Surviving Princes of the tower, escape.

Hey guys, sorry for yet another House of York thread aha. But this was something that popped into my head last night.

If you would suspend some disbelief for a moment, say Richard, Duke of York, one of the princes in the tower does manage to escape from the tower, and survive on the run. Where might he go to, how long would he remain in hiding for, and would he emerge at the time of Bosworth, or would he keep waiting?

Alternatively, say Edward V does escape the tower, what might happen in such an instance?
 
I suppose if Edward V does escape the tower, Richard III will try looking for him everywhere, and might succeed in capturing him, but if he doesn't, does this therefore mean that it would be Edward V and not Henry Tudor that would draw disaffected Yorkists?
 
If he escapes without proper support couldn't Richard just say he's still up there and then say unfortunately he's died but here is his brother who is clearly upset.

Then when Edward V appears he can just say it's an impostor?
 
If he escapes without proper support couldn't Richard just say he's still up there and then say unfortunately he's died but here is his brother who is clearly upset.

Then when Edward V appears he can just say it's an impostor?

Hmm very possible. It does seem as though Edward V was quite a sickly kid, so it seems more likely that his brother Richard would be the one to escape. Considering Buckingham supposedly started a rebellion to free the princes, and was once in charge of the tower, could he not sneak one or both of them out?
 
Probably and Richard can say there impostors that Buckingham wants to rule through?

I suppose they become legitimate when he wins?

I don't know if they did escape they could certainly rally people to their banners if it was proved they were who they said.

Or they could flee to Margret in Burgundy, whilst she probably wouldn't attempt to overthrow her brother she would probably protect her nephews.
 
Hmm interesting, I suppose it all hinges on whether people want minority rule or not.

Also, say Richard Duke of York flees into exile, and winds up in Burgundy with Margaret recognising him as such, would Richard III be content to let the boy stay there? Furthermore, would Henry VII still try to claim the throne in 1485, if things came down to it?
 
If he went there then i imagine there would be a tacit family agreement that Richard wouldn't - I imagine that is something Margaret would insist on and in return Margaret would have to promise there would be no support etc.

If Richard is alive in Burgandy then Henry i doubt would invade he got a lot of support from disaffected Yorkists who were willing to support him as long as he married Elizabeth. With a true prince (if there supporting him he's not going to be a bastard) he won't get that support. Which could cause many butterflys to flap.
 
If he went there then i imagine there would be a tacit family agreement that Richard wouldn't - I imagine that is something Margaret would insist on and in return Margaret would have to promise there would be no support etc.

If Richard is alive in Burgandy then Henry i doubt would invade he got a lot of support from disaffected Yorkists who were willing to support him as long as he married Elizabeth. With a true prince (if there supporting him he's not going to be a bastard) he won't get that support. Which could cause many butterflys to flap.

Okay interesting, so could that mean Richard III lives longer? Might he consider bringing his nephew Richard back should his own son die as in otl?
 
Could do.

I don't think he could bring his nephew back, even if his son does die.

To do that, Richard would have to be legitimate and if he's legitimate then he's the King.

I would imagine it would still be Lincon as the heir but he would remarry - assuming Anne dies as usual.
 
Could do.

I don't think he could bring his nephew back, even if his son does die.

To do that, Richard would have to be legitimate and if he's legitimate then he's the King.

I would imagine it would still be Lincon as the heir but he would remarry - assuming Anne dies as usual.

Hmm very true. I do wonder, if Richard is in Burgundy, might we still see some Yorkists writing the kid off as a pretender? Especially if they think it would mean another Woodville regency?
 
I would imagine they would regard him as a pretender, until it's in their interests for him to be legitimate.

Once he's old enough not to need a regency he may get more support. His marriage prospects would be interesting as well.
 
I would imagine they would regard him as a pretender, until it's in their interests for him to be legitimate.

Once he's old enough not to need a regency he may get more support. His marriage prospects would be interesting as well.

Hmm definitely, that would be very interesting. Might we see a marriage to a Borgia?
 
I don't know enough to be able to call it.

If he wanted to try for his "rightful" throne he might try for a powerful family within England.
 
Hmm indeed, perhaps a Howard then? Would it be interesting to see a three way war? Perhaps in the early 1490s?
 
I suppose Richard Duke of York, might consider offering Henry Tudor the earldom of RIchmond in return for support?
 
I think until the boy is grown, he's in danger from Margaret Beaufort & her ambitions for her son - if he's with Henry Tudor, he's in danger of that breathing ceasing disease "pillowface". Henry Tudor doesn't want to be an Earl, he wants to be King!!!! And R3's 'agents' could be anywhere to kill the boy, you know!
 
I think until the boy is grown, he's in danger from Margaret Beaufort & her ambitions for her son - if he's with Henry Tudor, he's in danger of that breathing ceasing disease "pillowface". Henry Tudor doesn't want to be an Earl, he wants to be King!!!! And R3's 'agents' could be anywhere to kill the boy, you know!

Hmm indeed, I suppose he'd spend a lot of his young life running from one place to another then? Bosworth and all the drama that would follow.
 
He might be safer to lie low, not publicize his being alive until after Henry takes the crown. Although, the irony gods would love to see him go to hide with Margaret and her husband and accidentally ingesting foxglove with a meal and die!
 
He might be safer to lie low, not publicize his being alive until after Henry takes the crown. Although, the irony gods would love to see him go to hide with Margaret and her husband and accidentally ingesting foxglove with a meal and die!

Lol, though if he does escape, at the same time his brother is supposed to have died, that would make a hell of an escape. Buckingham's rebellion fails, and perhaps with the people who helped him escape he retreats first to Calais and then onto Burgundy for a time, before creeping up around the time of Bosworth and after?
 
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