James Tyrrell

James Tyrrell (c. 1450 - May 6, 1502) was an English knight, a trusted servant of King Richard III of England. His main claim to fame is that he is supposed to have confessed to murdering the Princes in the Tower on Richard's orders.

Related Topics:
1450 - May 6 - 1502 - English - Knight - Richard III of England - Princes in the Tower

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Tyrrell was the son of Sir William Tyrrell (c. 1415 - February 22, 1461) and Margaret Darcy (c. 1425), married in 1444. Like his father before him, a loyal Yorkist, James was knighted in 1471. He married Anne Arundell on March 9, 1483. They would later have a son also named James Tyrrell.

Related Topics:
1415 - February 22 - 1461 - 1425 - 1444 - 1471 - March 9 - 1483

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James was in France at the time of the Tudor invasion in 1485 and played no part in the Battle of Bosworth Field.

Related Topics:
Tudor - 1485 - Battle of Bosworth Field

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In the following year, he returned to England and was pardoned by King Henry VII, who reappointed him governor of Guisnes (in the English possession of Calais). However, in 1501, Tyrrell lent his support to Edmund de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, now the leading Yorkist claimant to the English throne, who was in voluntary exile. When Henry heard of this, Tyrrell was recalled, accused of treason, and tortured. Thomas More wrote that, during his examination, Tyrrell made his confession, implicating two other men, but, despite further questioning, was unable to say where the bodies were -- he claimed that they had been moved. He was beheaded on May 6, 1502, and his confession, if it happened, was never made public.

Related Topics:
Henry VII - Guisnes - Calais - 1501 - Edmund de la Pole - Treason - Thomas More - May 6

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Although serious historians have never given much credence to the Tyrrell story, Ricardians have exploited the confusion over the date of the pardon in order to point the finger at King Henry.

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