Editing Battle of Bosworth Field (section)

===Yorkist===
Small and slender, Richard III did not have the robust physique associated with many of his Plantagenet predecessors.{{sfn|Ross|1999|p=138}} However, he enjoyed very rough sports and activities that were considered manly.{{sfn|Ross|1999|p=142}} His performances on the battlefield impressed his brother greatly, and he became Edward's right-hand man.{{sfn|Ross|1999|pp=21–22}} During the 1480s Richard defended the northern borders of England. In 1482, Edward charged him to lead an army into Scotland with the aim of replacing [[James III of Scotland|King James III]] with the [[Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany|Duke of Albany]].{{sfn|Ross|1999|pp=44–45}} Richard's army [[Capture of Berwick (1482)|broke through the Scottish defences and occupied the capital]], Edinburgh, but Albany decided to give up his claim to the throne in return for the post of Lieutenant General of Scotland. As well as obtaining a guarantee that the Scottish government would concede territories and diplomatic benefits to the English crown, Richard's campaign retook the town of [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]], which the Scots had conquered in 1460.{{sfn|Ross|1999|pp=45–47}} Edward was not satisfied by these gains,{{sfn|Lander|1981|p=327}} which, according to Ross, could have been greater if Richard had been resolute enough to capitalise on the situation while in control of Edinburgh.{{sfn|Ross|1997|pp=289–290}} In her analysis of Richard's character, Christine Carpenter sees him as a soldier who was more used to taking orders than giving them.{{sfn|Carpenter|2002|p=210}} However, he was not averse to displaying his militaristic streak; on ascending the throne he made known his desire to lead a [[Crusading movement|crusade]] against "not only the Turks, but all [his] foes".{{sfn|Ross|1999|p=142}}

Richard's most loyal subject was [[John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk]].{{sfn|Ross|1999|p=168}} The duke had served Richard's brother for many years and had been one of Edward IV's closer confidants.{{sfn|Ross|1997|p=226}} He was a military veteran, having fought in the [[Battle of Towton]] in 1461 and served as Hastings' deputy at Calais in 1471.{{sfn|Ross|1997|pp=36, 181}} Ross speculates that he bore a grudge against Edward for depriving him of a fortune. Norfolk was due to inherit a share of the wealthy Mowbray estate on the death of eight-year-old [[Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk|Anne de Mowbray]], the last of her family. However, Edward convinced Parliament to circumvent the law of inheritance and transfer the estate to his younger son, who was married to Anne. Consequently, Howard supported Richard III in deposing Edward's sons, for which he received the dukedom of Norfolk and his original share of the Mowbray estate.{{sfn|Ross|1999|pp=35–38, 175}}

[[Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland]], also supported Richard's ascension to the throne of England. The Percys were loyal Lancastrians, but Edward IV eventually won the earl's allegiance. Northumberland had been captured and imprisoned by the Yorkists in 1461, losing his titles and estates; however, Edward released him eight years later and restored his earldom.{{sfn|Hicks|2002|p=280}} From that time Northumberland served the Yorkist crown, helping to defend northern England and maintain its peace.{{sfn|Carpenter|2002|p=180}} Initially the earl had issues with Richard III as Edward groomed his brother to be the leading power of the north. Northumberland was mollified when he was promised he would be the [[Lord Warden of the Marches|Warden of the East March]], a position that was formerly hereditary for the Percys.{{sfn|Carpenter|2002|p=185}} He served under Richard during the 1482 invasion of Scotland, and the allure of being in a position to dominate the north of England if Richard went south to assume the crown was his likely motivation for supporting Richard's bid for kingship.{{sfn|Ross|1999|p=78}} However, after becoming king, Richard began moulding his nephew, [[John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln]], to manage the north, passing over Northumberland for the position. According to Carpenter, although the earl was amply compensated, he despaired of any possibility of advancement under Richard.{{sfn|Carpenter|2002|p=215}}