John	Colwick	Nottinghamshire				X
Byron, John	Clayton	Lancashire				X
Calthorp, William	North Creake	Norfolk		1494	X
Carew, Edmund	Mohuns Ottery	Devon				X
Case, William	South Petherton	Sussex
Catesby, William	Ashby St. Ledgers	Northamptonshire		1485	X
Chandee, Philibert
Charlton, Richard	Edmonton	Middlesex		1485+	X
Cheney, John	Cheney	Wiltshire		1499		X
Chetwynd, William	Ingestre	Shropshire				X
Clement, William		Carmarthenshire				X
Clerk, William					X
Clifton, Gervase	Clifton	Nottinghamshire		1491	X
Constable, John	Halsham	Yorkshire			X
Constable, Marmaduke	Everingham	Yorkshire		1518	X
Conyers, John	Hornby	Yorkshire		1490	X
Conyers, Richard	South Cowton	Yorkshire		1503
Conyers, Robert	Wynyard	Durham			X
Conyers, William	Marske	Yorkshire		1485+	X
Corbet, Richard	Moreton Corbet	Shropshire	1448	1492		X
Cotes, Humphrey	Cotes	Staffordshire				X
Courtenay, Edward	Boconnoc	Cornwall		1509		X
Courtenay, Philip	Molland Botreaux	Devon		1489	X
Courtenay, Piers						X
Courtenay, William	Powderham	Devon		1485+	X
Cradock, Matthew	Caerphilly	Glamorgan				X
Crokker, John
Dacre, Thomas	Gisland	Cumbria			X
Darcy, William					X
Daubeney, Giles	South Petherton	Somerset		1508		X
de Bodrugan, Henry	Rostronget	Cornwall			X
de Chandee, Philip	Brittany					X
de Cotton, Roger	Cotton	Gloucestershire			X
de la Mare, Thomas	Aldermaston	Berkshire				X
de la Pole, John	Wingfield	Suffolk		1487	X
de la see, Martin	Barmston	Yorkshire		1494	X
de la Zouche, John	Ashby-la-Zouche	Northamptonshire		1526	X
de Say, William	Hoddesdon	Hertfordshire			X
de Veleville, Roland						X
de Vere, Henry	Great Addington	Northamptonshire				X
de Vere, John	Hedingham	Essex	1442	1512		X
Devereux, Walter	Woebley	Herefordshire	1432	1485+	X
Digbie, Everard	Digbie	Rutland				X
Digby, John	Eye-Kettleby	Devon				X
Digby, Simon	Coleshill	Warwickshire		1519		X
Digby, Thomas	Oulney	Buckinghamshire				X
Dudley, John		Sussex
Eardswick, Hugh
Edgecombe, Richard	Mount Edgecombe	Devon				X
Eure, William	Eure	Yorkshire			X
Everingham, John	Birkin	Yorkshire		1502	X
Fawr ap Maredudd, Rhys
Ferrers, Henry	Hambleton	Rutland		1500	X
Ferrers, John				1485+	X
Fiennes, Thomas					X
Fitzhugh, Richard
Fitzwilliam, Thomas	Aldwark	Yorkshire		1495	X
Fogge, John	Ashford	Kent		1499		X
Fortescue, Adrian		Hertfordshire				X
Fortescue, John (father)	Plumesborne	Hertfordshire				X
Fortescue, John (son)	Plumesborne	Hertfordshire				X
Franke, Edward					X
Gascoigne, William	Gawthorpe	Yorkshire			X
Gilpin, William	Kentmire	Westmoreland		1485+	X
Gower, Thomas	Sittenham	Yorkshire		1485+	X
Gray, Edward	Cockfield	Buckinghamshire				X
Grey, Edmund	Ampthill	Bedfordshire
Grey, Henry	Codnor	Derbyshire		1496	X
Grey, John					X
Greystoke, Herbert	Greystoke	Cumberland			X
Greystoke, Ralph	Greystoke	Cumberland		1487	X
Griffith ap William	Cochwillan	Caernarvonshire				X
Griffith, ap William
Guildford, John	Rovenden	Kent		1493		X
Guildford, Richard	Halden	Kent				X
Haliwell, John	Bigbury	Devon				X
Hampden, Edmund	Hampden	Buckinghamshire				X
Harbottle, Ralph	Beamish	Durham			X
Harcourt, Richard
Harcourt, Robert	Stanton Harcourt	Oxfordshire				X
Hardwick, John	Lindley	Leicestershire			X
Harrington, James	Brierly	Yorkshire		1497	X
