InherentWeaknesses文档格式.docx

InherentWeaknesses文档格式.docx

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InherentWeaknesses@#@InherentWeaknesses:

@#@TheCauseoftheCollapseoftheYorkistConsensus@#@ThebriefreignofRichardIII,formerlyRichardDukeofGloucester,sawtherapidunravellingoftheconsensuswithinYorkistestablishment,whichEdwardIVhadprecariouslyconstructedandmaintained,andwhichhadenabledhimtoruleEnglanduncontestedformorethanadecade.Within26monthsofRichardseizingthecrownonthe6thJuly1483,notonlyhadhisownrulecometoanend,butalsothatofhishouse.@#@IntryingtodeterminethecausesforthiscollapsemuchdebatehashingedonthequestionofwhetheritwasduetoinherentinstabilitieswithintheYorkistpowerstructureandpowerbalance,preservedbutnotresolvedbyEdwardIV,orwhetheritwasratherhisbrother’spreposterousandoutrageoususurpation,that,strainingcontemporarysensibilitiesbeyondbreakagepoint,doomedwhatstabilitythelatekinghadleftbehind,andultimatelytheruleofhishouse.@#@Asthetitleofmyessaysuggests,Itendtowardstheformerinterpretation,butfundamentallyseebothconclusionsasinsufficient,andtruthaslyingsomewhereinbetween.@#@EdwardseemstohaveleftbehindawiderYorkistestablishment,aboveallagentry,thatwasremarkablyandcoherentlycommittedtoEdward’sson,andwouldrepeatedlyrebelandagitateagainsttheruleoftheusurper.ThepoliticalconvolutionsthatfollowedandthatultimatelycausedthedownfalloftheHouseofYorkandthedestructionofEdwardIV’sachievementhere,wereprimarilyRichard’sfault,whostakedandlosttheseonthegambleofhisquestforpower.@#@WhatEdwardcruciallyfailedtoleavebehind,wasacoherentaristocraticelite,andthisinmyreadingcosthissonthethrone,bymakinghisuncle’susurpationpossible.@#@Beforepresentingthebodyofmyargument,Iwillbrieflysketchthemajordivergencesofthetwointerpretationsmentionedabove,andexplainwhere,inmyopinion,aredirectionofemphasis,inbotharguments,isnecessary.@#@MuchattentionhasbeendirectedtothequestionofWoodville-Gloucesterrelations,aswellastothegeneralpositionoftheWoodvillesvis-à@#@-visthearistocracyasagroup.ThefirstinterpretationheretendstostressthedepthoftheenmityfeltbyatleastsomequartersofthearistocracyagainsttheWoodvilles,andthengoesontoarguethatWoodville-Gloucesterrelationsinparticularwereverybad.EvidenceforthisthesisisdrawnfirstlyfromtheWoodvilleattackonRichard’sbrotherClarencein1477-78,whichissaidtohavedeeplyalienatedGloucesterfromthem,tothepointthataftertheking’sdeathinApril1483,heactivelysoughtvengeanceforClarence’death,whichtheywereguiltyof.Secondly,thefactthatWoodvilleterritorialinterestsintersectedatseveralpointswiththoseofDukeRichard,isunderstoodasevidenceforrivalrybetweenthem.@#@UnderlyingthisemphasisonGloucester-Woodvillerivalryisoften–thoughnotalways–adesiretoexonerateRichardofanyguiltaccruedthroughusurpation.Theargumentrunssomethingalongtheselines:

@#@withrivalrybetweenthesetwosointense,andthecrownprincelikelytofallbackundertheswayoftheunscrupulousWoodvilles,shouldhebecrownedking,Richardhadnochoicebuttousurp.AWoodville-dominatereignwouldhaveendangeredhispositionandlifetoomuchtobetolerated.@#@IhavenodesiretoenterintotheseratherfacilegoodRichard/evilRicharddebates,andalsodonotfindtheaboveargumentforparticularlybadrelationsbetweentheDukeofGloucester,andtheWoodvilles,veryconvincing.DrHorroxeffectivelydismantlesitbypointingoutthatthereisnocontemporaryevidenceforanytensionsbetweenthembeforeApril1483.Whilstweknownothingoftheirpersonalrelationship,theyclearlyco-operatedwork-wise,totheextentthatfarfromfeeling（unsubstantiated）animosityonaccountofClarence,Gloucesterseemstohaveacquiescedinhisfall.Astoterritorialrivalries,shepointsoutthattherearenorecordsoftensionsintherelevantlocalities.Finally,EarlRiverswasnofool,anditismostunlikelythathewouldhavemetGloucesterasunprotectedashedidatStonyStratford,hadhebelievedhimtoharbouranysubstantialgrievancesagainsthim.@#@@#@ButwhatoftherelationsofthefavouredWoodvillestotherestofthearistocracy?

@#@Thisquestion,oftensionswithintheYorkistelite（thegreatmagnatesaroundtheking,asdistinctfromthewideYorkistestablishment）,seemstomecentraltoassessingthestabilityofEdward’slegacy.ForwhatevertheattitudeofthewiderYorkistestablishment,itwerethepowerbalances,feudsandtensionswithinthemagnateelite,thatwoulddeterminewhetherEdwardVwouldbecrownedornot.@#@Considerableemphasisseemstohavebeeninvestedintryingtodeterminehowpreparedsomeofthesepeopleweretoacquiesceinorevensupporttheusurpationfortheirownbenefi