On 5th March 1486 Elizabeth Woodville was restored to her Dower lands by King Henry VII. Dower lands are the estates granted to a lady which she retains as a source of income and influence in the event of her husband predeceasing her. For a Queen Consort such as Elizabeth, these lands would be expected to raise revenue to sustain her personal servants, court and living expenses.
Forefeit of Elizabeth’s Lands
Elizabeth’s Dower lands were forfeited during the reign of Richard III. This deprived her of income and was possibly motivated by a desire to limit her ability to interfere in the establishment of Richard’s government. Note also that Elizabeth spent the first part of Richard’s short reign in sanctuary at Westminster, not leaving until March of 1484.
The removal of Elizabeth’s Dower lands was also part of the move to block Elizabeth’s family’s influence. Richard III had Earl Rivers, the Queen’s brother, executed on the same day that he was invited to take the throne.
Henry Tudor restores Elizabeth Woodville’s Dower
Henry Tudor took a rather different view. It was Elizabeth who had brokered the deal with his own mother for his marriage to Elizabeth of York. As the mother of his bride, Elizabeth Woodville was of high status and was deserving of a lifestyle that required substantial funds.
His restoration of her Dower lands illustrates her importance and that he was willing to reverse decisions made earlier that had adversely affected Yorkists, so it was conciliatory as well as deserving of his mother-in-law.
Elizabeth herself had little use of substantial Dower lands following her daughter’s marriage to King Henry VII. She retired from public life and lived out the rest of her life in the relative solitude of a nunnery.
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Liverpool Cathedral MS Radcliffe 6, Hours of the Guardian Angel. Joan Luyt presents the book to Elizabeth Woodville. Source.