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For other uses, see Wars of the Roses (disambiguation).
Important locations in the Wars of the Roses
Important locations in the Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487) were a series of dynastic civil wars fought in England between supporters of the Houses of Lancaster and York. A civil war is a War between a State and domestic political actors that are in control of some part of the territory claimed by the state England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The House of Lancaster was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century Although armed clashes had occurred previously between supporters of Lancastrian King Henry VI and Richard, Duke of York, head of the rival House of York, the first open fighting broke out in 1455 and resumed more violently in 1459. Henry VI (6 December 1421 &ndash 21 May 1471 was King of England 1422–1461 (though with a Regent until 1437 and then 1470–1471 and a claimant to the kingdom Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York ( 21 September 1411 &ndash 30 December 1460) was a member of the English royal family who served in senior Henry was captured and Richard became Protector of England, but was dissuaded from claiming the throne. Inspired by Henry's Queen, Margaret of Anjou, the Lancastrians resumed the conflict, and Richard was killed in battle at the end of 1460. Margaret of Anjou ( Marguerite d'Anjou, 23 March 1430 &ndash 25 August 1482) was the Queen consort of Henry VI of England His eldest son was proclaimed King Edward IV after a crushing victory early in 1461. Edward IV ( 28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October The Battle of Towton in the Wars of the Roses was the largest and bloodiest ever fought on British soil with casualties believed to have been about 28000 (perhaps

After several years of minor Lancastrian revolts, Edward quarreled with his chief supporter and advisor, the Earl of Warwick (known as the "Kingmaker"), who tried first to supplant him with his jealous younger brother George, and then to restore Henry VI to the throne. Richard Neville Jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and Suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury ( 22 November George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence ( 21 October 1449 &ndash 18 February 1478) was the third son of Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York This resulted in two years of rapid changes of fortune, before Edward once again won a complete victory in 1471. Warwick and the Lancastrian heir Edward, Prince of Wales died in battle and Henry was murdered immediately afterwards. Edward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster ( 13 October 1453 &ndash 4 May 1471) was the only Prince of Wales

A period of comparative peace followed, but Edward died unexpectedly in 1483. His surviving brother Richard of Gloucester first moved to prevent Edward's widow Queen Elizabeth's unpopular family from participating in government during the minority of Edward's son, Edward V, and then seized the throne for himself, using the suspect legitimacy of Edward IV's marriage as pretext. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death Elizabeth Woodville or Wydeville ( 3 February 1437 &ndash 7 June / 8 June 1492) was the Queen consort of Edward V ( 4 November 1470 &ndash 1483? was the King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later This provoked several revolts, and Henry Tudor, a distant relative of the Lancastrian kings who had nevertheless inherited their claim, overcame and killed Richard in battle at Bosworth in 1485. The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field ( 22 August, 1485) was Lancastrian Henry Tudor's defeat of Yorkist Richard

Yorkist revolts flared up in 1487, resulting in the last pitched battles. Sporadic rebellions continued to take place until the last (and fraudulent) Yorkist pretender was executed in 1499.

Fought largely by the landed aristocracy and armies of feudal retainers, support for each house largely depended upon dynastic factors, such as marriages within the nobility, feudal titles, and tenures. Landed property or landed estates is a Real estate term that usually refers to a property that generates income for the owner without the owner having to It is sometimes difficult to follow the shifts of power and allegiance because nobles acquired or lost titles through marriage, confiscation or attainture. In English Criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious Capital For example, the Lancastrian patriarch John of Gaunt's first title was Earl of Richmond, the same title which Henry VII later held, while the Yorkist patriarch Edmund of Langley's first title was Earl of Cambridge. John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster (second creation 1st Duke of Aquitaine (6 March 1340 &ndash 3 February 1399 was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third The title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of England. Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York ( June 5 1341 &ndash August 1 1402) was a younger son of King Edward III of England and Philippa The title of Earl of Cambridge was created several times in the Peerage of England, and since 1362 the title has been closely associated with the Royal Family However it was not uncommon for nobles to switch sides and several battles were decided by treachery.

Contents

Name and symbols

Lancaster
Lancaster
York
York

The name "Wars of the Roses" is not thought to have been used during the time of the wars but has its origins in the badges associated with the two royal houses, the Red Rose of Lancaster and the White Rose of York. The House of Lancaster was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century In Heraldry, a badge is an Emblem or Personal device used to indicate allegiance to or property of an individual or family The Red Rose of Lancaster is the County flower of Lancashire. The White Rose of York ( Rosa alba) is the symbol of the House of York and has since been adopted as a symbol of Yorkshire as a whole The term came into common use in the nineteenth century, after the publication of Anne of Geierstein by Sir Walter Scott. Anne of Geierstein or The Maiden of the Mist (1829 is an historical novel by Sir Walter Scott. Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout Scott based the name on a fictional scene in William Shakespeare's play Henry VI Part 1, where the opposing sides pick their different-coloured roses at the Temple Church. William Shakespeare ( baptised The First Part of King Henry the Sixth is history play by William Shakespeare, believed written in approximately 1588–1590 The Temple Church is a late 12th century church in London located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, built for and by the Knights

