Tales of the Princes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Edward and Richard

At the time of their disappearance in 1483, Richard of Shrewsbury was 9 years old. Known as the Duke of York, he was also a Knight of the Garter. Of course, when their father died, Richard became Heir Presumptive, while Edward, Prince of Wales, became King at the age of 12.

When news of their father's death came on April 9, Edward left Ludlow Castle, where he had been living since the age of three as the "head" of the Council of Wales and the Marches, and Richard, along with his mother and sisters, sought sanctuary in Westminster Abbey.

After June 16 the boys were housed together so that Richard could attend the coronation of his brother. They could be seen playing from time to time in the courtyard, however, by the end of the summer they simply disappeared.

Answer: Tower of London

The Tower of London was constructed after the Norman conquest of England by William I. Since its inception, it has been used for many different purposes; William I used it as a royal residence and stronghold. It has, however, served many purposes throughout history, such as a prison and armory. Of course, today it houses the Crown Jewels.

When the young princes were housed in the royal apartments of the Tower, it was not, at least outwardly, supposed to serve as their prison; it was still being used as the home of the King, and Edward was to prepare for his coronation there, as well as his new role as King of England.

It appears that the Tower became less of a residence and more of a prison for political enemies by the sixteenth century. Even so, many of the Tudor monarchs stayed in the Tower before their coronations, as had been the previous custom. Over time, however, the Tower became synonymous with confinement and abuse.

Answer: Edward IV and Elizabeth

Edward of York proclaimed himself King of England in 1461, after defeating the army of Henry VI, the mentally unstable Lancastrian king, at the Battle of Towton. Although Henry VI briefly was restored to the throne, Edward IV regained his crown after the Battle of Tewkesbury, killing Henry's son, Edward. It was largely reported that Henry VI died shortly after of "melancholy". However, his body was found years later with the hair covered in blood. Many sources state that Edward, the oldest prince, believed that being taken to the Tower meant that he was sure to die, as he knew what had happened to Henry VI.

In 1464 Edward IV married Elizabeth, a decision that brought him to odds with some of his most important allies. A widow, she brought two children into her marriage, and together she and Edward had ten more. Interestingly, through one of her daughters, she is related to every English monarch who has ruled since the time of Henry VIII.

Answer: False

The boys' father was a relatively young man, but he had apparently been in failing health for some time; the cause of his death is unknown. Poison has been suggested, but never proven; some believe it was typhoid, pneumonia, or an overall unhealthy lifestyle. Before his death, however, he appointed his brother, Richard, as Lord Protector of the Realm, and there is no evidence that there was animosity between the brothers.

In fact, Richard would have had to have been a fool to go against Edward; land grants from his brother had made him one of the wealthiest nobles in England.

In addition, the execution of another brother, George, who was found guilty of "unnatural, loathly treasons" after participating in a rebellion and executed on the order of King Edward in 1478, might have made Richard think twice about any impropriety against his brother.

Although the trial was public, the execution was not, and the legend says that George was drowned in wine. The point is that there is no evidence of any disloyalty from Richard.

Answer: Woodville

Elizabeth Woodville, consort to Edward IV, had previously been the wife of Sir John Grey, a Lancaster supporter, who had been killed during the War of the Roses. What really raised some public opinion against her was the fact that she and Edward married in secret. Edward's ally, Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, was negotiating a marriage between Edward and one of the relatives of the King of France when he found out that Edward had already married. Big mistake! It left Warwick feeling embarrassed; not only was Elizabeth connected with Lancaster supporters, but also, he argued, Elizabeth was a commoner - beautiful, but with no estates or resources that would augment the King's power. Edward was just the second King since the Norman invasion to marry a commoner, and the first to have the commoner crowned Queen! Warwick, "The Kingmaker", eventually gave his support to the other side. Needless to say, the Woodville family benefited greatly from the marriage, and quickly rose to power; this sudden change in status concerned many of the nobles, including those on the Privy Council.

