Yet another Wars of the Roses query...

How do you get Richard of Gloucester to avoid usurping the throne from his infant nephew, and instead be content with merely being Lord Protector for a period? And how do things play out in such a scenario?
 
How do you get Richard of Gloucester to avoid usurping the throne from his infant nephew, and instead be content with merely being Lord Protector for a period? And how do things play out in such a scenario?

Just fine a way to make Edward IV live around 5 years more. That alone might just do the trick if that means Edward V is 18 instead of 13 when he comes to the throne...
 
How do you get Richard of Gloucester to avoid usurping the throne from his infant nephew, and instead be content with merely being Lord Protector for a period? And how do things play out in such a scenario?
If you want a Lord Protector period, then maybe a compromise between OTL and the one suggested by vandevere?

If Edward IV dies in 1485 or so, then Edward V will likely be seen as more his own man, and less as the dowager Queen's son. The problem is that once Edward IV dies, there's precious few powerful players on the board to stop him making such a move.

If Edward IV has to die on schedule, how about this? I suppose if Tudor, or another figure, stirs up a rebellion in 1483, and the Lord Protector has to stamp it out, he could be distracted for a while. The longer it takes to stamp out this rising, the better chance Edward V has. If Richard has to spend the summer retaking castles in Northumberland - Bamburgh and the like were forever being declared for Lancaster - then by the time he feels able to move South, it may be too late for his usurpation. The Woodvilles can't hope to sideline the loyal uncle who's been fighting to keep his nephew on the throne, but he may have more problems taking it as his own.

BG, last time you popped into a War of the Roses thread, you mentioned you were reading a book by Hicks. It may interest you to know that I'm currently receiving lectures from him once a week at Winchester, and one of the Case Studies we can look at in November is Richard III, led by the self-same Hicks.
 
Perhaps you could have Edward IV die a little while later and have Richard be on campaign in Scotland? If I remember correctly that's what he was wanting to do. If he's up in Scotland he'll have a much harder time usurping the throne.

Another is, as suggested earlier, have Edward IV live long enough for his sons to get older. I think Richard's less likely to try for the throne or succeed if Edward V is nearing adulthood.

Have Lord Hastings be unwilling to go along with seizing the Princes at Stony Stratford? I don't think Richard could or would have gone ahead without the support of Hastings.

One question though will be are the Woodvilles happy for him to be Protector or Regent? They will need to be willing to go along with it if he's going to have a chance. You would definitely need Richard and the Woodvilles to trust each other and be willing to work together. I'm not certain that level of trust existed between them.

(Disclaimer: It's been the better part of a decade since I really studied this, so take everything I say with a healthy helping of salt)
 
Geordie's proposal looks like it has merit to me; if you want the minimal change from OTL, though, 1) have Anthony Woodville decline to bring Edward V to London (E4 named him the children's guardian, and they'll move when he's good and ready, not when his sister the dowager queen barks), or 2) have the meeting at Pontrefact not happen, because Anthony successfully evades Richard and makes it to London without contact, or 3) have the meeting go cordially, as there's no reason to say it couldn't have; Young Edward confirms Richard in all his present offices in the presence of many witnesses, Anthony and Richard fail to piss each other off (probably by agreeing that Anthony and not Elizabeth is the young king's guardian), and things go exactly as you'd like.
 
The above suggestions are all good ones to accomplish the desired effect :). However, as to how things play out, I think Richard needs full control of the government as his position was greatly weakened by Edward dying. His Warwick lands had just reverted to a life interest after the death of George Neville(son of the Lord Montagu) while I cant imagine his palatine-rights to any land he could conquer in Scotland would be upheld under a minority rule, which would more likely look for peace until the king comes of age. If we assume Richard seeks solutions for these problems and the minority council at least opposes him over Scotland than Richard will clash with the Woodvilles, perhaps not in battle, but Richard does not appear to have enjoyed court life and I think as his initial coup shows people were willing to support him and give him the benefit of the doubt which suggests an armed conflict for the control of the young King is at least a possibility
 
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