Although the roses were occasionally used as symbols during the wars, most of the participants wore badges associated with their immediate feudal lords or protectors. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed For example, Henry's forces at Bosworth fought under the banner of a red dragon, while the Yorkist army used Richard III's personal symbol of a white boar. Evidence of the importance of the rose symbols at the time, however, includes the fact that King Henry VII chose at the end of the wars to combine the red and white roses into a single red and white Tudor Rose. The Tudor rose (sometimes called the English Rose is a traditional heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty

The unofficial system of livery and maintenance, by which powerful nobles would offer protection to followers who would sport their colours and badges (livery), and controlled large numbers of paid men-at-arms (maintenance) was one of the effects of the breakdown of royal authority which preceded and partly caused the wars. Bastard feudalism is a term that has been used to describe feudalism in the Late Middle Ages, primarily in England.

Disputed succession

Richard II (depicted c. 1390)
Richard II (depicted c. 1390)
Henry IV
Henry IV
Henry V
Henry V

The antagonism between the two houses started with the overthrow of King Richard II by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, in 1399. Richard II (6 January 1367 &ndash ca 14 February 1400 was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399 Henry IV (3 April 1367 &ndash 20 March 1413 was King of England and Lord of Ireland (1399&ndash1413 Henry V (16 September 1386 &ndash 31 August 1422 was one of the most significant English warrior kings of the 15th century Richard II (6 January 1367 &ndash ca 14 February 1400 was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399 Henry IV (3 April 1367 &ndash 20 March 1413 was King of England and Lord of Ireland (1399&ndash1413 There were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries As an issue of Edward III's third son John of Gaunt, Bolingbroke had a very poor claim to the throne. Edward III (13 November 1312 &ndash 21 June 1377 was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. This article is about royal thrones for the order of Angels by the same name see Thrones. According to precedent, the crown should have passed to the male descendants of Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, Edward III's second son, and in fact, the childless Richard II had named Lionel's grandson, Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March as heir presumptive. Lionel of Antwerp Duke of Clarence ( November 29 1338 &ndash October 7 1368) was the third son but the second son to survive infancy of Duke of Clarence is a title which has been traditionally awarded to junior members of the English and British Royal families. Roger de Mortimer 4th Earl of March and 6th Earl of Ulster ( 11 April, 1374 &ndash 20 July, 1398) was the Heir presumptive to An heir presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne peerage or other hereditary honor but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir apparent However, Richard II was then deposed and Bolingbroke was crowned as Henry IV. He was tolerated as king since Richard II's government had been highly unpopular. Nevertheless, within a few years of taking the throne, Henry found himself facing several rebellions in Wales, Cheshire and Northumberland, which used the Mortimer claim to the throne both as pretext and rallying point. Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west All these revolts were suppressed, although with difficulty.

Henry IV died in 1413. His son and successor, Henry V, inherited a temporarily pacified nation. Henry V (16 September 1386 &ndash 31 August 1422 was one of the most significant English warrior kings of the 15th century Henry was a great soldier, and his military success against France in the Hundred Years' War bolstered his enormous popularity, enabling him to strengthen the Lancastrian hold on the throne. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior

Henry V's short reign saw one conspiracy against him, the Southampton Plot led by Richard, Earl of Cambridge, a son of Edmund of Langley, the fifth son of Edward III. The Southampton Plot of 1415 was a conspiracy against Henry V of England, aimed at replacing him with Edmund Mortimer 5th Earl of March. Richard of Conisburgh 3rd Earl of Cambridge (c 1375 &ndash 5 August 1415) was the younger son of Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York and Isabella Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York ( June 5 1341 &ndash August 1 1402) was a younger son of King Edward III of England and Philippa Cambridge was executed in 1415 for treason at the start of the campaign leading up to the Battle of Agincourt. The Battle of Agincourt was an English victory against a larger French army in the Hundred Years' War. Cambridge's wife, Anne Mortimer, also had a claim to the throne, being the daughter of Roger Mortimer and thus a descendant of Lionel of Antwerp. Anne de Mortimer ( 27 December, 1390 &ndash September 1411 was an English noblewoman in line of succession for the throne of England. Richard, Duke of York, the son of Cambridge and Anne Mortimer was four years old at the time of his father's death. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York ( 21 September 1411 &ndash 30 December 1460) was a member of the English royal family who served in senior With his titles and inheritance restored, he grew up to put forward his parents' claims to the throne as head of the House of York, which believed that it had a stronger claim to the throne than the Lancastrian kings. The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century

