Editing Duke of York (section)

==History==
In the [[Middle Ages]], [[York]] was the main city of the North of England and the [[Episcopal see|see]] of the [[Archbishop of York]] from AD 735. [[Yorkshire]] is England's largest [[shire]] in area.

York under its Viking name "Jorvik" was a [[petty kingdom]] in the early medieval period. In the interval between the fall of independent Jorvik under [[Eric Bloodaxe]], last [[king of Jorvik]] (d. 954), and the first creation of the Dukedom of York, there were a few [[earls of York]].

The title Duke of York was first created in the [[Peerage of England]] in 1385 for [[Edmund of Langley]]. His son [[Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York|Edward]], who inherited the title, was killed at the [[Battle of Agincourt]] in 1415. The title passed to Edward's nephew [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard]], the son of [[Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge]] (who had been executed for plotting against [[Henry V of England|King Henry V]]). The younger Richard managed to obtain a restoration of the title, but when his eldest son, who inherited the title, became king in 1461 as [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]], the title [[Merging in the Crown|merged into the Crown]].

The title was next created for [[Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York|Richard of Shrewsbury]], second son of King Edward IV. Richard was one of the [[Princes in the Tower]], and, as he disappeared and was presumed dead without heirs, the title was considered extinct.

The third creation was for Henry Tudor, second son of [[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]]. When his elder brother [[Arthur, Prince of Wales]], died in 1502, Henry became heir-apparent to the throne. When Henry ultimately became [[King Henry VIII]] in 1509, his titles merged into the crown.

The title was created for the fourth time for Charles Stuart, second son of [[James VI and I|James I]]. When his elder brother, [[Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales]], died in 1612, Charles became heir-apparent. He was created [[Prince of Wales]] in 1616 and eventually became [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] in 1625 when the title again merged into the Crown.

The fifth creation was in favour of [[James II of England|James Stuart]], the second son of Charles I. [[New York (state)|New York]], its capital [[Albany, New York|Albany]], and [[New York City]], were named for this particular Duke of Albany and York. In 1664, [[Charles II of England]] granted American territory between the [[Delaware River|Delaware]] and [[Connecticut River|Connecticut]] rivers to his younger brother James. Following its capture by the English the former Dutch territory of [[New Netherland]] and its principal port, [[New Amsterdam]], were named the [[Province of New York|Province]] and [[New York City|City of New York]] in James's honour. After the founding, the Duke gave part of the colony to proprietors [[George Carteret]] and [[John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton|John Berkeley]]. [[Fort Orange]], {{convert|150|mi|km}} north on the [[Hudson River]], was renamed [[Albany, New York|Albany]] after James's Scottish title.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552683/New_York.html |title=New York |access-date=2007-02-24 |encyclopedia=Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028213146/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552683/New_York.html |archive-date=2009-10-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=James II |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica Online |access-date=2011-01-02 |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/299989/James-II}}</ref><ref name=miller44>Miller, 44–45</ref> When his elder brother, [[Charles II of England|King Charles II]], died without heirs, James succeeded to the throne as [[King James II]] of England and King James VII of Scotland, and the title once again merged into the Crown.

During the 18th century the [[Duke of York and Albany|double dukedom of York and Albany]] was created a number of times in the [[Peerage of Great Britain]]. The title was first held by [[Ernest, Duke of York and Albany|Duke Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Bishop of Osnabrück]], the youngest brother of [[George I of Great Britain|King George I]]. He died without heirs, and the title reverted to the Crown. The second creation of the double dukedom was for [[Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany|Prince Edward]], younger brother of [[King George III]], who also died without heirs, having never married. Again, the title reverted to the Crown. The third and last creation of the double dukedom was for [[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany|Prince Frederick Augustus]], the second son of King George III. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the [[British Army]] for many years, and was the original "[[The Grand Old Duke of York|Grand old Duke of York]]" in the popular rhyme. He too died without legitimate heirs, leaving the title, once again, to revert to the Crown.

The sixth creation of the Dukedom of York (without being combined with Albany) was for Prince George, second son of the, then current, Prince of Wales, the future [[King Edward VII]]. He was created Duke of York following the death of his elder brother, [[Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale]]. The title merged with the Crown when George succeeded his father as King George V.

The seventh creation was for Prince Albert, second son of King George V, and younger brother of the future [[King Edward VIII]]. Albert came unexpectedly to the throne when his brother abdicated, and took the name [[George VI]], the Dukedom then merging into the Crown.

The title was created for the eighth time for Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II. As of 2022, the only legitimate offspring are his two daughters from his marriage to [[Sarah, Duchess of York]]. Thus, if he has no future (legitimate) sons, the title will again become extinct—reverting to the Crown—upon his death.

Aside from the first creation, every time the Dukedom of York has been created it has had only one occupant, that person either inheriting the throne or dying without male heirs.

=== Pretenders ===
In the late 15th Century, [[Perkin Warbeck]] unsuccessfully claimed the Crown by claiming the identity of Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York.

In the early 18th century, the eldest son of the overthrown King James II & VII and thus [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] claimant to the throne, [[James Francis Edward Stuart]], known to his opponents as the Old Pretender, granted the title "Duke of York" (in the [[Jacobite Peerage]]) to his own second son, [[Henry Benedict Stuart|Henry]], using his purported authority as King James III & VIII. Henry later became a cardinal in the Catholic church and is thus known as the Cardinal Duke of York. Since James was not recognised as king by English law, the grant is also not recognised as a legitimate creation.