Warwick's continued insurrection resulted in the brief reinstallation of the Lancastrian Henry VI in 1470–71, which was effectively ended with the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Barnet. She promises to keep Edward safe from harm, which would prove more challenging with the death of King Edward IV in 1483. The Wars of the Roses had just broken out; Edmund, a Lancastrian, was taken prisoner by Yorkist forces less than a year later.

In 1469 the discontented Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick incited a rebellion against Edward IV, capturing him after a defeat of his forces. When Edward was on the throne the boy was many steps from being an heir, yet even so Edward would have taken him to the Tower, would quietly have seen to his death. Margaret never recognised the marriage to de la Pole; in her will, made in 1472, Margaret refers to Edmund Tudor as her first husband.As the battle for royal supremacy raged between the houses of Lancaster and York, Margaret Beaufort, who was descended from Edward III and proved to be a critical threat to the Yorkist cause, was forced to give up her son - she would be separated from him for fourteen years. To top it all off, his only grandson, Henry Tudor, was the only child of Margaret Beaufort, who was married four different times and did everything in her power to protect her son. We begin our journey by introducing Lady Elysabeth Scrope, the wife of John Scrope and the half-sister to Margaret Beaufort, going into the sanctuary with Elizabeth Woodville. After the Battle of Bosworth Field and Henry Tudor becomes King Henry VII, the remnants of the Yorkist cause slowly accept the Tudor dynasty. In the earlier years of her son's reign, records indicate Margaret usually accompanied the royal couple when they traveled.

Margaret's mother was pregnant at the time of Somerset's death, but the child did not survive and Margaret remained the sole heir. Though their relationship is often portrayed as antagonistic, Beaufort and her daughter-in-law Elizabeth worked together when planning the marriages of the royal children. With brilliant political skills, Margaret selected the most powerful and trusted supporter of York to be her husband number three. In his chronicle, Polydore Vergil assessed the partnership between the Tudor king and his mother, noting that Henry gave her a share of most of his public and private resources, contrary to any assertion that Margaret desired greater power. Poet Bernard Andre seems to corroborate this, writing of Tudor's miraculous escape from the clutches of Edward's envoys, allegedly warned of the deception by none other than his mother.Royal women tend to be considered side characters of the dynasty who were only crucial for their inheritance, who they married, and the children they could produce. Indeed, in his biography of Richard III, historian Paul Murray Kendall describes Beaufort as the "Athena of the rebellion". Beaufort, Margaret [ known as Lady Margaret Beaufort], countess of Richmond and Derby (1443–1509), royal matriarch". All which thyngs according to your desire and plesure I have with all my herte and goode wille giffen and graunted unto you… I shall be as glad to plese you as youre herte can desire hit, and I knowe welle that I am as much bounden so to doe as any creture lyvyng, for the grete and singular moderly love and affection that hit hath plesed you at all tymes to ber towards me". Edward and his brother Richard are removed to the Tower of London while their uncle becomes King Richard III.

By diving into the records, Tallis can reveal the truth about Margaret Beaufort’s life and her relationships with her ever-expanding family. Arnopp’s Margaret Beaufort is simply a human mother and grandmother who is just trying to do her best for her family. His first act after marching into London was to retreat with her for two long weeks, to celebrate their triumph and to plan their future. I have thoroughly enjoyed Judith Arnopp’s writing in the past and I wanted to know how she would conclude this ingenious series. In the modern era of historical dramas, Margaret Beaufort has been portrayed as malicious and cunning, someone who plotted against the Yorkist cause.Leanda de Lisle is able to masterfully tell the story of the Tudors, which has been discussed for centuries and breathe new life into this complex family drama. Although there is nothing new about exploring the lives of Tudor women, the idea of analyzing the Tudor queens and their reigns in one book is so unique and vital. This was likely to strengthen Edmund's claim to the throne should Henry be forced to designate Edmund his heir; the king was then without child or legitimate siblings. To keep him safe, Margaret must allow him to go into hiding as she adapts to the court of Edward IV and his wife Elizabeth Woodville.