Editing Elizabeth of York (section)

== Queen of England ==
[[File:The Family of Henry VII with St George and the Dragon (cropped).jpg|thumb|Henry VII and Elizabeth with their children]]
[[File:Remigius van Leemput - Whitehall Mural.jpg|thumb|right|276px|Copy in oils of the 1536–37 Hans Holbein Whitehall mural, commissioned by [[Charles II of England|Charles II]], 1667. Left to right: Henry VIII, Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Jane Seymour.]]

=== Marriage to Henry VII ===
Though initially slow to keep his promise,<ref>Williamson, Audrey. ''The Mysteries of the Princes''.</ref> Henry VII acknowledged the necessity of marrying Elizabeth of York to ensure the stability of his rule and weaken the claims of other surviving members of the [[House of York]]. It seems Henry wished to be seen as ruling in his own right, having claimed the throne by right of conquest and not by his marriage to the ''de facto'' heiress of the House of York. He had no intention of sharing power.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Blackstone |first=William |author-link=William Blackstone |date=1765 |url=http://www.lonang.com/exlibris/blackstone/bla-103.htm |title=Commentaries on the Laws of England |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203001156/http://www.lonang.com/exlibris/blackstone/bla-103.htm |archive-date=3 February 2014 |location=Oxford |publisher=Clarendon Press}}</ref>

Henry VII had the Act of ''[[Titulus Regius]]'' repealed, thereby legitimising anew the children of Edward IV, and acknowledging Edward V as his predecessor.{{Sfn|Chrimes|1972|p=[https://archive.org/details/henryvii00chri/page/66 66]}} Though Richard III was regarded as a usurper, his reign was not ignored. Henry and Elizabeth required a papal dispensation to wed because of Canon Law frowning upon [[Affinity (law)|affinity]]: Henry and Elizabeth were descended from, respectively, [[John of Gaunt]] and his younger brother [[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Edmund]] in the 4th degree, an issue that had caused much dispute and bloodshed as to which claim was superior.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sprey |first=Ilicia J. |last2=Morgan |first2=Kenneth O. |year=2001 |title=The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain |journal=Sixteenth Century Journal |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=867 |doi=10.2307/2671570 |issn=0361-0160 |jstor=2671570}}; {{Cite web |title=Why Lancaster DID have a better claim than York – at least according to Edward III – Royal History Geeks |date=12 March 2017 |url=https://www.royalhistorygeeks.com/why-lancaster-did-have-a-better-claim-than-york-at-least-according-to-edward-iii |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113035406/https://www.royalhistorygeeks.com/why-lancaster-did-have-a-better-claim-than-york-at-least-according-to-edward-iii |archive-date=13 January 2021 |access-date=15 May 2020 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Two applications were sent, the first more locally, and the second one was slow in reaching Rome and slow to return with the response of the Pope. Ultimately, however, the marriage was approved by [[papal bull]] of [[Pope Innocent VIII]] dated March 1486 (two months after the wedding) stating that the Pope and his advisors "''Approveth confirmyth and stablishyth the matrimonye and coniuncion made betwene our sou[er]ayn lord King Henre the seuenth of the house of Lancastre of that one party And the noble Princesse Elyzabeth of the house of Yorke.''"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Text of Papal Bull on the Marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York |url=https://tudorhistory.org/primary/h7marriagebull/text.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923093956/https://tudorhistory.org/primary/h7marriagebull/text.html |archive-date=23 September 2020 |access-date=15 May 2020 |website=tudorhistory.org}}</ref>
[[File:Arms of Elizabeth of York.svg|thumb|Arms of Elizabeth as queen consort of England]]
Because the journey to Rome and back took many months, and because Henry as king wanted to be certain that nobody could claim that his wedding to Elizabeth was unlawful or sinful, the more local application was obeyed first—it was sent to the papal legate for England and Scotland, which returned in January 1486.{{Sfn|Okerlund|2009|p=48}} [[Thomas Bourchier (cardinal)|Cardinal Bourchier]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], officiated at the wedding of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York on 18 January 1486.{{Sfn|Chrimes|1972|p=[https://archive.org/details/henryvii00chri/page/66 66]}} Their first son, [[Arthur, Prince of Wales|Arthur]], was born on 20 September 1486, eight months after their marriage. Elizabeth of York was crowned queen on 25 November 1487. She gave birth to several more children, but only four survived infancy: Arthur, [[Margaret Tudor|Margaret]], [[Henry VIII|Henry]] and [[Mary Tudor, Queen of France|Mary]].

