Edward Woodville, Lord Scales facts for kids

Sir Edward Woodville (died 1488) was an English knight and soldier. He lived during the Wars of the Roses, a time when two powerful families, the Houses of York and Lancaster, fought for control of England. Edward was part of the Woodville family, who were connected to the royal family.

He was known as a brave and adventurous soldier. Some people called him "the last knight errant" because he was so dedicated to the ideals of chivalry, which meant being honorable and courageous. Edward was involved in many battles and adventures. He died fighting in France while helping the Duke of Brittany.

Edward was often called Lord Scales, even though he never officially held that title. This was because his brother, Anthony Woodville, had wanted Edward to inherit lands connected to the Scales family.

Edward Woodville's Early Life

Edward was the youngest son of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, and Jacquetta of Luxembourg. His family became very important when his sister, Elizabeth Woodville, married King Edward IV of England.

As a young man, Edward was close to King Edward IV. He was part of the king's inner circle.

Military Adventures and Royal Service

In 1472, Edward went with his brother, Anthony, to Brittany. The Duke of Brittany needed help against the French. King Edward IV sent 1,000 archers, and the Woodville brothers led them. Their strong resistance made the French army retreat.

In 1475, King Edward IV made Edward a Knight of the Bath. This was a special honor. Later, in 1480, Edward was given control of Portsmouth and Porchester Castle. These were important places for England's navy.

In 1482, Edward joined the king's brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in a fight against Scotland. Richard made him a knight banneret, another military honor. The next year, Edward was preparing to lead a group of soldiers to France. However, King Edward IV died suddenly, and the plan was stopped.

Escape from Richard III

After King Edward IV died, there was a big struggle for power. The king's young son, Edward V, was too young to rule. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was made "Protector" to rule until the young king grew up.

The Woodville family wanted to make Prince Edward king quickly. They tried to get their family members into important positions. They convinced the royal council to make Edward Woodville the admiral of a fleet. This fleet was meant to deal with French ships attacking English trade.

Edward left London to take command of the fleet. He didn't know that Richard had already arrested his brother, Anthony. Edward sailed with his ships in April. Richard quickly took control of Edward's bases at the Isle of Wight and Porchester.

Richard then tried to capture Edward's fleet. Edward was in Southampton when he learned what was happening. Most of his ships surrendered to Richard. But Edward escaped with two ships and some money. He then joined Henry Tudor, who was in exile in Brittany. Richard executed Anthony Woodville and became king himself. He tried to get the Duke of Brittany to hand over Henry Tudor and his supporters, but the Duke refused.

Serving King Henry VII

Edward returned to England with Henry Tudor in 1485. He fought bravely at the Battle of Bosworth, where Henry Tudor won the throne. After Henry became King Henry VII, he rewarded Edward.

Edward was made Lord of the Isle of Wight. He was the last person to hold this title. He also regained command of Porchester Castle and Carisbrooke Castle.

Adventures in Spain

In 1486, Edward went to Spain. He joined King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. They were fighting to remove the Moors from Spain. Edward may have gone because he had promised to join a crusade.

He fought at the siege of Loja. He helped defeat the Moorish forces by leading an attack to climb the city walls. During the fight, a rock hit Edward in the face. He was knocked out, and his front teeth were broken. He saw this injury as a mark of honor. The king and queen visited him in the hospital. Edward told them that the injury was like "opening a window" to see more clearly.

Fighting for Henry VII in England

The next year, Edward was back in England. He played a key role in stopping a rebellion led by Lambert Simnel. Edward was in charge of the light cavalry, which were fast horse soldiers. He sent them north to find the rebels first.

His forces attacked the rebel army many times in Sherwood Forest. These small fights slowed the rebels down. This gave King Henry time to gather his own army. Edward's cavalry joined the main royal army before the big Battle of Stoke. They formed the right side of the army. Edward used "hit-and-run tactics" that he had seen in Spain. After the victory, he was made a Knight of the Garter, a very high honor.

Death in Brittany

In 1488, the Duke of Brittany again asked King Henry for help. France was threatening to invade Brittany. Henry tried to find a peaceful solution. However, the French decided to invade.

Edward asked Henry if he could raise a force to help the Bretons. Henry did not want to get involved directly. So, Edward gathered men from the Isle of Wight on his own. He managed to get between 400 and 700 archers. He also had 40 local gentlemen. He sailed to Saint-Malo, even taking a French ship on the way.

The Bretons wanted to make the English force seem bigger. They dressed 1,300 of their own men in English colors. This was to scare the French, as English longbowmen were famous. At the Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier (1488), Edward's force was at the front of the Breton army.

He led a brave attack on the French. But a French counter-attack broke the Breton lines. Lord Scales' force was almost completely destroyed. Only one boy, Diccon Clarke, supposedly survived to tell the story. Edward was killed with his men. He refused to surrender for ransom.

Edward was buried in Brittany. In 1988, a monument was put up at the battle site. It remembers the English forces. In 2009, English Heritage placed a memorial plaque for him at Carisbrooke Castle.

The Scales Title

Edward was often called "Lord Scales," especially by people in other countries. His brother, Anthony Woodville, had wanted Edward to inherit lands linked to the Scales family. However, King Richard III did not follow Anthony's wishes.

When Henry VII became king, Edward was not officially given the title. The Woodville relatives who had inherited the land were allowed to keep it. But they could not use the baronial title. It's not clear if Edward chose not to claim the title or if Henry VII decided against it. Some historians believe Edward chose not to pursue his claim.

Despite this, the Spanish often called him "Conde d'Escalas" (Count of Scales). The French chronicler Jean Molinet called him "Le Seigneur d'Escales" (Lord of Scales). However, when Edward went to Brittany against King Henry's wishes, Henry wrote to the French king. He referred to Edward as "Sir Edward Woodville, knight, calling himself Lord of Scales."

Images for kids

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  Arms of Sir Edward Woodville, KG.