AACHEN

Charlemagne's capital and the spiritual home of the Holy Roman Empire

Edmund and Richard sought refuge in Aachen between 1501 and 1504. They had been ordered to reside here by the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I, whilst preparations were made to depose the Tudors and restore the House of York. During their time in Aachen, the two Yorkist exiles were beset by their creditors, pursued by assassins and frustrated by constant delays.

HATTEM

This historic Dutch town once boasted a castle with the thickest walls in the Netherlands

In1504 Edmund travelled to this picturesque town in what is now Gelderland in the east of the Netherlands. His quest was to secure new alliances and sources of income from the Duke of Saxony but after accepting an invitation to visit Hattem from the Duke of Guelders, he was kidnapped and held prisoner in the town's notorious fortress nicknamed 'Dikke Tinne' (strong battlements).

METZ

this wealthy Free City of the Holy Roman Empire offered Richard de la Pole the perfect refuge after his expulsion from Aachen...

Known as the 'Rich One' by its jealous rivals, this prosperous town had grown fat on the proceeds of the river traffic plying the Moselle. Here, Richard could have lived out his life in comparative luxury, thanks to lucrative pensions provided by the kings of France and Hungary, and he even built a sumptuous palace near the city's imposing cathedral. Yet he could not forget his scared oath to restore the House of York and he whenever the opportunity arose he would raise the banner of the White Rose.

PAVIA

The first and last princes of the House of York found their destiny in the ancient capital of Lombardy

The year 1525 marked a pivotal point of the long struggle for Milan and Naples know today as the Italian Wars. On a chilly winter's night in February, the armies of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V launched a surprise attack on the French army besieging Pavia. The resulting battle would decide the fate of Europe for the next 300 years and leading an elite band of mercenaries in French service was Richard de la Pole.