George Duke of Clarence
Arms of George, duke of Clarence
Sodacan, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Edward IV’s middle brother became George, duke of Clarence one day after his brother became king. However, his loyalty was always unreliable. Edward’s sudden and secret marriage with Elizabeth Woodville led to a break with the Earl of Warwick. George was persuaded to side with Warwick, marry his elder daughter Isabel and set his sights on the throne. But, on the way to join Warwick at Barnet, George was persuaded back to Edward’s side. Warwick was killed, and Edward reoccupied the throne he had temporarily lost.
George seems to have been very keen on land, wealth & power. He wanted to control the whole of the Warwick estate and not share any with his younger brother Richard when the latter married Warwick’s other daughter Anne. Edward settled the dispute between them.
George continued to be unhappy with his lot and, after creating more trouble including the execution of one of his wife’s household, he was arrested, tried for treason and executed. George, duke of Clarence died in 1478, age 29.
He left two children who were to have a significant role during the Tudor dynasty: Edward, 17th earl of Warwick, executed in 1499 by Henry VII, and Margaret Plantagenet, countess of Salisbury, executed in 1541 by Henry VIII.
IWF