Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers

Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers (1405 – 12 August 1469), contemporarily spelt Wydeville, was the father of Elizabeth Woodville and father-in-law of Edward IV.

Early life Born at Maidstone in Kent, Richard Woodville was the son of Richard Wydeville (Woodville), chamberlain to the Duke of Bedford, and Joan Bittlesgate (or Bedlisgate), the daughter of Thomas Bittlesgate of Knightstone in the parish of Ottery St Mary in Devon. He was also a grandson of John Wydeville who was Sheriff of Northamptonshire (in 1380, 1385, 1390). Elizabeth Woodville (c. 1437 – 1492), married first Sir John Grey of Groby, and second Edward IV of England. Lewis Woodville (c. 1438–1450), died in childhood. Anne Woodville (1439–1489), married first William Bourchier, Viscount Bourchier, and second George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent. Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers (1442–1483), married Elizabeth Scales, 8th Baroness Scales. Mary Woodville (1443–1481), married William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. John Woodville (1445–1469), married Katherine Neville, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Jacquetta Woodville, Baroness Strange of Knockin (1445-1509), married John le Strange, 8th Baron Strange of Knockin. Lionel Woodville (1447–1484), Bishop of Salisbury. Martha Woodville (d. c. 1500), married Sir John Bromley of Baddington. Eleanor Woodville (1452–1512), married Sir Anthony Grey, son of Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent. Richard Woodville, 3rd Earl Rivers (1453–1491). Margaret Woodville (1454–1490), married Thomas FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel. Edward Woodville, Lord Scales (d. 1488), soldier and courtier. Katherine Woodville (c. 1458 – 1497 ), married first Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, second Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford, she married third Sir Richard Wingfield.

Robert Glover, Somerset Herald, noted another 'Richard' who would seem to have been born before Richard the 3rd Earl. A 'Richard Woodville, esquire for the body' was present at the christening of Prince Arthur (son of Elizabeth of York and Henry VII) on 24 September 1486 in Winchester Cathedral; Arthur's grandmother, Elizabeth Woodville, served as his godmother, and her younger brother Edward was also present at the ceremony.

The Visitation of Buckinghamshire of 1566 mentions the marriage of William Dormer of Wycombe (only later of Ascott House) to "Agnes, da. of Sir Richard Woodvyle, Erle Ryvers" but does not say whether the father was the first or the third earl, who the mother was or whether Agnes was legitimate. Considering though that she is thought to be born about 1458 the more likely candidate for her father is the senior Richard Woodville.

In fiction Woodville is a primary character in Philippa Gregory's 2011 novel about Jacquetta of Luxembourg, The Lady of the Rivers. In The White Queen television series, he is portrayed by Robert Pugh.