George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence 1449 – 1478

Biography

George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, was born on October 30, 1449, at Dublin Castle, the third son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. Born into one of England’s most prominent noble families, George held the distinguished title of Duke of Clarence and counted among his brothers two future kings—Edward IV and Richard III. His position within the royal family placed him at the center of the turbulent events that shaped fifteenth-century England.

George’s life ended tragically on February 27, 1478, when he was executed by drowning in the Tower of London. His death marked a dramatic conclusion to a life lived amid the political complexities of the Wars of the Roses. Following his passing, he was laid to rest at Tewkesbury Abbey in Tewkesbury, United Kingdom, where his memory was preserved among the tombs of England’s nobility. His legacy remains intertwined with one of history’s most fascinating and contentious periods.