England’s King Edward IV died leaving his sons in the care of
his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Richard placed the
boys in the Tower of London in preparation of the eldest son,
Edward’s, coronation. The boys disappeared in 1483 and Richard
assumed the throne himself. In the end, Richard probably
murdered them, but the evidence is circumstantial. Edward IV
died in 1483. He named his brother, Richard, Lord Protector of
the Kingdom for his son, 12-year-old Edward V. Richard moved his
nephews, Edward and Richard of Shrewsbury, to the Tower of
London. The boys would remain there until the June 22
coronation. With the new king safely under lock and key, Richard
annulled Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville making the
boys illegitimate and therefore invalidating their claims to the
throne. Next, parliament rubber stamped Richard’s action and he
assumed the throne. Richard, Duke of Gloucester became Richard
III. Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York remained
threats to Richard III. They were