Henry VI

Henry V died unexpectedly in 1422, and the Lancastrian King Henry VI of England ascended the throne as an infant only nine months old. Henry VI (6 December 1421 &ndash 21 May 1471 was King of England 1422–1461 (though with a Regent until 1437 and then 1470–1471 and a claimant to the kingdom After the death of his uncle, John, Duke of Bedford in 1435, he was surrounded by unpopular regents and advisors. John of Lancaster 1st Duke of Bedford ( 20 June 1389 – 14 September 1435) also known as John Plantagenet, was the third surviving In addition to Henry's surviving paternal uncle, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, the most notable of these were Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset and William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, who were blamed for mismanaging the government and poorly executing the continuing Hundred Years' War with France. Humphrey Duke of Gloucester ( 3 October 1390 – February 23, 1447) was the fourth son of King Henry IV of England by his first wife Edmund Beaufort 1st Duke of Somerset (1406 &ndash May 22, 1455) sometimes styled 2nd Duke of Somerset was an English nobleman and an important figure in the William de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Marquess of Suffolk, 4th Earl of Suffolk ( 16 October 1396 at Cotton Suffolk The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior Under Henry VI, virtually all English holdings in France, including the land won by Henry V, were lost.

Henry VI
Henry VI

Suffolk eventually succeeded in having Humphrey of Gloucester arrested for treason. Humphrey died while awaiting trial in 1447. However, with severe reverses in France, Suffolk was stripped of office and murdered on his way to exile. Somerset succeeded him as leader of the party seeking peace with France. Richard, Duke of York, meanwhile represented those who wished to prosecute the war more vigorously, and criticised the court for starving him of funds and men during his campaigns in France. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York ( 21 September 1411 &ndash 30 December 1460) was a member of the English royal family who served in senior In all these quarrels, Henry VI had taken little part. He was portrayed as a weak, ineffectual king. In addition, he suffered from episodes of mental illness that he may have inherited from his grandfather Charles VI of France. Charles VI (3 December 1368 &ndash 21 October 1422 called the Well-loved (le Bien-Aimé and the Mad (French le Fol or le Fou) was the By the 1450s, many considered Henry incapable of carrying out the duties and responsibilities of a king.

The increasing discord at court was mirrored in the country as a whole, where noble families engaged in private feuds and showed increasing disrespect for the royal authority and for the courts of law. The Percy-Neville feud was the best-known of these private wars, but others were being conducted freely. The Percy-Neville feud was a series of skirmishes raids and vandalism between two prominent northern English families and their followers that helped provoke the Wars of the Roses In many cases they were fought between old-established families, and formerly minor nobility raised in power and influence by Henry IV in the aftermath of the rebellions against him. The quarrel between the Percys, for long the Earls of Northumberland, and the comparatively upstart Nevilles was one which followed this pattern; another was the feud between the Courtenays and Bonvilles in Cornwall and Devonshire. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar A factor in these feuds was apparently the presence of large numbers of soldiers discharged from the English armies that had been defeated in France. Nobles engaged many of these to mount raids, or to pack courts of justice with their supporters, intimidating suitors, witnesses and judges.

This growing civil discontent, the abundance of feuding nobles with private armies, and corruption in Henry VI's court formed a political climate ripe for civil war. With the king so easily manipulated, power rested with those closest to him at court, in other words Somerset and the Lancastrian faction. As a result Richard and the Yorkist faction, who tended to be physically placed further away from the seat of power, found their power slowly being stripped away. Royal power also started to slip, as Henry was convinced to gift more of his land to the Lancastrians.

In 1453, Henry suffered the first of several bouts of complete mental collapse, during which he failed even to recognise his new-born son, Edward of Westminster. Edward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster ( 13 October 1453 &ndash 4 May 1471) was the only Prince of Wales A Council of Regency was set up, headed by the Duke of York, who still remained popular with the people, as Lord Protector. Lord Protector is a particular British title for Heads of State with two meanings (and full styles at different periods of history Richard soon asserted his power with ever-greater boldness (although there is no proof that he had aspirations to the throne at this early stage). Believing the Lancastrians to be undermining the nation, he imprisoned Somerset and backed his Neville allies (his brother-in-law, the Earl of Salisbury, and Salisbury's son, the Earl of Warwick), in their continuing feud with the Earl of Northumberland, a powerful supporter of Henry. Richard Neville jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury KG, PC (1400 &ndash December 31, 1460) was a Yorkist leader during Richard Neville Jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and Suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury ( 22 November Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland, ( 3 February, 1392 /1393 &ndash 22 May, 1455) was the son of Henry Percy ( Harry Hotspur

Henry recovered in 1455 and once again fell under the influence of those closest to him at court. Directed by Henry's queen, the powerful and aggressive Margaret of Anjou, who emerged as the de facto leader of the Lancastrians, Richard was forced out of court. Margaret of Anjou ( Marguerite d'Anjou, 23 March 1430 &ndash 25 August 1482) was the Queen consort of Henry VI of England Margaret built up an alliance against Richard and conspired with other nobles to reduce his influence. An increasingly thwarted Richard (who feared arrest for treason) finally resorted to armed hostilities in 1455 at the First Battle of St Albans. The First Battle of St Albans was the first Battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on May 22, 1455 in the town of St Albans

Initial phase 1455–60

15th century clock tower of St Albans.
15th century clock tower of St Albans. St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London.

