Edward dies in 1483, only forty years old.

His eldest son and heir Edward V, aged thirteen, would have succeeded him, but the king's brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester declares his marriage to be bigamous and invalid, making all his children illegitimate.

Edward V and his ten-year-old brother Richard are imprisoned in the Tower of London and their uncle makes himself king as Richard III.

The two princes are never seen again and presumably die in the Tower.

It is widely believed that Richard had them murdered, although their exact fate remains a mystery.

Regardless of what really happened, the king is reviled as a treacherous fiend who had murdered his own nephews to gain the throne.

This hatred of Richard obscures his able governance during his brief reign.

In the summer of 1485, Henry Tudor, the last Lancastrian male, lands in England from his exile in France.

He defeats and kills Richard in battle at Bosworth Field on August 22 of this year and becomes king as Henry VII.

Most of the European rulers do not believe Henry will survive long, and are thus willing to shelter claimants against him.

The first plot against him is the Stafford and Lovell Rebellion of 1486, which presents no serious threat, but Richard III's nephew John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, hatches another attempt the following year.

Using a peasant boy named Lambert Simnel, who poses as Edward, Earl of Warwick (the real Warwick is locked up in the Tower of London), he leads an army of two thousand German mercenaries paid for by Margaret of York into England.

They are defeated and de la Pole killed at the difficult Battle of Stoke, where the loyalty of some of the royal troops to Henry had been questionable.

The king, realizing that Simnel had been merely a dupe, employs him in the royal kitchen.

A more serious menace is Perkin Warbeck, a Flemish youth who poses as Edward IV's son Richard.

Again enjoying the support of Margaret of York, he invades England four times from 1495–1497 before he is finally captured and put in the Tower of London.

Both Warbeck and the Earl of Warwick are too dangerous to keep around even in captivity, and Henry has to execute them in 1499 before Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain will allow their daughter Catherine to come to England and marry his son Arthur.

In 1497, Henry defeats Cornish rebels marching on London.

The rest of his Henry VII's reign is relatively peaceful, despite worries concerning succession after the death of his wife Elizabeth of York in 1503.

Northwest Europe (1480–1491 CE): Consolidation, Conflict, and Cultural Expansion

England: Consolidation of Yorkist Power

Following years of dynastic turmoil, Edward IV effectively stabilized his reign and strengthened the Yorkist hold on power, ruling with considerable authority until his sudden death in 1483. His young heir, Edward V, briefly ascended the throne, but Edward IV’s brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, seized the crown, becoming Richard III. Richard III's reign was overshadowed by controversy, especially surrounding the disappearance of Edward V and his brother, the "Princes in the Tower," presumed murdered. In 1485, the Lancastrian claimant Henry Tudor challenged Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Richard III was killed, effectively ending the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor became Henry VII, establishing the Tudor dynasty and marking a significant turning point in English history. Sporadic Yorkist revolts continued, resulting in the last pitched battles of the Wars of the Roses, though stability gradually returned under Henry VII's cautious but firm governance.

Scotland: Persistent Nobility Conflict

In Scotland, King James III faced continued tensions and rebellions due to his unpopular favoritism toward commoners and estrangement from powerful noble factions. Conflict culminated dramatically in 1488 at the Battle of Sauchieburn, where James III was killed and succeeded by his son, James IV, whose reign ushered in greater political stability and cultural growth, enhancing Scotland’s Renaissance. An agreement between James III and the Macdonald “Lord of the Isles” in 1480 turned Macdonald’s illegitimate son, Aonghas Óg, against both his father and the central government, leading to continued violent divisions in the Highlands until Aonghas’s assassination in 1490. Anglo-Scottish truces negotiated in 1484, 1487, and again in 1491 contributed to relative peace.

