Luminarium: Encyclopedia Project Wars of the Roses



Richard of York's Claim to the English Throne

This genealogical chart is greatly simplified for clarity of descent. For the full chart, see Chart of English Succession.

Genealogical Chart Showing Richard of York's Claim to the English Throne



Richard, Duke of York, could claim the English crown from both sides of his family.

Edward III had left the crown to Richard II, his grandson through his eldest son. After Richard, next in line to the throne was Philippa, daughter of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, the second son of Edward III. The claim passed through Philippa's son Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, to his son Edmund. At Edmund's death, it transferred to Anne Mortimer, who married Richard, Earl of Cambridge; their son Richard of York thus had the strongest claim to the throne, though carried through a woman (Anne).

On his father's side, Richard of York was the grandson of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, King Edward III's fifth son. Since the Beaufort line (children of John of Lancaster through his third marriage) had been excluded by Henry IV's parliament from succession (1407), Richard of York was next in line to the throne, in the event that Henry VI died without an heir.





How to cite this article:

Jokinen, Anniina. "Richard of York's Claim to the English Throne."
            Luminarium Encyclopedia. Online Resource.
            28 Apr 2007. [Date you accessed this article].
            <http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/yorkclaim.htm>




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This page was created on April 28, 2007. Last updated October 10, 2022.



King Richard II King Edward III John of Gaunt, John of Lancaster Edmund of Langley Thomas of Woodstock Edward, Duke of York Richard, Earl of Cambridge Richard Earl of Cambridge Richard of York Richard Duke of York King Henry V Catherine of Valois, Catherine of France King Henry VI King Henry IV Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Lionel Duke of Clarence Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March Edward Black Prince of Wales