Henry VI - Part 3 - Character Cheat Sheet

Character	Position and action in Henry VI part III
Henry VI	Enters Parliament with his followers and finds York seated on his throne.  Tries to prove he has the better claim to the throne and keeps the crown on the understanding it goes to York (or family) after his death.  His three chief followers desert him (a degenerate King) and he is faced by an angry queen and his disinherited son. He attempts a reconciliation of the Yorkists and Lancastrians.  At Towton he soliloquises on the horrors of war and compares his life with the peaceful life of the peasant.  He escapes to Berwick (in disguise) but is overheard discussing affairs of state by two keepers who arrest him.  He is sent to The Tower, but is released when Warwick defeats Edward.  Makes Warwick and Clarence Joint Protectors and predicts that young Henry, Earl of Richmond, will become king.  After hearing of Edward’s invasion he is captured and taken again to The Tower where he is stabbed by Richard of Gloucester.
Queen Margaret	Denounces Henry as a timorous wretch for disinheriting his son and will have nothing to do with him.  She departs to join her army, captures York, puts a paper crown on his head and stabs him.  She welcomes Henry to York, asking him to knight their son.  At Towton, seeing the battle is lost, she tells Henry to escape and goes to France and obtains a promise of aid from King Lewis, warns him against consenting to the marriage of Lady Bona to Edward IV.  Enlists Warwick’s aid after he has defected from Edward and goes back to England.  Captured at Tewkesbury and faints on seeing her son murdered.  Ransomed by her father and sent to France.
Edward, Prince of Wales	Protests about being disinherited and leaves with Queen Margaret.  Knighted by Henry at York.  At the French court he pledges to marry Warwick’s daughter.  Summoned from France he joins in Warwick’s attack on Edward, is captured and stabbed to death by Edward, Gloucester and Clarence.
Duke of York	He enters Parliament and seats himself on the throne, refusing to leave, but finally agrees that Henry keeps the crown for the rest of his life on the condition it reverts to the house of York.  His three sons persuade him to break his oath.  He hears that the Queen’s army intends to besiege him.  He is taken prisoner and is mocked by Margaret by being seated on a molehill, with a paper crown on his head.  He foolishly insults her and she stabs him to death, placing his head above York gates (her joke).
Warwick	He hails the Duke of York as the rightful King, leading him to the throne.  He takes part in the ensuing debate and agrees with the decision.  He announces the Yorkist defeat at St Albans, but says he will raise more soldiers to attack the Queen.  Derided by her as the long-tongued Warwick who fled St Albans.  At Towton he kills his horse to show he has no intention of leaving the field.  He proposes seeking Lady Bona’s hand for Edward and presents this to her and is furious when he learns that Edward has married Lady Grey.  He then renounces him and joins Henry, seizing Edward and removing his crown.  He is made Joint Protector.  At Coventry he defies Edward and at the Battle of Barnet he is mortally wounded and dies as he hears of the Lancastrian defeat.
Character	Position and action in Henry VI part III
Edward IV	As Earl of March he claims to have killed, or seriously wounded, Buckingham.  He sees three suns before he hears of the death of his father.  Warwick acclaims him as the Duke of York and tells him to raise an army in Wales.  Edward reviles Queen Margaret and demands the crown after his victory over the Lancastrians at Towton. Edward creates his brothers Richard, Duke of Gloucester and George, Duke of Clarence.  He orders Henry VI to the Tower and marries Lady Grey and learns that Warwick ha changed sides and has sworn to dethrone him.  He is seized by Warwick and Clarence and his crown taken from him.  Imprisoned, he escapes and with the help of Hastings raises an army in Burgundy and gains admission to York through his title and proclaims himself as King.  After victory at Barnet he marches against Margaret, beating her at Tewkesbury.  He is first to stab Edward (Prince of Wales), but orders Margaret’s life to be spared and banishes her.  Orders his brothers to salute his infant son.