Ireland: Gaelic Dominance and Limited English Influence

Ireland saw sustained Gaelic power, with dominant families such as the Fitzgeralds and O'Neills continuing to effectively limit English authority largely to the region around The Pale. Despite intermittent English efforts at asserting greater control, Gaelic society flourished culturally and politically, strengthening the autonomous Irish identity through continued production of native poetry and adherence to traditional Brehon laws.

Scandinavia: Fragile Stability of the Kalmar Union

The Kalmar Union under King Hans (John) continued to experience tensions, especially from Sweden, which persistently sought greater independence. King Hans pursued a balanced policy combining diplomatic efforts and strategic marital alliances to maintain Danish dominance. The Union remained intact, albeit fragile, highlighting the ongoing struggle between centralized royal power and regional independence movements.

Iceland: Preservation of Literary Heritage

In Iceland, isolation and limited economic resources compelled continued cultural self-reliance. Manuscript production persisted robustly, preserving essential Icelandic sagas and poetic traditions. Despite external pressures, Icelanders remained culturally vibrant, carefully transmitting their historical narratives and literary achievements from generation to generation.

Cultural and Intellectual Advances

The period experienced remarkable cultural expansion. In England, William Caxton’s Westminster press continued publishing essential literary works, including Sir Thomas Malory’s influential Morte Darthur in print form in 1485, greatly impacting literary traditions. Caxton’s press also produced a translation in 1481 of the Flemish version of Reynard the Fox, and his translation of Vincent of Beauvais’s Myrour of the Worlde. Additionally, Caxton published his Vocabulary in French and English and numerous works by Chaucer and Gower, solidifying the English literary language. Caxton’s associate, Theoderic Rood, introduced printing to Oxford, enhancing scholarly output, including influential texts like John Ankywyll's Compendium totius grammaticae.

Architectural innovations proceeded with widespread adoption of the Perpendicular Gothic style, particularly in church construction, exemplified by the ongoing enhancements to York Minster, whose Magdalen Tower became an iconic Oxford landmark. Music and visual arts flourished, shaped by influences from continental Europe and regional creativity.

Legacy of the Era

By 1491 CE, Northwest Europe entered a period marked by renewed dynastic stability, cultural enrichment, and persistent regional autonomy. England transitioned smoothly into Tudor rule, Scotland saw relative internal peace under James IV, Ireland maintained robust Gaelic autonomy, and the Kalmar Union navigated continuing internal strains. The enduring literary and cultural heritage, supported by innovations in printing and artistic expression, laid strong foundations for Northwest Europe’s subsequent development.

Edward IV of England dies on April 9, 1483, a few weeks short of his forty-first birthday, leaving two young sons.

The twelve-year-old Prince of Wales, brought to London to the protection of his mother, Elizabeth Woodville, succeeds his father as Edward V. His uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, with the support of William, Lord Hastings, and Henry Stafford, second duke of Buckingham—who, though maried to a Woodville, opposes Elizabeth in her attempt to become regent to her son—serves as regent and self-proclaimed Protector of the Realm.

Richard induces the unpopular queen to surrender Edward and his younger brother, Richard, duke of York, and installs them in the Tower of London.

Parliament, at Richard’s instigation, on June 25 declares Edward's marriage to Elizabeth invalid and the boys therefore illegitimate.

Gloucester is on July 25 proclaimed King Richard III, and Edward and his brother disappear soon thereafter: probably murdered, many believe, on the orders of their uncle.

The reports of the alleged murder of the young princes, together with Richard’s lack of a son, weaken his position as king.

Buckingham, although amply rewarded by Richard for his backing, mysteriously rebels against him in October 1483, and, together with other disaffected supporters, throws his support to Henry Tudor, the latest Lancastrian claimant to the English throne.

Floods prevent Buckingham’s army from joining others in the revolt, and Buckingham is forced into hiding.

The fugitive Buckingham, betrayed, is tried and beheaded before the end of 1483.

In the ensuing struggle for power, King Richard III has many more of his opponents—including another onetime ally, Hastings—executed.