=== Relationship with Henry Tudor ===
Despite their marriage being a political arrangement, records indicate both partners appear to have slowly fallen in love with each other.{{Sfnm|Okerlund|2009|1pp=99–118, 185–186, 203–204|Williams|1977|2p=143}} Thomas Penn, in his biography of Henry VII writes that "[t]hough founded on pragmatism, Henry and Elizabeth's marriage had nevertheless blossomed throughout the uncertainty and upheaval of the previous eighteen years. This was a marriage of 'faithful love', of mutual attraction, affection and respect, from which the king seems to have drawn great strength."{{Sfn|Penn|2012|pages=[https://archive.org/details/winterkinghenryv00penn/page/97 97]}}

In order to maintain stability and peace after ending a civil war that had lasted 32 years, the new Tudor dynasty needed to put an end to the quarrelling Yorkist and Lancastrian families. Elizabeth's sisters, [[Cecily of York|Cecily]] and [[Anne of York (daughter of Edward IV)|Anne of York]], and her cousin, [[Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury|Margaret Pole]], were married to Lancastrian men who were loyal to Henry. Similar strategies had been used before by [[Richard III of England]], though in that case the ''Titulus Regius'' had marred the status of Elizabeth and all of her sisters as illegitimate, and Richard had no intention of making it difficult for the two sides of the conflict to return to factionalism when two were married into one – his actions showed he was more interested in loyalty and eliminating rival claims by wedding them off to the inconsequential. Richard did this directly to Elizabeth's sister, Cecily, by wedding her to Richard Scrope. Elizabeth, therefore, had a motive to see to the successful welfare of her female relatives, but by no means could she foresee whether it would guarantee peace at last.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Society |first=Henry Tudor |date=23 April 2017 |title=Henry VII and the House of York |url=https://henrytudorsociety.com/2017/04/23/henry-vii-and-the-house-of-york |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226184547/https://henrytudorsociety.com/2017/04/23/henry-vii-and-the-house-of-york |archive-date=26 February 2021 |access-date=15 May 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

Further complicating things is that the public image of Henry Tudor, handed down through time only accords with the last years of his reign. Where, when, and how he spent his money is traceable by surviving documents, some written by the king himself and many more having his signature "Henry R" to indicate his oversight of entries, both his personal and the realm's finances, documented in careful detail.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 June 2015 |title=Domestic and foreign policy of Henry VII |url=http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/123/123%20202%20hvii%20policy.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627111129/http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/123/123%20202%20hvii%20policy.htm |archive-date=27 June 2015 |access-date=15 May 2020}}</ref> Surviving in the British National Archives are letters written by Elizabeth of York and also a records of her privy purse, supplying evidence that the rumour regarding Henry's mistreatment of his wife could be false. Elizabeth was a very pious woman and one of her life passions was charity, one of the three [[theological virtues]] of the Catholic Church. She gave away money and alms in very large quantities, to the point she indebted herself on many occasions.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} She also gave generously to monks and religious orders.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ridgway |first=Claire |date=11 February 2016 |title=Elizabeth of York by Sarah Bryson |url=https://www.tudorsociety.com/elizabeth-york-sarah-bryson |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112121324/https://www.tudorsociety.com/elizabeth-york-sarah-bryson |archive-date=12 January 2021 |access-date=15 May 2020 |website=The Tudor Society |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Elizabeth received a grand coronation where she was carried on a royal barge down the Thames. Henry VII was as much a builder as his son and granddaughter and Elizabeth had a hand in designing the new [[Greenwich Palace]]. The rebuilding at Greenwich commenced in 1498. In 1502, the master mason Robert Vertue was paid for working to a plan described as the "new platt of Greenwich which was devised by the Queen".<ref>[[Simon Thurley]], ''Royal Palaces of Tudor England'' (Yale, 1993), pp. 34–36.</ref> The Palace was well appointed for large scale entertaining.{{Sfn|Okerlund|2009|pp=178–179}} Records are very clear that Christmas was a raucous and special time for the royal family on the whole, evidenced by many surviving documents depicting a particularly lively court having a marvelous time, with copious amounts of imported wine, great amounts of money spent upon roasted meats, and entertainers. Henry also frequently bought gifts for Elizabeth and their children.{{Sfn|Okerlund|2009|pp=136–140}} The account books, kept by Henry, demonstrate that he spent a great deal of gold on expensive cloth for himself, his wife and his children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knapton |first=Sarah |date=1 June 2016 |title='Miserly' Henry VII was actually a shopaholic who spent £3 million on clothes |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/06/01/miserly-henry-vii-was-actually-a-shopaholic-who-spent-3-million |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/06/01/miserly-henry-vii-was-actually-a-shopaholic-who-spent-3-million |archive-date=12 January 2022 }}{{Cbignore}}</ref>