Richard, Duke of York led a small force toward London and was met by Henry's forces at St Albans, north of London, on May 22, 1455. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York ( 21 September 1411 &ndash 30 December 1460) was a member of the English royal family who served in senior London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London. Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. The relatively small First Battle of St Albans was the first open conflict of the civil war. The First Battle of St Albans was the first Battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on May 22, 1455 in the town of St Albans Richard's aim was ostensibly to remove "poor advisors" from King Henry's side. The result was a Lancastrian defeat. Several prominent Lancastrian leaders, including Somerset and Northumberland, were killed. After the battle, the Yorkists found Henry sitting quietly in his tent, abandoned by his advisors and servants, apparently having suffered another bout of mental illness. York and his allies regained their position of influence, and for a while both sides seemed shocked that an actual battle had been fought and did their best to reconcile their differences. With the king indisposed, York was again appointed Protector, and Margaret was shunted aside, charged with the king's care.

After the first Battle of St Albans, the compromise of 1455 enjoyed some success, with York remaining the dominant voice on the Council even after Henry's recovery. The problems which had caused conflict soon re-emerged, particularly the issue of whether the Duke of York, or Henry and Margaret's infant son, Edward, would succeed to the throne. Edward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster ( 13 October 1453 &ndash 4 May 1471) was the only Prince of Wales Margaret refused to accept any solution that would disinherit her son, and it became clear that she would only tolerate the situation for as long as the Duke of York and his allies retained the military ascendancy.

In 1456, Henry went on royal progress in the Midlands, where the king and queen were popular. The Royal Entry, also known by various other names including Triumphal Entry and Joyous Entry, embraced the ceremonial and festivities accompanying a Margaret did not allow him to return to London where the merchants were angry at the decline in trade and widespread disorder. The king's court was set up at Coventry. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. By then, the new Duke of Somerset was emerging as a favourite of the royal court. Henry Beaufort 3rd Duke of Somerset ( 26 January 1436 – 15 May 1464) was an important Lancastrian military commander during the English Margaret also persuaded Henry to dismiss the appointments York had made as Protector, while York was made to return to his post as lieutenant in Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Disorder in the capital and piracy on the south coast were growing, but the king and queen remained intent on protecting their own positions, with the queen introducing conscription for the first time in England. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority Meanwhile, York's ally, Warwick (later dubbed "The Kingmaker"), was growing in popularity in London as the champion of the merchants.

Ludlow Castle, South Shropshire
Ludlow Castle, South Shropshire

Following York's unauthorised return from Ireland, hostilities resumed. On September 23, 1459, at the Battle of Blore Heath in Staffordshire, a large Lancastrian army failed to prevent a Yorkist force under the Earl of Salisbury from marching from Middleham Castle in Yorkshire to link up with York at Ludlow Castle. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English The Battle of Blore Heath was the first major battle in the English Wars of the Roses. Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. Middleham Castle in Wensleydale, in the county of North Yorkshire, was built by Robert Fitz Ralph, 3rd Lord of Middleham & Spennithorne Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Ludlow Castle is a large now partly ruined non-inhabited Castle which dominates the town of Ludlow in Shropshire, England. Shortly afterwards the combined Yorkist armies confronted the much larger Lancastrian force at the Battle of Ludford Bridge. The Battle of Ludford Bridge was the worst disaster suffered by the Yorkists during the early years of the Wars of the Roses. One of Warwick's lieutenants defected to the Lancastrians, and the Yorkist leaders fled; York fled back to Ireland, and Edward, Earl of March (York's eldest son, later Edward IV of England), Salisbury, and Warwick fled to Calais. Edward IV ( 28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October Calais (kaˈlɛ in English often kæˈleɪ traditional English pronunciation /ˈkælɨs/ Kales is a town in northern France. The Lancastrians were back in total control, and Somerset was sent off to be Governor of Calais. The history of Calais dates back centuries and is chiefly influenced by its being the closest major Port to Great Britain. His attempts to evict Warwick were easily repulsed, and the Yorkists even began to launch raids on the English coast from Calais in 1459–60, adding to the sense of chaos and disorder.

