
Five hundred and thirty seven days ago.... yesterday (May 24th 1487 if I have my math right) the most extraordinary challenge to Tudor authority took place in Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin.
A boy, who would go down in history as an imposter named Lambert Simnel, was crowned as King of England. It would be the only coronation ever to take place in Ireland and one of the few times an alternative King was actually crowned while an existing King still sat on the throne.

So who was this boy and how did he come to be crowned in Dublin on that day?
Well let's backtrack a little - to 1485 when Henry Tudor seized the throne of England using a mercenary force to overthrow and kill the crowned King (Richard III). Despite quickly marrying a Yorkist Princess (Elizabeth of York - daughter of Edward IV) to secure the throne, a lot of Yorkists were angry at the loss of power and resented Henry's usurpation of a throne that (in their view) he had no right to.
What the Yorkists needed was an alternative King to rally around.
Now the origins and identity of the boy who would be crowned on that day are much debated. Tudor historians would tell you that he was nothing but the son of a merchant from Oxford, only ten years old and taught to pretend his was Edward, Earl of Warwick - nephew of the late Richard III.
The problem of course being the ten-year-old Edward, Earl of Warwick was currently being held prisoner by Henry Tudor in the Tower of London.
So why would this boy claim to be someone who it was so easy to prove he wasn't?
Well the most compelling arguments are that the boy neither claimed to be the Earl of Warwick, nor was he ten years old. Documents from the continent at the time speak of a rebellion in Ireland culminating in a coronation in Dublin where the "son of Edward IV" was crowned King.
You see this is where it gets interesting. Because Edward, Earl of Warwick wasn't one of the sons of Edward IV. He was the nephew of the late King.
Edward IV had only two sons: The famous "Princes in the Tower" - the young King Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York - both of whom were presumed to have died in the Tower of London at the hand of Richard III.

But had they not died in the tower then Edward V would be sixteen years old by May of 1487 and the perfect age to lead a rebellion against the King.
We do know from records at the time that the boy in Dublin was crowned at King Edward. What we don't know was whether he was crowned as Edward VI (which the Earl of Warwick would be if he became King) or Edward V (which the son of Edward already was - although he had never made it to his coronation.)

Either way... a coronation took place on this day and a boy was crowned as Edward, King of England. The rebellion that followed was short-lived and ended at the battle of Stoke Field where Henry Tudor's forces decisively defeated the rebels.
But as a historical what if - it is a fascinating one.
What if the boy had not been an imposter after all?
What if he was the living Edward V - having survived his confinement in the tower after all?
And what if he had won - and Henry Tudor had been forced from the throne?
The history of the next six hundred years may well have played out very differently....
If historical what-if's are your thing and you were wondering whether Lambert Simnel might show up in one of my Harry and Jett books down the track then... it's certainly a possibility...
but in the meantime if you haven't read book one of my series then run (don't walk) to...
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