Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York

Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York, also known as Richard Plantagenet, was a prominent English nobleman with a claim to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was part of the House of Plantagenet as a direct male-line descendant of Edmund of Langley, the fourth surviving son of King Edward III. His strongest claim to the throne came through his mother, Anne Mortimer, a descendant of Edward III’s second surviving son, Lionel of Antwerp, surpassing the House of Lancaster’s descent from John of Gaunt, the third surviving son. Richard inherited extensive estates and held various state offices in Ireland, France, and England, even governing as Lord Protector during King Henry VI’s incapacity.

His dispute with Henry’s consort, Margaret of Anjou, and other court members, along with his own claim to the throne, significantly contributed to the mid-fifteenth-century political turmoil in England, leading to the Wars of the Roses. Although he aimed to claim the throne, he was persuaded to wait until Henry’s death after securing the Act of Accord. Shortly after this agreement, Richard died in the Battle of Wakefield. His sons, Edward IV and Richard III, subsequently became kings.