Elizabeth of York did not exercise much political influence as queen due to her strong-minded mother-in-law Lady Margaret Beaufort. Elizabeth was reported to be gentle, kind and generous to her relations, servants and benefactors. One report does state that Henry VII chose to appoint Elizabeth's choice for a vacant bishopric over his mother's choice, showing Henry's affection for, and willingness to listen to, Elizabeth.{{Sfnm|1a1=Okerlund|1y=2009|1p=136|2a1=Penn|2y=2012}} She seems to have had a love of books, patronising the English printer [[William Caxton]].{{Sfn|Okerlund|2009|pp=140–142}} Elizabeth of York enjoyed music, dancing, and gambling; the last of these was a pastime she shared with her husband. She also kept [[greyhound]]s.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Routh |first1=Charles Richard Nairne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MltmAAAAMAAJ&q=Elizabeth+of+York+gentle+kind+generous |title=Who's Who in Tudor England |last2=Holmes |first2=Peter |publisher=Shepheard-Walwyn |date=1990 |isbn=0-8568-3093-3 |location=London |access-date=25 July 2009}}</ref>

As queen, Elizabeth made arrangements for the education of her younger children, including the future Henry VIII.{{Sfn|Penn|2012|pages=[https://archive.org/details/winterkinghenryv00penn/page/101 101–102]}} She also accompanied her husband on his diplomatic visit to [[Calais]] in 1500 to meet with [[Philip I of Castile]]. She corresponded with Queen [[Isabella I of Castile]] before their children's marriage.{{Sfn|Okerlund|2009|pp=146–148}}

On 14 November 1501, Elizabeth of York's 15-year-old son Arthur married [[Catherine of Aragon]], daughter of King [[Ferdinand II of Aragon]] and Queen [[Isabella I of Castile]]. The pair were sent to [[Ludlow Castle]], the traditional residence of the Prince of Wales. Arthur died in April 1502. The news of Arthur's death caused Henry VII to break down in grief, as much in fear for his dynasty as in mourning for his son. Elizabeth comforted him, telling him that he was the only child of his mother but had survived to become king, that God had left him with a son and two daughters, and that they were both young enough to have more children. When she returned to her own chambers, however, Elizabeth herself broke down with grief. Her attendants sent for Henry who, in turn, comforted her.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chrimes|1972|pages=[https://archive.org/details/henryvii00chri/page/302 302–304]}}; {{Harvnb|Okerlund|2009|pp=203–211}}; {{Harvnb|Penn|2012|p=114}}; {{Cite book |first=Agnes |last=Strickland |first2=Elizabeth |last2=Strickland |title=Lives of the Queens of England |date=1852}}</ref>