Arthur Tudor

Arthur, Prince of Wales (19/20 September 1486 – 2 April 1502), was the eldest son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and an older brother to the future King Henry VIII. He was Duke of Cornwall from birth, and he was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1489. As the heir apparent of his father, Arthur was viewed by contemporaries as the great hope of the newly established House of Tudor. His mother was the daughter of the Yorkist king, Edward IV, and his birth cemented the union between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

The popular belief that Arthur was sickly during his lifetime stems from a misunderstanding of a 1502 letter,[21] but there are no reports of Arthur being ill during his lifetime.[22] He grew up to be unusually tall for his age,[21] and was considered handsome by the Spanish court:[23] he had reddish hair, small eyes, and a high-bridged nose, resembling his brother Henry,[24] who was said to be "extremely handsome" by contemporaries.[25] As described by historians Steven Gunn and Linda Monckton, Arthur had an "amiable and gentle" personality and was, overall, a "delicate lad".[26]

In May 1490, Arthur was created warden of all the marches towards Scotland and the Earl of Surrey was appointed as the Prince's deputy.[27] From 1491, Arthur was named on peace commissions. In October 1492, when his father travelled to France, he was named Keeper of England and King's Lieutenant. Following the example of Edward IV, Henry VII set up the Council of Wales and the Marches for Arthur in Wales, in order to enforce royal authority there. Although the council had already been set up in 1490, it was headed by Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford.[4] By 1493, Arthur had been sent with his household to Ludlow Castle, near Wales.[28][29] In March 1493, Arthur was granted the power to appoint justices of oyer and terminer and inquire into franchises, thus strengthening the council's authority. In November of that year, the Prince also received an extensive land grant in Wales, including the County of March.[4]

Arthur was served by sons of English, Irish and Welsh nobility, such as Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, who had been brought to the English court as a consequence of the involvement of his father, Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, in the crowning of pretender Lambert Simnel in Ireland during Henry VII's reign.[30] Other servants were Anthony Willoughby, a son of Robert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke, Robert Radcliffe, the heir of the 9th Baron FitzWalter

Arthur Tudor was a model of a noble and educated heir to the throne, who combined education, religiosity and a sense of duty

Arthur Tudor was a refined, elegant young man with soft features and an aristocratic appearance. His appearance combined youthful attractiveness and fragility, which emphasized

Although their marriage began as a political union, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York eventually developed respect, trust, and probably mutual affection. Elizabeth was not only a queen, but also a symbol of the unity of the country, and Henry highly appreciated her support in this difficult matter.