The untimely death of King Edward IV left his twelve-year-old son, the incipient king Edward V, on the throne. But before the boy could be crowned, his uncle Richard took custody of Edward and his nine-year-old brother, lodging both in the Tower of London. They remained there, with occasional sightings, for several months while Richard orchestrated his own ascension to power by pronouncing the boys illegitimate. Edward and his younger brother were never seen or heard from again after the summer of 1483, leading many to suspect that Richard had arranged for their deaths. Widespread suspicion of Richard ultimately fomented support for his rival, Henry Tudor, who slew the king in battle in 1485 and subsequently took the throne for himself as King Henry VII, beginning the dynasty that would break England from the Vatican.