Edmund de la Pole, born in 1472, was a prominent figure with a legitimate claim to the English throne as a member of the Yorkist lineage. His family was deeply entwined in the Wars of the Roses, which fiercely contested the monarchy. Following the wars, Henry VII, Henry VIII's father, put an end to many Yorkist threats, but remnants remained, with de la Pole being one of the last significant claimants. In 1513, after years of political tension and power struggle, he was captured while abroad and brought back to England, where he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. There, he faced charges of treason, which were argued around his potential claim to the throne and the allegiances he inspired among other Yorkist supporters.

The trial took place swiftly, with significant pressure on de la Pole to confess to treasonous intents. On April 30, 1513, King Henry VIII ordered his execution, which was carried out without delay. De la Pole's execution was pivotal; it symbolized a definitive end to major Yorkist pretensions to the English throne. This act reinforced Henry VIII's reign and eliminated immediate threats, allowing him to focus on other matters, including his military campaigns abroad. The execution also served as a warning to other potential claimants and undisclosed sympathizers of the Yorkist cause that rebellion against the Tudor monarchy would not be tolerated.