Before I start writing the story I want to make it clear that the majority of the plot and the majority of the characters are based off of the characters from the novels The Lady of the Rivers, The White Queen, The Red Queen, The White Princess, and the Kingmakers Daughter and that I cede all plots, characters, and designs that belong to Philippa Gregory to Philippa Gregory. As such there are historical and creative liberties that have been taken with the book. I also want to point out that certain changes will be added. Those certain changes being that Edward IV is born in the year 1440 and will die in the year 1486 unlike in real life he was born in 1442 and died in 1483.
This book, which will be the first book in a series of four, will chronicle the life of my OC Eliza from the years 1452 to 1455.
New note: I will be changing some dates in the story and I also want to clarify actual dates that align with the story.
Even though most historians agree that Margaret Beaufort was born in either 1441 or 1443 I have decided to move her date of birth to 1440 to better align the story. Eleanor Morley is commonly accepted to have been born in 1442 but I will have her be 1443 in the story.
As for the Woodville's they will have a total of 18 children even though historically they usually only have 13-15. These are the following birth months and years:
Elizabeth will be born in the February 1437.
Lewis will be born in the March 1438.
Anne will be born in the October 1439.
Anthony will be born in the December 1440.
Mary will be born in January 1442.
Henry, an OC character, will be born in the June 1443.
Jacquetta II will be born in the December 1444.
John will be born in June 1446.
Richard will be born in September 1448.
Martha will be born in August 1450.
There's also debate about the existence of another daughter Eleanor. For the sake of this book (as she is included in the novel Lady of the Rivers) I will have her born between John and Richard in June 1452.
Lionel will be born in August 1453.
Margaret will be born in December 1454
Edward and a twin sister Isabella, an OC, will be born in March 1456.
According to sources there was also a daughter named Agnes. Many people dispute Agnes's parentage as it was known that she was descended from the Earl of Rivers but which one it was is not specified. For the sake of the book I'm making her the daughter of Jacquetta and the first Earl. I will place her date of birth in August 1457.
Catherine will be born in November 1458.
And an OC character Charles, will be born in June 1460.
I also wish to add that in this book Elizabeth Woodville will also have another child with her husband Sir John Grey before his death, a girl named Ursula. With John Grey having been a noble man who resided much of his time on family property I find it hard to believe that there would've been a three year gap between the birth of his son Richard, commonly placed around 1458 and his death and 1461 were there would've been no children whatsoever.
In this book the earl of Warwick will also have five daughters. Historically, the Earl of Warwick married his wife when they were eight and ten years old, a practice that was not uncommon between noble families at the time. The Earl of Warwick's first child, an illegitimate daughter named Margaret was born in 1445, shortly after he was knighted at the coronation of Margaret of Anjou. So I find it hard to believe that he and his legal wife didn't have a child until almost 6 years later leading me to believe that there might've been miscarriages or stillbirths before the birth of Isabel Neville and between the birth of her sister Anne and perhaps even afterwards. The children that I will put in the story will have contributions to the plot and will be born in the following:
Alice Neville, an OC, Will be born on January 5, 1449. At this time the Earl of Warwick would have been 20 and his wife 21. The age of majority when a person can inherit property and medieval England was 21 and I believe that having a daughter shortly before his age of majority would show that he was moving into his wife's house and was ready to take on the role of a landowner in England. That is just a time I would see it as most convenient for the couple to start trying for an heir.
Then there will be the birth of Isabel Neville. It is pretty commonly stated that she was born on September 8, 1451.
After that there will be another OC, Catherine Neville, whose birthday I will place on February 2, 1453, as I think it's unrealistic that there was a five year span between the birth of Isabel Neville and Anne Neville, leading me to believe there was at least one or maybe even several miscarriages or stillbirths.
After that we will have the birth of Anne Neville who history dates as being born on June 11, 1456.
Because Anne Beauchamp, the wife of Warwick, would've only been 29 at the time of her youngest daughter's birth I find it unlikely that there wasn't another stillborn or shortly lived child that was born after Anne, so I have created another OC Cecily Neville, not to be confused with the dowager duchess of York, who I will have be born on January 20, 1460.
I also want to note that I will be basing some of the timeline off of the book Queen By Right, by Anne Easter Smith although I will not be using the plot of the book but simply referring to it as places where the York family could've stayed during their time in London. Any similarities in dialogue to that book is strictly coincidental and I cede all rights to the author.
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The White Countess - The White Queen
Historical FictionElisabetta "Eliza" de' Medici is only 13 years old when she becomes one of the most important people in Europe. The death of her mother leaves her the heir apparent to the Duchy of Burgundy, and her father's inability to care for her after the death...
