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About Kingslayers Court: Uncovering the Gardiner Legacy and the Merchant Coup of 1485

Kingslayers Court is a scholarly repository dedicated to the historical reconstruction of the Gardiner family's pivotal role in the deposition of King Richard III and the establishment of the Tudor dynasty. Founded as a modest chronicle of familial lineage, this platform has evolved into a rigorous examination of late medieval English politics, commerce, and warfare. Through archival analysis, forensic correlations, and contextual synthesis, it posits the Battle of Bosworth Field (August 22, 1485) not as a mere dynastic skirmish between Lancaster and York, but as a calculated mercantile overthrow orchestrated by London's elite wool traders. At its core lies the assertion that Sir William Gardiner, a prominent skinner and kinsman of Alderman Richard Gardiner, delivered the fatal poleaxe blow to Richard III in Redemore's marsh, securing Henry Tudor's accession and reshaping the course of English history.

Origins and Purpose

Initiated by David T. Gardner in 2016 as an extension of contributions to the Thomas Gardner Society's Gardner Annals (Winter 2016 edition, accessible via tgsoc.org), this blog draws upon over four decades of primary research into the Gardiner lineage. Descended from Wiltshire emigrants who settled in West Jersey (present-day Philadelphia) in 1682, the author has pursued this inquiry with the precision of modern historiography, employing digital archives, paleographic transcription, and cross-referential validation. The narrative challenges entrenched Ricardian interpretations—such as those dismissing Gardiner's involvement as unsubstantiated folklore (e.g., critiques in the 1980s Ricardian Society bulletins)—by integrating Welsh chronicles, estate records, and forensic data from Richard III's 2012 exhumation.

The site's mission is twofold: to document the Gardiner clan's ascent from mercantile obscurity to Tudor confidants, and to illuminate the broader economic forces underpinning the Wars of the Roses. Central to this is the thesis that London's "The City" merchant community, in concert with the Hanseatic League (Hansa Merchants of Almaine), engineered Richard III's downfall. Alderman Richard Gardiner, a staple merchant and justice for the Hansa at the Guilda Aula Teutonicorum (Steelyard), leveraged his wool monopoly to fund a covert alliance with the Tudors, while his brother William executed the regicide. This framework repositions Bosworth as a coup d'état, with Calais serving as the logistical fulcrum and London's guilds as the financial engine.

Key Figures and Narrative Framework

• Alderman Richard Gardiner (c. 1429–1489): Sheriff (1470), Lord Mayor (1478–1479), and Master of the Mercers' Company, Richard controlled England's wool exports through the Calais Staple, amassing wealth evidenced by loans to Richard III (£66 13s. 4d. secured by a gold salt cellar and £100 in a collective aldermanic advance; Estcourt, 1867, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Vol. 1, pp. 355–357; TNA C 54/343). As "Father of the City" (Beaven, 1908, The Aldermen of the City of London, pp. 250–254), he led the Common Council's delegation to greet Henry VII at Shoreditch on September 3, 1485, organizing festivities and pledging a 1,000-mark gift (Journal of the Court of Common Council, vols. 9–11, British History Online). His post-mortem arrangement of widow Etheldreda (Audrey) Cotton's marriage to Sir Gilbert Talbot in June 1490 further entwined the family with Tudor victors (Visitation of London, 1569, Harleian Society, p. 132).

• Sir William Gardiner (c. 1450–1485): A skinner of elite standing (Guildhall Library MS 30708, auditor 1482; TNA E 122/76/1, export records), William married Ellen Tudor, natural daughter of Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford (Visitation of London, 1530, Harleian Society, Vol. 1, pp. 70–71). Under Rhys ap Thomas's Welsh contingent, he slew Richard III, as chronicled by Elis Gruffydd: "Richard’s horse was trapped in the marsh where he was slain by one of Rhys ap Thomas’ men, a commoner named Wyllyam Gardynyr" (Cronicl o Wech Oesoedd, National Library of Wales MS 5276D, fol. 234r; Jones & Freeman, 1856, History of St. David’s Cathedral, p. 45). Forensic evidence from Richard's remains corroborates a basal skull wound from a poleaxe (Buckley et al., 2014, The Lancet, Vol. 384, pp. 919–921). Knighted on the field alongside Talbot, Rhys, and Humphrey Stanley (Crowland Chronicle Continuations, Pronay & Cox, 1986, p. 183), William succumbed shortly thereafter, likely to sweating sickness or septic injury (PCC PROB 11/7/166, f. 23; Creighton, 1891, A History of Epidemics in Britain, Vol. I, pp. 237–240). Buried at St. Mildred's on the Poultry, he left son Thomas Gardiner (b. 1479), who rose as King's Chaplain, Chamberlain of Westminster Abbey, and Prior of Tynemouth (Letters and Papers, Henry VIII, Vol. 1, p. 70–71).

• Thomas Gardiner (1479–1536): Heir to William and Ellen, Thomas served as Henry VIII's confessor and oversaw the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. His elevation underscores the Gardiners' enduring Tudor favor, linking to Bishop Stephen Gardiner's later chancellorship (Gardiner Generations, 1991, p. 23).

Methodological Approach

Employing contemporary tools—such as digitized manuscripts from the National Archives (TNA) and British Library—this blog synthesizes disparate sources to refute noble-centric biases. Welsh accounts, once marginalized, gain credence through alignment with Richard III's skeletal trauma (BBC News, February 15, 2013). Economic grievances, including Richard III's trade impositions (Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard III, p. 211), reveal merchant motives, with the Hansa's Steelyard as a nexus for intrigue (Sutton, 2005, The Mercery of London, p. 558).

Legacy and Invitation

The Gardiner story exemplifies how mercantile acumen eclipsed feudal loyalty, paving the Tudor era's foundation. Descendants, including 14th great-grandparents to King Charles III via Mary Gardiner and Sir Giles Alington (Battle of Bosworth records, TNA), extend this influence. Readers are encouraged to explore posts, contribute insights, or contact the author at gardnerflorida@gmail.com. As the annals of history remain incomplete, Kingslayers Court stands as a testament to the unyielding pursuit of truth amid the ravages of time.

David T. Gardner, October 17, 2025