Richard III was king of England from 1483 to 1485. He was the last king of the House of York, which had previously been known as the House of Lancaster.
Richard’s brother, King Edward IV, died in 1483 and left his 12-year-old son Edward V as king. Richard was named Lord Protector and given charge of the young king’s care. He then took steps to secure his own position, including moving the royal family into the Tower of London. In June 1483, Edward V and his brother were declared illegitimate by an act of Parliament. This cleared the way for Richard to be crowned king.
Richard’s coronation took place on July 6, 1483. Although there were some initial rebellions against his rule, Richard managed to quell them and establish himself as king. One of Richard’s most notable actions as king was his decision to have his nephews (the young Edward V and his brother) murdered in the Tower of London in 1485. This ruthless act helped to solidify Richard’s reputation as a tyrannical ruler. In 1485, Henry Tudor—Earl of Richmond—invaded England with the goal of overthrowing Richard at Bosworth Field; he defeated and killed Richard there ending his reign as king.