After the death of his brother, Richard, as Lord Protector of the Realm, killed Elizabeth's brother and one of the sons from her first marriage, and accused her of plotting against him. Of course she plotted against him - he had control over her two little sons.

Answer: Titulus Regius

The "Titulus Regius" Act of Parliament proclaimed that both of the boys were bastards and therefore had no legitimate claim to the throne. Their illegitimacy had to do with the fact that their father had had a legal contract of marriage with Lady Eleanor Butler. Because the contract was legally binding, any other marriage would be nullified. Elizabeth was expected to accept the illegitimacy of her sons and give up any lands given to her by her husband. Once that happened, her situation seems to have changed; she and her daughters were able to leave their sanctuary after Richard promised they would remain unharmed and he would arrange proper marriages for the girls. Elizabeth even seems to have been able to make an agreement with Margaret Beaufort that her oldest daughter would marry Margaret's son, Henry.

Answer: Dominic Mancini

Dominic Mancini was an Italian friar who was visiting England. His account of the circumstances of the little princes, "De Occupatione Regni Anglie per Riccardum Tercium" or "The Occupation of the Throne of England by Richard III", was not found until 1934. In his writings he states that Prince Edward was seen by a doctor, Dr. Argentine, while he was in the Tower, and that his behavior was such that he daily confessed and sought forgiveness for his sin; in other words, it appears that Edward was resigned to his fate.

Even though he was only five years old when the princes disappeared, Thomas More did write about their disappearance; in approximately 1513 he wrote "The History of King Richard III", identifying the murderer as James Tyrrell, a servant of the new King, Richard III. Not only that, More also claimed that the princes had been smothered to death by two of Tyrrell's agents, and then buried in the Tower. In the late 1600s, a box with two small skeletons was found in the location described by More; even though other skeletons belonging to children have been found in the Tower, it was automatically assumed that the two princes had been found.

Answer: Henry VII

There are those today who believe that Richard III may have spared his nephews, and taken them to a safe place. Once Henry Tudor, known as Henry VII, took the throne of England after the Battle of Bosworth, he could not allow the boys to live - fearful that their solid claim to the throne would one day threaten his newly-found power.

Henry VII married Elizabeth of York, who just so happened to be the oldest daughter of Edward IV, and the sister of the missing princes. Marriage to Elizabeth further legitimized Henry's claim to the throne.

However, Elizabeth herself had a solid claim to the throne of England. After the Battle of Bosworth, and the death of Richard III, Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII, had the "Titulus Regius" repealed, legitimizing all of Edward IV's children.

He became King by conquest, rather than by right of marriage to King Edward V's sister.

Answer: True

It is true that there is no evidence that the princes were murdered - except for their mysterious disappearance. The discussion of "Who Did It"? is about as old as the puzzle itself. Obviously the inspiration for writers, artists, and even television programs, the mystery haunts us to this day.

There were pretenders who claimed to be one of the boys; perhaps the most famous is Perkin Warbeck, who professed to be Richard and was even accepted by Margaret of York, sister of Richard III, and James IV of Scotland. Later executed, it is believed that Warbeck was accepted for political reasons by those who opposed Tudor rule.

Answer: British Monarch

Since the disappearance of the princes, two sets of skeletons believing to belong to children have been found - one pair in the Tower as described by Thomas More and later buried in Westminster Abbey, and one pair in St. George's Chapel, Windsor in a small vault that adjoined the vault of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville.

The Church of England has repeatedly refused to turn the bones over for DNA testing, citing the fact that the origins of many bones buried there are in dispute, and, according to a 2013 article in the "Daily Mail", feels there is nothing to gain by proving or disproving the authenticity of the bones.

The Church of England, however, does not have the final say in the matter - the reigning monarch of England does! In spite of the fact that the remains of Richard III were recently found and studied, Queen Elizabeth II just doesn't feel the need to give the permission necessary to study other interred royal bones, according to a 2012 article in "The Guardian".