George, Duke of Clarence	Created Duke by Edward IV after Towton.  Deserts him when Edward marries Lady Grey.  Made Joint Protector by Henry, but rejoins Edward and opposes Warwick at Coventry.  He stabs Edward (Prince of Wales) at Tewkesbury.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester	He discusses the Battle of St Albans and displays the head of Edmund, Duke of Somerset.  In the next scene Richard makes the case for succession being invalid, because it was involves a usurper.  After York’s death Richard is with Edward when they see the three suns (an omen of success).  Richard brings news that Warwick’s brother has been killed and has cried out for Warwick to avenge him.  Richard prepares to fight Clifford and when Warwick arrives Clifford flees. Richard opposes the marriage of Edward to Lady Grey, but remains loyal to his brother.  When Edward is captured Richard escapes and later helps Edward escape.  They then capture Henry and besiege Warwick, kill him and march to Tewkesbury.  At the battle of Tewkesbury Margaret is captured by the brothers who kill Edward (Prince of Wales).  Richard then leaves for The Tower, meets Henry, dismisses the Lieutenant and kills Henry.  His asides in the last scene are interesting as a prelude to him becoming Richard III.
Oxford	A supporter of the Queen and the Lancastrians.  His father and elder brother were executed by Edward.  He joins the Queen at Tewkesbury and is captured.
Westmoreland	A supporter of Henry VI but loses faith in him when York is made heir.
Marquess of Montague	Younger brother of Warwick.  Shows his sword at St Albans stained with Wiltshire’s blood.  Sent to London to obtain support and is placed in command of Yorkist forces.  Objects to Edward’s marriage, but remains loyal.  He is later at Coventry and is killed at Barnet.
Mayor of York	Refuses to admit Edward as he has taken an oath of allegiance to Henry.  Edward persuades him to admit him as the Duke of York.
Duke of Norfolk	Yorkist supporter
Character	Position and action in Henry VI part III
Two keepers	Hunting deer when Henry enters in disguise.  He is recognised and they declare their allegiance to Edward and take him off.
Earl of Northumberland	A supporter of Henry.  He takes York prisoner at Wakefield.  Edward pays tribute to his bravery after his death at Towton.
An huntsman	While Edward is a prisoner at Middleham Castle he is allowed to hunt in the huntsman’s custody.  When Edward escapes he, fearing punishment, goes with them.
Rutland	Murdered by Clifford at the Battle of Wakefield.
Duke of Somerset	Joins Warwick because he disapproved of Edward’s marriage to Lady Grey.  Given custody of Edward.  Taken prisoner at Tewkesbury and is beheaded.
Sir John Mortimer and Hugh Mortimer	Uncles of York.  Both killed at Wakefield.
Exeter	He admits that Henry is the lawful King.  He escapes with Henry after Towton and is present when Henry is seized.
Tutor to Rutland	A priest in charge of young Rutland. When Clifford comes to murder the boy he pleads for his life, but is dragged away by soldiers.
Father that has killed his son, Son that has killed his father	As Henry is observing the Battle of Towton two men drag bodies from the field and both discover the awful truth (illustration of the Civil War).
Earl Rivers	Is told by his sister Queen Elizabeth that Edward IV has been taken prisoner – told to escape.
Lord Hastings	A supporter of Edward IV he escapes when Edward is captured and helps him to escape from Middleham Castle.
Sir William Stanley	Helps Edward escape from Middleham Castle.
Lewis XI	Promises aid to Queen Margaret and to Warwick to avenge Edward’s treatment of Lady Bona.
Lieutenant of The Tower	When Henry is released he asks the Lieutenant what his due fees are and thanks him for his kindness.  He appears later with Henry and Gloucester, but is dismissed by the latter.
Character	Position and action in Henry VI part III
Sir John Montgomery	At York he insists that Edward resumes the title of King.
Young Clifford	Takes revenge by killing the young Duke of Rutland.  First to stab York.  Dies of wounds at Ferrybridge.  His head is placed over the gates at York.
Lady Grey	Elizabeth Woodville.  Daughter of Earl Rivers and Lady Grey.  She appears before Edward as a supplicant for her late husband’s lost estates.  Edward falls in love with her and marries her so losing Warwick’s support.
Lady Bona	Agrees to Warwick’s suggestion that she should marry Edward, but when she hears that Edward has married Lady Grey she urges Lewis to supply Margaret with troops in order to depose Edward and reinstate Henry.
Young Richmond	Just a pretty lad in this play, but Henry predicts that he will wear a crown and “prove our country’s bliss”. (He kills Richard III and becomes Henry VII).