Since Edward did not have the resources to defeat the Lancastrian leaders so he believed he could win them over with hopes of rewards rather than crushing them by force, hence employing more persuasive methods. Many of the nobility such as: Sir Ralph Percy, William Viscount Beaumont and John de Vere, Earl of Oxford were pardoned and restored to most of their lands. Furthermore, many of those who had fought against Edward or his father were not punished in the aftermath of the victory at Towton.
Edward passed attainders on 113 men and confiscated their estates. Not surprisingly, Warwick did best of all, he was made Great Chamberlain, Warden of the East and West Marches towards Scotland, Chief Steward of the Duchy of Lancaster and Admiral of England. William, Lord Hastings became the king’s Chamberlain and was given lands in the Midlands to build up an important power base there. Sir William Herbert became virtual viceroy in south Wales, while the south-west of England was entrusted to William Neville, the Earl of Kent and, after his death in 1463, to Humphrey Stafford, the future Earl of Devon. Edward’s uncle, Viscount Bourchier was made Earl of Essex and Steward of the royal household.
Warwick believing that he could continue to rule through Edward pressed him to enter into a marital alliance with France. Edward then alienated Warwick by secretly marrying Elizabeth Woodville, widow of Lancastrian sympathiser who, in fact, had been fighting in favour of the Lancastrians. As well as this, they were of a lesser nobility and she also brought her extended family into the royal family this eventually led them to claim patronage. The Woodville family had dominated the marriage market since the Earls of Arundel, Essex and Kent married their heirs to Woodville wives. Edward’s brothers, George and Richard were the only great men left for Warwick’s daughters but Edward did not allow this. Elizabeth’s son married Anne Holland, the heiress of the Duchy of Exeter but Warwick’s nephew however had been arranged to marry her. This led to the final split between Edward and Warwick. Warwick had been negotiating with Louis XI, the king of France to marry Bona of Savoy, the king’s sister-in-law. This was intended to prevent a Lancastrian alliance with the French and therefore the Yorkists would gain French support. The fact that Warwick had been antagonising not only the king, but Louis XI as well highlights his irresponsibility.
In 1464, Edward decided to make the marriage public and Warwick was shocked and humiliated and in the eyes of the French was seen as a fool. Edward could have chosen to make either an alliance with the French or with Burgundy who were both eager to have him on their side. In the end, Edward decided to join Burgundy who he had to make an effort to keep a good relationship because of economic matters, the wool trade. Antagonising the French and Warwick even more, Edward arranged for his sister, Margaret of York to marry Charles of Burgundy, the future Duke of Burgundy. He made a second plan for his brother, George, Duke of Clarence to marry Mary of Burgundy who was Charles’ daughter. This plan never went ahead as Clarence agreed more with Warwick’s ideas. In fact, he went on to disobey the king, his own brother and married one of Warwick’s daughters in defiance. Clarence was not only disobeying the king, but siding with Warwick created a strong alliance of powerful nobles.
Robin of Redesdale led a rebellion in the north in 1469 which Warwick was very much behind. The Nevilles demands stated that the king should listen less to lesser nobles (Woodvilles) and more to important nobles (Nevilles, e.g. Warwick). The main part of the king's army (without Edward) was defeated at the Battle of Edgecote Moor in 1469, and Edward was subsequently captured. Warwick realised that Clarence would never be strong enough to rule in Edward's name, but the nobility, many of whom owed their preferments to the king, were restive and with the emergence of a counter-rebellion Warwick was forced to release Edward. At this point Edward did not seek to destroy either Warwick or Clarence but instead sought reconciliation with them.. This time they were defeated and forced to flee to France. There, they made an alliance with Margaret of Anjou, and Warwick agreed to restore Henry VI in return for French support in an invasion, which took place in late 1470. This time, Edward was forced to flee when he found out Warwick's brother, John Neville, had also switched to the Lancastrian side, making his military position untenable. Henry VI was restored to the throne. This was the only time in English history that a King had been deposed and later restored.
Edward is to blame for his deposition. The end of his reign was to some extent inevitable. Edward established a powerful regime and there seemed little chance of Henry VI regaining the throne but the fact that Henry VI and his family had escaped and still had power in the north definitely led to Edward’s predicted deposition. On the other hand, Edward’s weakness was his gullibility of confidence. He should have executed Henry VI when he had the chance to, instead of lodging him up in the tower of London; this was Edward’s first mistake. Additionally, Edward should have been more aware of Warwick’s ambitious nature which later led the Lancastrians to victory and resulted in his own deposition.
