Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick

Richard Neville, known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander. Born to the Neville family, he became Earl of Warwick through marriage and was the wealthiest and most powerful peer of his age, with extensive political connections. As a key figure in the Wars of the Roses, he initially supported the Yorkist cause but later allied with the Lancastrians, contributing to the deposition of two kings, which earned him the epithet ‘Kingmaker’.

Warwick’s influence grew through marriage and inheritance, leading him to the center of English politics in the 1450s. After a territorial dispute with Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, he allied with Richard, Duke of York, against King Henry VI. Warwick’s control of the strategic post of Captain of Calais played a significant role in his political and military endeavors. Despite his initial success, his relationship with King Edward IV soured, leading to a failed plot and his eventual defeat and death at the Battle of Barnet in 1471.