Drawing together both recent research and original sources, this concise and accessible biography reassesses the debates surrounding the life of King Edward IV.

The reign of King Edward IV occupies a pivotal place in late medieval English history, marking the transition from a medieval to a renaissance monarchy, yet there has been much controversy over the King's character. Was Edward a vain and self-indulgent playboy, or was his life cut tragically short? Offering readers insight into the latest scholarship, this second edition has been updated and revised to include a wider consideration of the role of women at Edward’s court, including his mother Cecily of York, as well as Edward’s own attitude to women and family. Kleineke also includes an extended discussion of Edward’s legacy the government of England in the 1470s, and the cultural history of the period.

As fascinating a character now as he was for Shakespeare over four centuries ago, Edward IV remains essential reading for all students of late medieval England, the Wars of the Roses and all those interested in the history of monarchy more broadly.

Hannes Kleineke is the Section Editor of the 1461–1504 Commons section of the History of Parliament. He has published widely in the political, parliamentary and administrative history of late medieval England. Among his major publications are his contributions to the History of Parliament: The Commons 1422–61 (2020), The Yorkist Age (2013) and, most recently, a series of calendars of the previously unpublished Pardon Rolls from 1461–1509 (2019–24).