In 1460, Warwick and the others launched an invasion of England and rapidly established themselves in Kent and London, where they enjoyed wide support. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Backed by a papal emissary who had taken their side, they marched north. Henry led an army south to meet them while Margaret remained in the north with Prince Edward. The Battle of Northampton on July 10, 1460, proved disastrous for the Lancastrians, and aided by treachery in the king's ranks, the Yorkist army under the Earl of Warwick was able to defeat the Lancastrians. The Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July, 1460. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Following the battle, and for the second time in the war, King Henry was found by the Yorkists abandoned by his retinue in a tent. He had apparently suffered another breakdown. With the king in their possession, the Yorkists returned to London.

Act of Accord

In the light of this military success, Richard moved to press his claim to the throne based on the illegitimacy of the Lancastrian line. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York ( 21 September 1411 &ndash 30 December 1460) was a member of the English royal family who served in senior Landing in north Wales, he and his wife Cecily entered London with all the ceremony usually reserved for a monarch. Cecily Neville Duchess of York (3 May 1415 &ndash 31 May 1495 was the mother of two Kings Edward IV of England and Richard III of England. Parliament was assembled, and when York entered he made straight for the throne, which he may have been expecting the Lords to encourage him to take for himself as they had Henry IV in 1399. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories Instead, there was stunned silence. He announced his claim to the throne, but the Lords, even Warwick and Salisbury, were shocked by his presumption; they had no desire at this stage to overthrow King Henry. Their ambition was still limited to the removal of his bad councilors.

The next day, York produced detailed genealogies to support his claim based on his descent from Lionel of Antwerp and was met with more understanding. Genealogy (from Greek: el γενεά el-Latn genea, "descent" and el λόγος el-Latn logos, "knowledge" is the study of Lionel of Antwerp Duke of Clarence ( November 29 1338 &ndash October 7 1368) was the third son but the second son to survive infancy of Parliament agreed to consider the matter and accepted that York's claim was better, but by a majority of five, they voted that Henry VI should remain as king. A compromise was struck in October 1460 with the Act of Accord, which recognised York as Henry's successor, disinheriting Henry's six year old son, Edward. The Act of Accord was passed by the English Parliament on October 25, 1460, fifteen days after Richard Duke of York had entered the Council York accepted this compromise as the best on offer. It gave him much of what he wanted, particularly since he was also made Protector of the Realm and was able to govern in Henry's name. Margaret was ordered out of London with Prince Edward. The Act of Accord proved unacceptable to the Lancastrians, who rallied to Margaret, forming a large army in the north.

Lancastrian counter-attack

Ruins of Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Ruins of Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire

The Duke of York left London later that year with the Earl of Salisbury to consolidate his position in the north against Margaret's army, reported to be massing near the city of York. York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. Richard took up a defensive position at Sandal Castle near Wakefield at Christmas 1460. Sandal Castle is a ruin on the edge of the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire and overlooks the River Calder and Pugneys Country Park. Wakefield lies at the heart of the City of Wakefield, a Metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Although outnumbered by more than two to one, Richard's forces left the castle, attacked, and suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Wakefield on December 30. The Battle of Wakefield took place at Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, on 30 December 1460 and was one of the major actions of the Wars of the Roses. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Richard was slain in the battle, and both Salisbury and Richard's 17-year-old second son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, were captured and beheaded. Edmund Earl of Rutland ( May 17, 1443 &ndash December 31, 1460) was the fifth child and second surviving son of Richard Plantagenet 3rd Margaret ordered the heads of all three placed on the gates of York. This event, or the later defeat of Richard III, later inspired the mnemonic "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain" for the seven colours of the rainbow. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death A mnemonic device (nəˈmɒnɪk is a Memory aid Commonly met mnemonics are often verbal something such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember Roy G Biv is a Mnemonic for the sequence of hues in the Visible spectrum, in rainbows, and in order from longest to shortest wavelength

The Act of Accord and the events of Wakefield left the 18-year-old Edward, Earl of March, York's eldest son, as Duke of York and heir to the throne. Edward IV ( 28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October Salisbury's death left Warwick, his heir, as the biggest landowner in England. Margaret travelled to Scotland to negotiate for Scottish assistance. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Mary of Gueldres, Queen of Scotland agreed to give Margaret an army on condition that she cede the town of Berwick to Scotland and Mary's daughter be betrothed to Prince Edward. Mary of Guelders (c 1434 &ndash 1 December 1463) was Queen Consort to James II of Scotland. Margaret agreed, although she had no funds to pay her army and could only promise booty from the riches of southern England, as long as no looting took place north of the River Trent. The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire between Biddulph and Biddulph Moor. She took her army to Hull, recruiting more men as she went. Kingston upon Hull ( almost invariably referred

Parhelion at sunset
Parhelion at sunset

Edward of York meanwhile, with an army from the pro-Yorkist Marches (the border area between England and Wales), met the Earl of Pembroke's army arriving from Wales, and he defeated them soundly at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire. Jasper Tudor ( Welsh: Siasbar Tudur) c 1431 &ndash December 21/26 1495 Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford, was the uncle of King The Battle of Mortimer's Cross was fought on February 2, 1461 near Wigmore, Herefordshire (between Leominster and Leintwardine Constitution Herefordshire was reconstituted both as a new Non-metropolitan district (effective 19th July 1996 and as a new County comprising the area of the He inspired his men with a "vision" of three suns at dawn (a phenomenon known as "parhelion"), telling them that it was a portent of victory and represented the three surviving York sons; himself, George and Richard. A sun dog or sundog (scientific name parhelion, plural parhelia, for "beside the sun" is a common bright circular spot on a solar This led to Edward's later adoption of the sign of the sunne in splendour as his personal emblem.

