Henry VI, Part III

The Earl of Warwick (Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick) is presiding over a dispute between Richard, Duke of York and the reigning King Henry, in the course of which Henry agrees to make York his heir. The Queen, Margaret, makes it clear that she will not agree to this, and declares war on the Yorkists, with the assistance of the young Lord Clifford and other supporters, including her son, Edward, Prince of Wales.

The Yorkists are defeated at the Battle of Wakefield. Clifford murders York’s young son, the Earl of Rutland. Margaret and Clifford taunt the duke of York before killing him. The Earl of Warwick now takes York’s eldest son, Edward (King Edward 1V of England) under his wing. At the Battle of Twoton, they take revenge on Margaret’s army, and Clifford is killed. Following the battle, Edward is proclaimed king, and his two brothers, George and Richard, are created Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester respectively.

Warwick turns against Edward when he marries Lady Grey, and he changes sides, joining Queen Margaret and allowing his daughter to marry her son, the Prince of Wales. The Duke of Clarence goes over to Warwick, marrying his other daughter, and Edward IV is taken prisoner. He is rescued by his brother Richard and the faithful Lord Hastings.

King Henry VI has been restored to the throne, and the young Earl of Richmond (the future King Henry V11) goes into exile in France to escape the Yorkists. Edward defeats and kills Warwick at the Battle of Barnet. In a subsequent battle, he kills the Prince of Wales and captures Queen Margaret.

Richard of Gloucester begins his campaign to remove all obstacles in his path to the throne by murdering King Henry VI who is a captive in the Tower of London. Henry prophesies Richard’s career of villainy and his future notoriety. However, King Edward’s wife has just given birth to a son, the future King, Edward V of England, and the play ends here.

Characters

King Henry, the Sixth
Edward, Prince of Wales, his son
King Lewis XI, King of France
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Exeter
Earl of Oxford
Earl of Northumberland
Earl of Westmoreland
Lord Clifford
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York
Edward, Earl of March, afterwards King Edward IV,
Edmund, Earl of Rutland,
George, afterwards Duke of Clarence,
Richard, afterwards Duke of Gloucester, his sons
Duke of Norfolk
Marquess of Montague
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Pembroke
Lord Hastings
Lord Stafford
Sir John Mortimer,
Sir Hugh Mortimer, uncles to the Duke of York
Henry, Earl of Richmond, a youth
Lord Rivers, brother to Lady Grey
Sir William Stanley
Sir John Montgomery
Sir John Somerville
Tutor to Rutland
Mayor of York
Lieutenant of the Tower
A nobleman
Two keepers
A huntsman
A son that has killed his father
A father that has killed his son
Queen Margaret
Lady Grey, afterwards queen to Edward IV.
Bona, sister to the French queen

Soldiers, attendants, messengers, watchmen, &c.