Edward of Westminster, the last Prince of Lancaster, son of Henry VI, became a symbol of the lost House of Lancaster. Albeit Marys grandfathers tenuous claim came from this House; he nevertheless took advantage of the cult surrounding these fallen figures. The cult of Henry VI, even during the times of Edward IV, had become too impossible to ignore and to suppress -despite the York monarchs best efforts. Henry VII wasted no expense in his son, Edward of Westminster, as well. On December 15, 1488, Susan Higginbotham informs us in her book about Prince Edward, Henry VII made expenditures for pall clothes and other expensive materials to be laid on Edward and also Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset and his brother John. Not long after there were pilgrimages to his tomb as there had been to that of his father, the last Lancaster King. In 1502, Elizabeth of YorK gave her chaplain five shillings to be offered at Prince Edwards resting place. Despite the great attention to the Lancaster dynasty, Henry VIIs successor, Marys father, would not put as great attention. They were not forgotten by any means, however attention was also put on the York dynasty, primarily, their first York monarch ancestor, Edward IV.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 03:16:03 +0000