Harrington, Robert	Badsworth	Lancashire		1487	X
Hassell, Reginald
Hastings, Richard
Havard, Thomas	Caerleon	Monmouthshire				X
Herbert, Walter	Raglan	Monmouthshire				X
Heron, Roger
Hilton, William	Hilton Castle	Durham		1485+	X
Hilton, William	5 members of the family were killed at Bosworth
Holford, George	Holford	Cheshire				X
Hopton, Walter
Horsey, Henry					X
Howard, John	Wiggenhall	Norfolk		1485+	X
Howard, Thomas	Ashwellthorpe	Norfolk		1524	X
Huddleston, John	Millum	Cumberland		1493	X
Hungerford, Walter	Heytesbury	Wiltshire				X
Iden, Thomas	Stoke	Kent				X
John ap Ellis Eyton	Raubon	Denbighshire				X
John ap Meredith	Clenenney	Carnarvon				X
John ap Thomas	Aber Maelais	Carmarthenshire				X
Joyce, John	Windsor			1485+	X
Kendall, John	Austrey	Warwickshire		1485+	X
Kendall, Thomas	Smisby	Derbyshire		1485+	X
Kynaston, Roger	Hordley	Shropshire				X
Kynaston, Thomas	Brandon Heath	Shropshire				X
Latimer, Nicholas	Buckland in Duntish	Dorset	1429	1505		X
Legh, Peter	Lyme and Haydock	Cheshire				X
Leighton, Thomas	Wattlesborough	Shropshire				X
Lewkenor, Thomas	Trotten	Sussex				X
Lingen, John	Stoke Edith	Herefordshire		1507	X
Lisle, John	Wodington	Hampshire		1485+	X
Lloyd, Morris	Wydegada	Carmarthenshire
Lovel, Francis					X
Lovell, Thomas	Barton Bendish	Norfolk				X
Lumley, George	Lumley	Durham			X
Lumley, Thomas
Mallory, Christopher	Studley	Yorkshire			X
Manners, Robert	Etal	Northumberland			X
Markenfield, Thomas	Markenfield	Yorkshire		1497	X
Mathew, William	Radyr	Glamorgan				X
Mauleverer, Halnath	Allerton Mauleverer	Yorkshire		1502	X
Mauleverer,Thomas	Allerton Mauleverer	Yorkshire		1494	X
Melton, John	Fenton	Yorkshire		1510	X
Metcalfe, Thomas					X
Middleton, John	Belsay	Northumberland			X
Middleton, Ralph					X
Middleton, Robert	Dalton	Westmoreland			X
Milbourn, Thomas	Salisbury	Wiltshire				X
Montgomery, Thomas	Faulkborn	Essex	1433	1495	X
Mordaunt, John	Turvey	Bedfordshire				X
Moresby, Christopher	Moresby	Cumberland		1495	X
Morgan, John
Mortimer, John	Kyre Magna	Worcestershire				X
Mortimer, Robert	Thorpe le Soken	Essex		1485+	X
Mountfort, Edmund	Henley-on-Thames	Oxford				X
Musgrave, William	Penrith	Cumbria			X
Myddleton, David	Denbigh	Denbighshire				X
Mynde, John
Nanfan, Richard	Threthwell	Cornwall				X
Neville, John	Liversedge	Yorkshire		1502	X
Neville, Ralph	Raby	Durham		1497	X
Norbury, John	Stoke d'Abernon	Surrey		1504	X
Norreys, William	Yattenden	Berkshire				X
Norton, John	Norton Conyers	Yorkshire		1489	X
Ogle, Owen	Ogle	Northumberland
Owen, David	Cowdray	Sussex				X
Parker, James	Cliveden	Somerset
Parker, William	London			1510	X
Paston, John
Paulet, Amyas	Heaton St. George	Somerset		1537		X
Percy, Henry	Alnwick	Northumberland		1489	X
Percy, Henry	Leconfield	Yorkshire			X
Percy, Robert	Scotten	Yorkshire		1485+	X
Perrot, Owen	Ystington	Pembrokeshire				X
Perrot, Thomas	Haroldston	Pembrokeshire				X
Peshall, Hugh	Knightley	Staffordshire				X
Philip ap Howel	Mostyn	Flintshire				X
Philip ap Rhys						X
Phillip, David	Thornhough	Northamptonshire				X
Pierrepoint, Henry	Holme Pierrepoint	Nottinghamshire
Pigot, Ranulph	Clotherholm	Yorkshire			X
Pikington, Charles	Stanley	Huntingdon		1487	X
Pikington, Thomas	Stanley	Huntingdon			X
