Elizabeth Woodville & Margaret of Anjou

[el t]

Were these English queens as bad as the sources say they were, or were they the victims of biased testimony?

 

[Grimm Reaper]

Elizabeth Woodville actively encouraged her husband to indulge himself to the point of a premature death and then forced a confrontation with her brother-in-law which cost her sons their lives only to then make an effort to marry her oldest daughter off to that same brother-in-law.

 

[meries]

I don't think Margaret is as bad as she's portrayed in the sources. I think her not understanding the prejudices of the English people has a lot to do with it, especially in the alliances with traditional English enemies she made in fighting for her husband and more importantly for her son's rights. It's because she didn't understand those prejudices, and probably that she was French, that she got a bad reputation in the propoganda of the time.

 

[mcdnab]

Both women were the victims of virulent propoganda campaigns during their lifetimes and afterwards.
At the period it was usual to blame advisers and those around a monarch for any failures (real or imagined) during the 1450s much of that blame (by the pro-York side was aimed at Margaret and Beaufort)
In 1469/70 - Warwick blamed Elizabeth and her family for cutting out the King (Edward IV's) loyal advisers etc - it wasn't true a comparison showed Warwick and his family were by a long way the biggest beneficiaries of the King's generosity.

Again in 1483 Elizabeth was blamed for the mess following Edward IV's premature death and the usurpation of Richard III - through fear of her and her low born relations goes the arguement Richard was forced to reluctantly take the throne etc.

Margaret of Anjou was largely blamed for English failure in France, and the descent into civil war due to those she favoured at court and in government largely due to her husband's rather obvious failures as a leader and as a King.

Elizabeth Wydeville (or Woodville) was blamed for a host of things and even the most pro-ricardian historians now admit was the result of propoganda.

Of the two Margaret was a much more active politician whilst Elizabeth in fact confined herself to the usual role of a pious consort.