Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk
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Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk, later Duchess of York
and Duchess of Norfolk (10 December 1472 – 19 November (?) 1481) was the child bride of Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
, one of the Princes in the Tower
. She died at the age of eight.
in Suffolk
, the only (surviving) child of John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
and Elizabeth de Mowbray, Duchess of Norfolk
. Her maternal grandparents were John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
and his second wife Lady Margaret Beauchamp
. The death of her father in 1476 left Anne a wealthy heiress.
, the 4-year-old younger son of Edward IV
and his queen
Elizabeth Woodville
.
in London
, nearly two years before her husband disappeared into the Tower of London
with his older brother Edward V
Upon her death, her heirs normally would have been her cousins William, Viscount Berkeley and John, Lord Howard
, but by an act of Parliament in January 1483 the rights were given to her husband Richard, with reversion to his descendants, and, failing that, to the descendants of his father Edward IV. This action may be a motivation for Lord Howard's support of the accession of Richard III
. He was created Duke of Norfolk and given his half of the Mowbray estates after Richard's coronation.
in Westminster Abbey
. When that chapel was demolished in about 1502 to make way for the Henry VII Lady Chapel
, Anne's coffin was moved to a vault under the Abbey of the Minoresses, run by nuns of the Order of Poor Ladies
. Her coffin eventually disappeared.
In December 1964, construction workers in Stepney accidentally dug into the vault and found Anne's coffin. It was opened, and her remains were analyzed by scientists and then entombed in Westminster Abbey
in May 1965. Her red hair was still on her skull and her shroud still wrapped around her. Westminster Abbey is also the alleged resting place of her husband Richard Duke of York.
Duchess of York
Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. The title is gained with marriage alone and is forfeited upon divorce. Four of the twelve Dukes of York did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, therefore there have only ever been eleven...
and Duchess of Norfolk (10 December 1472 – 19 November (?) 1481) was the child bride of Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, 1st Duke of Norfolk, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Earl Marshal was the sixth child and second son of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. He was born in Shrewsbury....
, one of the Princes in the Tower
Princes in the Tower
The Princes in the Tower is a term which refers to Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York. The two brothers were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville alive at the time of their father's death...
. She died at the age of eight.
Heiress
She was born at Framlingham CastleFramlingham Castle
Framlingham Castle is a castle in the market town of Framlingham in Suffolk in England. An early motte and bailey or ringwork Norman castle was built on the Framlingham site by 1148, but this was destroyed by Henry II of England in the aftermath of the revolt of 1173-4...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, the only (surviving) child of John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk, KG , known as 1st Earl of Surrey between 1451 and 1461, was the only son of John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and Eleanor Bourchier. His maternal grandparents were William Bourchier, Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester.In 1451 the earldom of Surrey was...
and Elizabeth de Mowbray, Duchess of Norfolk
Elizabeth de Mowbray, Duchess of Norfolk
Elizabeth de Mowbray, Duchess of Norfolk was the one of two surviving daughters of John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife Lady Margaret Beauchamp.-Family:...
. Her maternal grandparents were John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and 1st Earl of Waterford KG , known as "Old Talbot" was an important English military commander during the Hundred Years' War, as well as the only Lancastrian Constable of France.-Origins:He was descended from Richard Talbot, a tenant in 1086 of Walter Giffard...
and his second wife Lady Margaret Beauchamp
Margaret Beauchamp
Margaret Beauchamp, Countess of Shrewsbury was the eldest daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and Elizabeth de Berkeley...
. The death of her father in 1476 left Anne a wealthy heiress.
Marriage
On 15 January 1478, she was married in St. Stephen's Chapel, Westminster, to Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of YorkRichard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, 1st Duke of Norfolk, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Earl Marshal was the sixth child and second son of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. He was born in Shrewsbury....
, the 4-year-old younger son of Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and his queen
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...
.
Death and heirs
Anne died at GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
in London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, nearly two years before her husband disappeared into the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
with his older brother Edward V
Edward V of England
Edward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
Upon her death, her heirs normally would have been her cousins William, Viscount Berkeley and John, Lord Howard
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman, soldier, and the first Howard Duke of Norfolk...
, but by an act of Parliament in January 1483 the rights were given to her husband Richard, with reversion to his descendants, and, failing that, to the descendants of his father Edward IV. This action may be a motivation for Lord Howard's support of the accession of Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
. He was created Duke of Norfolk and given his half of the Mowbray estates after Richard's coronation.
Burial
Anne was entombed in a lead coffin in the Chapel of St. Erasmus of FormiaeErasmus of Formiae
Saint Erasmus of Formiae was a Christian saint and martyr who died ca. 303, also known as Saint Elmo. He is venerated as the patron saint of sailors...
in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. When that chapel was demolished in about 1502 to make way for the Henry VII Lady Chapel
Henry VII Lady Chapel
The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates and a flight of stairs.The structure of the chapel is a...
, Anne's coffin was moved to a vault under the Abbey of the Minoresses, run by nuns of the Order of Poor Ladies
Order of Poor Ladies
The Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
. Her coffin eventually disappeared.
In December 1964, construction workers in Stepney accidentally dug into the vault and found Anne's coffin. It was opened, and her remains were analyzed by scientists and then entombed in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in May 1965. Her red hair was still on her skull and her shroud still wrapped around her. Westminster Abbey is also the alleged resting place of her husband Richard Duke of York.