Pilkington, John	Pilkington Hall	Lancashire		1485+	X
Pilkington, Thomas	Pilkington	Lancashire			X
Plumpton, Robert	Plumpton	Yorkshire			X
Ponthieu, Ralph						X
Poulter, Thomas	Downe	Kent			X
Poynings, Edward	Southwark	Surrey				X
Poyntz, Robert	Iron Acton	Gloucestershire		1520		X
Pudsey, John	Barford	Yorkshire			X
Radcliffe, John	Derwentwater	Cumberland				X
Radcliffe, Robert	Hunstanton	Norfolk		1496	X
Ratcliffe, Richard	Wymersley	Cumberland		1485+	X
Ratt, Andrew
Ratte, John
Revel, Richard	Ogston	Derbyshire			X
Rhys ap Fawr Maredudd	Voelas	Denbighshire				X
Rhys ap Rydderch	Cilbronnau	Cardiganshire				X
Rhys ap Thomas	Dinefawr	Carmarthenshire				X
Richard ap Howel	Mostyn	Flintshire				X
Richard III					X
Risley, John	Lavenham	Suffolk				X
Ryther, Richard					X
Ryther, Robert	Ryther	Yorkshire			X
Sacherverel, John	Morley	Derbyshire		1485+	X
Salazar, Juan
Sandford, Brian	Thorpe Salvin	Yorkshire				X
Sapcote, William	Thornhaugh	Nottinghamshire			X
Savage, John	Clifton	Cheshire		1495		X
Scrope, John	Bolton	Yorkshire		1498	X
Scrope, Thomas	Masham	Yorkshire			X
Somerset, Charles	Chepstow	Monmouthshire		1526		X
St. Germain, Gregory	Broughton	Cumbria			X
Staffertone, William	Windsor	Berkshire			X
Stafford, Humphrey	Grafton	Worcestershire		1486	X
Stafford, Thomas	Grafton	Worcestershire			X
Stanley, George	Hooton	Lancashire				X
Stanley, Humphrey	Pipe	Staffordshire		1505		X
Stanley, Thomas	Lathom	Lancashire		1504		X
Stanley, William	Holt	Cheshire		1495		X
Stapleton, Brian	Carleton	Yorkshire			X
Stapleton, William	Wighill	Yorkshire		1503	X
Strangeways, James	Whorlton	Yorkshire			X
Strickland, Thomas	Sizergh	Westmoreland		1494	X
Stuart, Bernard	Aubigny	France				X
Swinborne, Gilbert	Nattertone	Northumberland			X
Talbot, George	Furnival	Herefordshire		1538	X
Talbot, Gilbert	Slottesden	Shropshire				X
Tempest, Richard	Bracewell	Yorkshire		1488		X
Tempest, Thomas	Bracewell	Yorkshire		1507	X
Thirlwall, Percival	Thirlwall	Northumberland		1485+	X
Tocotes, Roger
Treffry, John	Teffrey	Cornwall				X
Trevanion, Hugh	Trelugan	Cornwall				X
Tudor, Henry		Middlesex	1457			X
Tudor, Jasper	Hatfield	Anglesey		1495		X
Tunstall, Richard						X
Turberville, John	West Knighton	Dorset				X
Tyler, William	Snarestone	Leicestershire				X
Ughtred, Robert	Coxwold	Yorkshire			X
Urswick, Christopher	Dagenham	Essex				X
Valentine, Ralph	Flixton	Lancashire		1485+	X
Vernon, Henry					X
Wake, Roger	Blisworth	Northamptonshire			X
Waller, John (the younger)						X
Walsh, John
Walter, John
Ward, Christopher	Givendale	Yorkshire			X
Watkins, Richard
Welles, John	Welles	Lincolnshire				X
Welles, John	Maxey	Northamptonshire				X
Widdrington, John	Widdrington	Northumberland			X
Williams, John	Burghfield	Berkshire				X
Williams, Richard					X
Willoughby, John					X
Willoughby, Robert	Beer Ferrers	Devon				X
Willoughby, Robert	Broke	Wiltshire		1501		X
Willoughby, William	Broke	Wiltshire				X
Windsor, Thomas	Stanwell	Middlesex
Wogan, John	Wiston	Pembrokeshire				X
Woodville, Edward	Mote	Kent			1488	X
Zouche, John	Harringworth	Northamptonshire
					Updated: March 11, 2010

ŠThe Richard III Foundation, Inc.

 

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