Margaret was moving south, wreaking havoc as she progressed, her army supporting itself by looting as it passed through the prosperous south of England. In London, Warwick used this as propaganda to reinforce Yorkist support throughout the south — the town of Coventry switched allegiance to the Yorkists. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. Warwick failed to start raising an army soon enough and, without Edward's army to reinforce him, was caught off-guard by the Lancastrians' early arrival at St Albans. At the Second Battle of St Albans the Queen won the Lancastrians' most decisive victory yet, and as the Yorkist forces fled they left behind King Henry, who was found unharmed, sitting quietly beneath a tree. The Second Battle of St Albans was a Battle of the English Wars of the Roses fought on February 17, 1461 near the town of St Albans

Henry knighted thirty Lancastrian soldiers immediately after the battle. In an illustration of the increasing bitterness of the war, Queen Margaret instructed her seven-year-old son Edward of Westminster, to determine the manner of execution of the Yorkist knights who had been charged with keeping Henry safe and had stayed at his side throughout the battle.

As the Lancastrian army advanced southwards, a wave of dread swept London, where rumours were rife about savage northerners intent on plundering the city. The people of London shut the city gates and refused to supply food to the queen's army, which was looting the surrounding counties of Hertfordshire and Middlesex. Hertfordshire (ˈhɑːtfədʃə(r, abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area.

Yorkist triumph

Edward IV
Edward IV

Meanwhile, Edward advanced towards London from the west where he had joined forces with Warwick. This coincided with the northward retreat by the queen to Dunstable, allowing Edward and Warwick to enter London with their army. Dunstable is a Market town in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London They were welcomed with enthusiasm, money and supplies by the largely Yorkist-supporting city. Edward could no longer claim simply to be trying to wrest the king from bad councillors; it had become a battle for the crown. Edward needed authority, and this seemed forthcoming when the Bishop of London asked the people of London their opinion and they replied with shouts of "King Edward". The Bishop of London is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. This was quickly confirmed by Parliament, and Edward was unofficially crowned in a hastily arranged ceremony at Westminster Abbey amidst much jubilation, although Edward vowed he would not have a formal coronation until Henry and Margaret were executed or exiled. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the He also announced that Henry had forfeited his right to the crown by allowing his queen to take up arms against his rightful heirs under the Act of Accord, though it was being widely argued that Edward's victory was simply a restoration of the rightful heir to the throne, which neither Henry nor his Lancastrian predecessors had been. It was this argument which Parliament had accepted the year before.

Edward and Warwick marched north, gathering a large army as they went, and met an equally impressive Lancastrian army at Towton. The Battle of Towton, near York, was the biggest battle of the Wars of the Roses thus far. The Battle of Towton in the Wars of the Roses was the largest and bloodiest ever fought on British soil with casualties believed to have been about 28000 (perhaps Both sides agreed beforehand that the issue was to be settled that day, with no quarter asked or given. An estimated 40,000—80,000 men took part, with over 20,000 men being killed during (and after) the battle, an enormous number for the time and the greatest recorded single day's loss of life on English soil. Edward and his army won a decisive victory, the Lancastrians were routed, with most of their leaders slain. Henry and Margaret, who were waiting in York with their son Edward, fled north when they heard the outcome. Many of the surviving Lancastrian nobles switched allegiance to King Edward, and those who did not were driven back to the northern border areas and a few castles in Wales. Edward advanced to take York where he was confronted with the rotting heads of his father, his brother and Salisbury, which were replaced with those of defeated Lancastrian lords such as the notorious John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford of Skipton-Craven, who was blamed for the execution of Edward's brother Edmund, Earl of Rutland, after the Battle of Wakefield. John Clifford 9th Baron de Clifford (1435 &ndash 28 March 1461) was a Lancastrian military leader during the Wars of the Roses.

Henry and Margaret fled to Scotland where they stayed with the court of James III, implementing their earlier promise to cede Berwick to Scotland and leading an invasion of Carlisle later in the year. James III (c 1451/1452 &ndash 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488 Berwick-upon-Tweed ( ˈbɛrɪk- ( Scots: Berwick or historically South Berwick) situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost Carlisle (pronounced CARLYLE(emphasis on the first syllable is a City in northern England the largest settlement in Cumbria. But lacking money, they were easily repulsed by Edward's men who were rooting out the remaining Lancastrian forces in the northern counties.

