[MR] Wikipedia: The Duke of Clarence and His Strange Death

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble friends,

On this date in 1478, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence and brother
of King Edward IV, was executed for treason.

Clarence was active in the War of the Roses, being first a Yorkist, then
supporting the House of Lancaster when it seemed he might have his own shot
at becoming king, and later returning to the Yorist side. Clarence
continued to plot against his brother, and became increasingly unstable.
Finally when he could tolerate no more, Edward had Clarence arrested and
jugged in the Tower of London.

After a kangaroo court before Parliament, Edward obtained a bill of
attainder against his brother. Clarence was "privately executed" in the
Tower. According to popular legend, the Duke was drowned in a vat of
malmsey wine. Whether this is true or not, it was used as a plot device by
William Shakespear.

Clarence's two surviving children did not fare well either. His son was
Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, who was the last serious Plantagenet
claimant to the English throne. He was executed in 1499 on the order of
Henry VII, along with the pretender Perkin Warbeck. Clarence's daughter
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, was chopped in 1541 for plotting
treason against Henry VIII with other members of her family.

More about the Duke of Clarence is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Plantagenet,_Duke_of_Clarence .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep the original Merry Rose relevant and in
business.