Elizabeth of York, also known as Elizabeth Plantagenet, was a member of the royal Plantagenet family in England.
Elizabeth of York Duchess of Suffolk was born on April 22, 1444, as the third daughter and sixth child of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville.
Elizabeth of York Duchess of Suffolk was the sister of two kings of England, Edward IV and Richard III. Her life and family are a significant part of English history, and this article will explore them in detail.
Marriage to John de la Pole
Elizabeth of York Duchess of Suffolk was married to John de la Pole, the eldest son of William de la Pole, the 1st Duke of Suffolk, and Alice Chaucer.
Her marriage took place sometime before February 1458. Suffolk had served as the principal power behind the throne for Henry VI of England from 1447 to 1450.
However, his three years in this position saw the near-complete loss of English possessions in northern France towards the end of the Hundred Years’ War.
As a result, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and was attainted. John had not succeeded in his titles when his father was executed on May 2, 1450.
Restoration of the Dukedom
Elizabeth of York Duchess of Suffolk’s brother, Edward IV, restored John de la Pole to the title of Duke of Suffolk in 1463.
She remained the Duchess of Suffolk until John died in 1491/1492. The couple lived in Wingfield, Suffolk, where they settled.
Children of Elizabeth and John de la Pole
With John de la Pole, Elizabeth had several children, including John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln, who was designated heir to his maternal uncle, Richard III.
He was married to Lady Margaret FitzAlan and had a son, Edward de la Pole, who died young.
John rebelled against Henry VII and was killed at the Battle of Stoke Field on June 16, 1487.
Elizabeth of York Duchess of Suffolk and John de la Pole’s other children were Geoffrey de la Pole, who took Holy Orders, Edward de la Pole, Archdeacon of Richmond, Elizabeth de la Pole, who was married to Henry Lovel, 8th Baron Morley, without issue, Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk, who was a Yorkist pretender in succession to his brother John and was beheaded by order of Henry VIII, Dorothy de la Pole, who died young, Humphrey de la Pole, who also took Holy Orders, Anne de la Pole, the seventh Prioress of Sion Abbey, Catherine de la Pole, who was married to William Stourton, 5th Baron Stourton, without issue, and Sir William de la Pole, Knight of Wingfield Castle, who was married to Katherine Stourton, but they had no issue.
Richard de la Pole was a Yorkist pretender in succession to Edmund and was killed at the Battle of Pavia.
Death and Burial
Elizabeth of York Duchess of Suffolk, survived her husband by almost a decade.
She was last mentioned alive in January 1503 and was mentioned as deceased by May 1504. Elizabeth was buried in the church in Wingfield, Suffolk.
Conclusion
Elizabeth of York, Duchess of Suffolk, was a notable member of the royal Plantagenet family in England.
She was married to John de la Pole, and the couple had several children. Elizabeth’s brother, Edward IV, restored John to the title of Duke of Suffolk, and she remained the Duchess of Suffolk until his death.
Elizabeth’s life and family are an essential part of English history and have been studied by scholars and historians for centuries.
*Feature Image: Mt99lp, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons