Anne of York (daughter of Edward IV)
Anne of York (2 November 1475 – 23 November 1511) was the fifth daughter of Edward IV of England and his queen, Elizabeth Woodville.
| Anne of York | |
|---|---|
| Lady Howard | |
| Born | 2 November 1475 Westminster Palace, London, England |
| Died | 23 November 1511 (aged 36) |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Thomas Howard (m. 1494/95) |
| Issue | Thomas Howard (b.1496 - d. 4 August 1508) Three other children who died young |
| House | York |
| Father | Edward IV of England |
| Mother | Elizabeth Woodville |
After her father died and her uncle Richard III of England took the throne, Anne and her siblings were declared illegitimate. At about eight years old, Anne, along with her family, sought refuge in Westminster Abbey. They stayed there for about a year. After Richard III promised not to harm them, Anne and her older sisters returned to court.
When Richard III was killed and Henry Tudor became King Henry VII, the law declaring Anne and her siblings illegitimate was overturned. Henry VII married Anne’s eldest sister, Elizabeth of York. Anne became important for potential diplomatic marriages. There were plans for her to marry a Scottish prince, but these were abandoned when the prince's father, James III of Scotland, was killed in 1488.
In 1495, Anne married Thomas Howard, who had been interested in marrying her since Richard III’s reign. However, the marriage was not happy, and all of their children died young. Anne, who had poor health, died at the age of about 36.