Cecily Neville, Duchess of York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cecily Neville |
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| Duchess of York | |
Image of Cecily Neville in the Neville Book of Hours (c. 1445)
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| Born | 3 May 1415 Raby Castle, Durham, England |
| Died | 31 May 1495 (aged 80) Berkhamsted Castle, Hertfordshire, England |
| Burial | Church of St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay |
| Spouse | Richard, 3rd Duke of York (m. in or before 1429; died 1460) |
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| House | Neville |
| Father | Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland |
| Mother | Joan Beaufort |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Cecily Neville (born May 3, 1415 – died May 31, 1495) was an important English noblewoman. She was married to Richard, Duke of York. Cecily was the mother of two kings of England: Edward IV and Richard III.
People called Cecily Neville "the Rose of Raby" because she was born at Raby Castle in Durham. She was also known as "Proud Cis" because she was very proud and had a strong personality. However, she was also known for being very religious. She signed her name "Cecylle."
Her husband, the Duke of York, was a main leader from the House of York. He wanted to become king during a time of wars called the Wars of the Roses. He died in 1460. Their son Edward became King Edward IV in 1461. This happened after King Henry VI of the House of Lancaster was removed from the throne. Because of this, Cecily almost became the Queen of England.
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Cecily's Family Background
Cecily Neville was the youngest of 22 children. Her father was Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland. Her mother was Joan Beaufort, his second wife.
Her grandparents on her father's side were John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby, and Maud Percy. Her grandparents on her mother's side were John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and Katherine Swynford. John of Gaunt was the third son of King Edward III of England.
Cecily was the aunt of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. He was a very powerful noble and military leader. She was also the great-aunt of Queen Anne Neville, who married her son Richard III.
Life as Duchess of York
In 1424, when Cecily was eight years old, her father arranged for her to marry Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York. Richard was 13 at the time. Cecily and Richard were married by October 1429.
Their first child, Anne of York, was born in 1439. In 1441, Richard became a leader in France, and Cecily moved with him to Rouen. Their son Henry was born there but died soon after.
Their next son, who would become King Edward IV, was born in Rouen in 1442. Later, some people tried to say that Edward was not Richard's son. This was a common way to try and hurt political enemies. However, Richard always said Edward was his son.
Around 1454, Richard started to disagree with Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset. Cecily spoke with Queen Margaret of Anjou to help her husband. When King Henry VI became ill, Richard of York became a special protector of the kingdom.
Wars of the Roses and Family Struggles
The Wars of the Roses began in 1455. Cecily stayed at their home, Ludlow Castle. She secretly worked to help the House of York. In 1459, when Parliament was discussing what to do with her husband, Cecily went to London. She asked the king to forgive her husband.
This effort did not fully succeed, and Richard's lands were taken away. But Cecily was able to get money to support herself and her children.
After the Yorkists won the Battle of Northampton in 1460, Cecily moved to London. She carried the royal arms in front of Richard in a parade. Richard and his sons were officially named as King Henry VI's future successors. This meant Cecily was almost a queen.
However, the Lancastrians won a big victory at the Battle of Wakefield in December 1460. The Duke of York, their son Edmund, Earl of Rutland, and Cecily's brother were all killed. Cecily sent her two youngest sons, George and Richard, to live with Philip III, Duke of Burgundy. This helped Philip become an ally of the Yorkists.
Mother of Kings and Queens
Cecily's oldest son Edward continued the fight against the Lancastrians. When Cecily moved to Baynard's Castle in London, it became the main place for the Yorkists. After Edward won and became king, she was honored as the king's mother.
At the start of Edward's rule, Cecily was often seen with him and kept her influence. In 1461, she changed her family symbol to include the royal arms of England. This showed that she believed her husband had been the rightful king. When Edward married Elizabeth Woodville, he built new rooms for his wife. But he let his mother stay in the queen's rooms she was already using.
In 1469, her nephew Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick rebelled against Edward IV. Cecily tried to help them make peace. When the rebellion failed the first time, she invited Edward and George to London to reconcile. Peace did not last, and she kept trying to make peace between her sons during the ongoing war.
Edward IV was briefly removed from the throne, and Henry VI became king again for about six months. The disagreement between Edward and his brother George never truly ended. George was later executed in the Tower of London in 1478.
Edward IV died suddenly in 1483. He left two young sons. Cecily Neville's youngest son, Richard, was named their protector. He placed the boys in the Tower of London, which was common for kings waiting for their coronation. What happened to them after that is still debated by historians. Later, it was decided that Edward IV's marriage had not been valid. So, his sons were declared not legitimate, and their uncle Richard became King Richard III in 1483.
Duchess Cecily got along well with Richard's wife, Lady Anne Neville. They talked about religious books together.
Richard's time as king was short. He was defeated and killed in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth by Henry Tudor. Henry Tudor then became King Henry VII. By 1485, Cecily's husband and four sons had all died. However, two of her daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, were still alive.
In 1486, Cecily's granddaughter, Elizabeth of York, married Henry VII and became Queen of England. Cecily lived to see her great-grandchildren born. She spent her later years focused on religious duties. She was known for being very religious during this time.
Death and Legacy
Cecily Neville died on May 31, 1495. She was buried with her husband Richard and their son Edmund at the Church of St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay. All future English and British monarchs, starting with Henry VIII, are descendants of Elizabeth of York, and therefore of Cecily Neville.
Cecily made her will on April 1, 1495. It was officially approved later that year.
Cecily's Children
Cecily had twelve children with Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York:
- Anne of York (1439 – 1476)
- Henry of York (born and died 1441)
- Edward IV of England (1442 – 1483)
- Edmund, Earl of Rutland (1443 – 1460), killed at the Battle of Wakefield
- Elizabeth of York (1444 – after 1503)
- Margaret of York (1446 – 1503), married Charles I, Duke of Burgundy
- William of York (1447 – died young)
- John of York (1448 – died young)
- George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (1449 – 1478), executed by Edward IV
- Thomas of York (1450/1451 – died young)
- Richard III of England (1452 – 1485), killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field
- Ursula of York (1455 – died young)
Coat of Arms
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Cecily in Stories and TV
Cecily Neville is a main character in Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of King Richard III. In the play, she loves her dead sons Edward and George very much. But she is cold towards Richard. She even curses him in the play. Many famous actresses have played her, including Dame Maggie Smith.
In 2013 and 2017, Cecily was played by Caroline Goodall in the TV shows The White Queen and The White Princess. These shows are based on books by Philippa Gregory.
In 2016, Judi Dench played Cecily Neville in the BBC TV series The Hollow Crown: The War of the Roses. This episode was based on Shakespeare's play Richard III.
The historical novel The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman shows Cecily Neville as a proud leader of the York family. She is shown as a loving but strict mother to all her children. The book also focuses on her dislike for Elizabeth Woodville. It shows her trying to make peace between her sons.