Edward IV

Edward IV's official coronation took place in June 1461 in London where he received a rapturous welcome from his supporters. A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the Edward was able to rule in relative peace for ten years.

Harlech Castle, Gwynedd, Wales
Harlech Castle, Gwynedd, Wales

In the north, Edward could never really claim to have complete control until 1464, as apart from rebellions, several castles with their Lancastrian commanders held out for years. Dunstanburgh, Alnwick (the Percy family seat), and Bamburgh were some of the last to fall. Dunstanburgh Castle lies on a spectacular headland on the coast of Northumberland in northern England, between the villages of Craster and Embleton Alnwick ( IPA /ˈænɪk/ is a small Market town in north Northumberland, England. Bamburgh is a large village on the coast of Northumberland, England. The last to surrender was the fortress of Harlech (Wales) in 1468, after a seven-year-long siege. Harlech Castle, located in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Concentric castle, constructed atop a cliff close to the Irish Sea.

There were two Lancastrian revolts in the north in 1464. Several Lancastrian nobles, including the Duke of Somerset, who had apparently been reconciled to Edward, readily led the rebellion. Henry Beaufort 3rd Duke of Somerset ( 26 January 1436 – 15 May 1464) was an important Lancastrian military commander during the English The first clash was at the Battle of Hedgeley Moor on April 25 and the second at the Battle of Hexham on May 15. The Battle of Hedgeley Moor, 25 April 1464, was a battle of the Wars of the Roses. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. The Battle of Hexham ( May 15, 1464) marked the end of significant Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Both revolts were put down by Warwick's brother, John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu. John Neville 1st Marquess of Montagu, alias John Mortimer, called the Captain of Kent (c Somerset was captured and executed after the defeat at Hexham. The deposed King Henry was also captured in 1465 and held prisoner at the Tower of London where, for the time being, he was reasonably well treated. Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower) is a historic monument in central London

Resumption of hostilities 1469–71

The period 1467–70 marked a rapid deterioration in the relationship between King Edward and his former mentor, the powerful Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick — "the Kingmaker". Richard Neville Jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and Suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury ( 22 November This had several causes but stemmed originally from Edward's decision to marry Elizabeth Woodville in secret in 1464. Elizabeth Woodville or Wydeville ( 3 February 1437 &ndash 7 June / 8 June 1492) was the Queen consort of Edward later announced the news of his marriage as fait accompli, to the considerable embarrassment of Warwick, who had been negotiating a match between Edward and a French bride, convinced as he was of the need for an alliance with France. Here are some examples of French words and phrases used by English speakers. This embarrassment turned to bitterness when the Woodvilles came to be favoured over the Nevilles at court. Other factors compounded Warwick's disillusionment: Edward's preference for an alliance with Burgundy (over France), and Edward's reluctance to allow his brothers George, Duke of Clarence, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, to marry Warwick's daughters, Isabel Neville and Anne Neville, respectively. Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence ( 21 October 1449 &ndash 18 February 1478) was the third son of Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death Anne Neville (11 June 1456 &ndash 16 March 1485 was Queen consort of King Richard III of England 1483-1485 Furthermore, Edward's general popularity was on the wane in this period with higher taxes and persistent disruptions of law and order.

Middleham Castle
Middleham Castle

By 1469 Warwick had formed an alliance with Edward's jealous and treacherous brother George. They raised an army which defeated the king at the Battle of Edgecote Moor and held Edward at Middleham Castle in Yorkshire. The Battle of Edgecote Moor took place 6 miles northeast of Banbury ( Oxfordshire) England on 26 July 1469 during the Wars Middleham Castle in Wensleydale, in the county of North Yorkshire, was built by Robert Fitz Ralph, 3rd Lord of Middleham & Spennithorne Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. (Warwick briefly had two Kings of England in his custody. ) Warwick had the queen's father, Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, executed. Richard Woodville (or Wydeville) 1st Earl Rivers (1405 &ndash August 12, 1469) was an English nobleman best remembered He forced Edward to summon a parliament at York at which it was planned that Edward would be declared illegitimate, and the crown would thus pass to George, Duke of Clarence as Edward's heir apparent. George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence ( 21 October 1449 &ndash 18 February 1478) was the third son of Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York However, the country was in turmoil, and Edward was able to call on the loyalty of his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and the majority of the nobles. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death Richard arrived at the head of a large force and liberated King Edward.

