( c. 1475–1525)
a man who pretended that he had the right to be the king of England during the Wars of the Roses . He was persuaded by supporters of the House of York to pretend to be the Earl of Warwick, whose uncle was Richard III . Simnel was crowned king in 1487 in Ireland, and then invaded England with a small army. They were defeated by the forces of Henry VII , who pardoned (= decided not to punish) Simnel and gave him a job in the royal kitchen.