SIR ANTHONY WOODVILLE
Born 1440.
Titles: 1st Duke of Bedford, 2nd Earl Rivers, Lord of the Isle of Wight.
Status: Married, to Elizabeth de Courtenay (born 1447).
Children: Anne Woodville (born 1472), Anthony Woodville (born and died 1473), Lionel Woodville (born 1474), Jacquetta Woodville (born 1478), Humphrey Woodville (born 1481).
Badges: A silver jar, a trifoil.
Motto: "Nulle la vault"
Possessions: Grafton Regis, the Mote (Kent), Carisbrooke Castle.
Distinctions: Knight of the Garter.
Member of the Privy Council: Lord High Treasurer and Lord Secretary of State.
Traits (6):
+3 Personal Combat.
+1 Survival.
+1 Charisma.
+1 Wealth.
Melancholic:
- Meticulous: This character loves to analyze situations down to the last minutiae before acting. On one hand this means they'll probably have a clear picture going in, on the other their decision-making abilities could easily become paralyzed as they spend too much time analyzing and not enough acting. +1 detection rolls, -5% movement speed.
- Pessimistic: This character is always looking at the negative side of things. They may be right in some cases - when you suspect every man you meet to be a bad guy, you're probably right at least one out of ten times - but it doesn't exactly make them endearing. +1 to survival rolls, -1 Charisma.
Supine:
- Idealistic: This person is a strong believer in higher ideals and the innate goodness of man. On the one hand they tend to be inspiring and uplifting figures, on the other they can be taken advantage of by those who live well beneath their expectations. +1 Charisma, -1 to rout/assassination/escape rolls.
BIOGRAPHY:
Anthony is the eldest son of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers and Lady Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Duchess of Bedford. Initially he was a Lancastrian, like his father, whose fortunes were aligned with the ill-fated king Henry VI, and fought in Towton on Lancaster's side. He already was reknowned as a man "of very great valour" during those stages of the war. The Woodvilles later become Yorkists, when the defeat of the Red Rose was apparent. The Woodville's influence in court has greatly expanded due to Elizabeth's secret marriage to the King, of which Anthony was one of the formal witnesses.
Due the sudden death of his father, Anthony became Earl of Rivers at the age of twenty-seven, in 1467. Soon thereafter, his sister was aclaimed as England's only and rightful Queen, raising again the fortunes of her kindred, including Sir Anthony, who was married to the Earl of Devon's sister, Elizabeth de Courtenay, great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt. At the time of his marriage he started to use a variation of his father's arms as Earl Rivers, including a scutcheon for Courtenay.
Anthony is considered quite skilled in arms, but also he is a well-known patron and bibliophile, owning one of the finest libraries among the peerage. His scholarly acomplishments are well-known, being a writer both in prose and lyric, author of balades and poems. Deeply pious, he has redacted several theological and religious texts, and is a fervent follower of the Virgin Mary. Dark-haired, tall and broad-shouldered, he takes after his father, Richard Woodville, who was said to be "very handsome and very well made" (as described by Enguerrand de Monstrelet) in his youth. Being described as one of the most gallant gentlemen at court, noneless Woodville is a well-known womanizer who mantains several mistresses, despite his seemingly peaceful, and already fruitful, marriage with Elizabeth Courtenay. Despite he isn't lacking in intelligence, Queen Elizabeth herself remains as the true force behind the Woodville's raise to fame and fortune.
He acted as warden of John Grey of Powis, earl of Tankarville, with whom he soon mantained a very close and caring relationship, raising him as a true son, in his own household. Both shared numerous interests and Tankarville helped financing the entrepeneur Willaim Caxton and his printing press. The friendship was cemented with marriage, when Grey's sister was given in marriage to Richard Woodville, one of the younger Woodville brothers.
Rivers has a meager demesne, without his grants, royal revenues and offices he would be unable to mantain a proper earldom, for her lands are mainly centered in Northampton and some sparse possessions in Kent, none of note. However, his proximity to the queen and his standing on the council makes sure his wealth isn't inconsiderable; reason why many despise the legendary Woodville rapacity.
...
With displesaunce, to my grevaunce,
And no suraunce of remedy.
Lo in this traunce, now in substaunce,
Such is my dawnce, wyllyng to dye.
| Family tree |
FAMILY TREE:
Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers (1405-1467), married Jacquetta of Luxembourg (1415):
-Elizabeth Woodville (1437), married Sir John Grey (1) and Edward IV (2):1) Thomas Grey, Marquess of Winchester, Earl of Salisbury, Lord of Glamorgan, Baron Monthermer, Baron Astley (1453). Married Lady Anne Neville (1456): Edward Grey (1469).
Eleanor Grey (1471-1473).
Elizabeth Grey (1473). 1) Richard Grey (1457), married Lady Cecily Bonville, Baroness Harington and Baroness Bonville (1460). Anthony Grey (1481).
Cecily Grey (1481). 2) Elizabeth of York (1465).
2) Edward of Grafton, Prince of Wales, Duke of Grafton, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, Earl of March (1467).
2) Richard of Westminster, Duke of York (1470).
2) Bridget of York (1472).
2) Edmund of York, Earl of Rutland (1473). -Lewis Woodwille, died in childhood.
-Anne Woodville (1439). Married Roger Kyriell, Earl of Monmouth (1443):Elizabeth Kyriell (1470).
Celily Kyriell (1472).
Catherine Kyriell (1473).
Gwyn Kyriell (1475).
Richard Kyriell (1476). -Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers (1440), married Elizabeth Courtenay (1449).Anne Woodville (1472).
Anthony Woodville (1473).
Lionel Woodville (1474), married Isabel Bourchier, baroness Scales (1471).
Jacquetta Woodville (1478) -Mary Woodville (1443), married Sir Thomas Bourchier, 1st Baron Conington (1442).Richard Bourchier (1471-73).
Edward Bourchier (1473). -Jacquetta Woodville (1444), married Sir Edward Courtenay (1447).
-John Woodville (1445-1477), married Katherine Neville, duchess dowager of Norfolk (1400).
-Lionel Woodville (1447), dean of Exeter.
-Martha Woodville (1449), married Sir Laurence Grey, baron Grey de Ruthyn.
-Eleanor Woodville (1452), married Sir Thomas Stanley, Earl of Wiltshire, Lord of Mann, Baron Stanley (1437).Edmund Stanley (1471).
Jacquetta Stanley (1472). -Richard Woodville (1453), married to Elizabeth Grey (c.1465).
-Edward Woodville (1454).
-Margaret Woodville (1454-1478), married Sir Thomas Howard (1443).Thomas Howard (1472-1473).
Robert Howard (1474).
Charles Howard (1477). -Catherine Woodville (1457), married Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (1454).Henry Stafford (1475). |
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The Rivers Estates
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