When Margaret of Anjou married England’s Henry VI in 1445, people expected an heir to quickly follow. Unfortunately, their son and heir Edward of Westminster was not born until 1453, after eight years of marriage. The royal couple’s prolonged period of infertility provided ammunition for their Yorkist opponents, who used it and slanders to the queen’s sexual morality to cast doubt on Edward’s legitimacy, claiming he was the product of adultery or even a random boy the queen was attempting to pass off as a prince. Despite Margaret’s best efforts, Edward was disinherited and lived with her in exile on the continent. There he was educated as befit a prince, schooled in law, politics, and war until his untimely death in battle at age 17.