Louis XI of France
Louis XI of France

Warwick and Clarence were declared traitors and forced to flee to France, where in 1470 Louis XI of France was coming under pressure from the exiled Margaret of Anjou to help her invade England and regain her captive husband's throne. Louis XI ( July 3, 1423 – August 30, 1483) called the Prudent (le Prudent and the Universal Spider ( Middle Louis XI ( July 3, 1423 – August 30, 1483) called the Prudent (le Prudent and the Universal Spider ( Middle It was King Louis who suggested the idea of an alliance between Warwick and Margaret, a notion which neither of the old enemies would at first entertain but eventually came round to, realising the potential benefits. However, both were undoubtedly hoping for different outcomes: Warwick for a puppet king in the form of Henry or his young son; Margaret to be able to reclaim her family's realm. In any case, a marriage was arranged between Warwick's daughter Anne Neville and Margaret's son, the former Prince of Wales, Edward of Westminster, and Warwick invaded England in the autumn of 1470. Anne Neville (11 June 1456 &ndash 16 March 1485 was Queen consort of King Richard III of England 1483-1485 Edward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster ( 13 October 1453 &ndash 4 May 1471) was the only Prince of Wales

Battle of Tewkesbury
Battle of Tewkesbury

This time it was Edward IV who was forced to flee the country when John Neville changed loyalties to support his brother Warwick. John Neville 1st Marquess of Montagu, alias John Mortimer, called the Captain of Kent (c Edward was unprepared for the arrival of Neville's large force from the north and had to order his army to scatter. Edward and Gloucester fled from Doncaster to the coast and thence to Holland and exile in Burgundy. Holland is a region in the western part of the Netherlands. A maritime and economic power in the 17th century Holland today consists of the Dutch provinces of Warwick had already invaded from France, and his plans to liberate and restore Henry VI to the throne came quickly to fruition. Henry VI was paraded through the streets of London as the restored king in October and Edward and Richard were proclaimed traitors. Warwick's success was short-lived, however. He overreached himself with his plan to invade Burgundy in alliance with the King of France, tempted by King Louis' promise of territory in the Netherlands as a reward. This led Charles the Bold of Burgundy to assist Edward (who was also his brother in law), providing funds and an army to launch an invasion of England in 1471. Charles the Bold or Charles the Rash (Charles le Téméraire ( 21 November 1433 &ndash 5 January 1477) baptised Charles Martin

Edward landed with a small force at Ravenspur on the Yorkshire coast. Ravenspurn was an old East Riding of Yorkshire town in England, which was lost due to Coastal erosion. He soon gained the city of York and rallied several supporters. His brother Clarence turned traitor again, abandoning Warwick. Having captured London, Edward's army met Warwick's at the Battle of Barnet. The Battle of Barnet, which took place 14 April 1471, was a decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, near the town of Barnet, at the time ten The battle was fought in thick fog, and some of Warwick's men attacked each other by mistake. It was believed by all that they had been betrayed, and Warwick's army fled. Warwick was cut down trying to reach his horse.

Margaret and her son Edward had landed in the West Country only a few days before the Battle of Barnet. Rather than return to France, Margaret sought to join with the Lancastrian supporters in Wales and marched to cross the Severn but was thwarted when the city of Gloucester refused her passage across the river. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Her army, commanded by the fourth successive Duke of Somerset, was brought to battle and destroyed at the Battle of Tewkesbury, and Prince Edward of Westminster, the Lancastrian heir to the throne, was killed. Edmund Beaufort 4th Duke of Somerset (1438? &ndash May 6, 1471) was an English nobleman and military commander during the Wars of the Roses. Background At the time of Tewkesbury the mentally-unstable Lancastrian king Henry VI of England, had just been deposed for a second time by his rival the Yorkist With no heirs to succeed him, Henry VI was murdered shortly afterwards on May 14, 1471, to strengthen the Yorkist hold on the throne. Henry VI (6 December 1421 &ndash 21 May 1471 was King of England 1422–1461 (though with a Regent until 1437 and then 1470–1471 and a claimant to the kingdom Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the

Richard III

Richard III
Richard III

The restoration of Edward IV in 1471 is sometimes seen as marking the end of the Wars of the Roses. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death Peace was restored for the remainder of Edward's reign, but when he died suddenly in 1483, political and dynastic turmoil erupted again. Under Edward IV, frictions had developed between the queen's Woodville relatives (Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers and Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset) and others who resented the Woodvilles' new-found status at court and saw them as power-hungry upstarts and parvenus. Anthony Rivers 2nd Earl Rivers (1442? &ndash 25 June 1483) was an English nobleman courtier and writer Thomas Grey 1st Marquess of Dorset KG (1457 &ndash September 20, 1501) known as Lord Ferrers de Groby between 1461 and 1471 and the At the time of Edward's premature death, his heir, Edward V, was only 12 years old. Edward V ( 4 November 1470 &ndash 1483? was the King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later The Woodvilles were in a position to influence the young king's future government, since Edward V had been brought up under the stewardship of Earl Rivers in Ludlow. Ludlow is a Market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. This was too much for many of the anti-Woodville faction to accept, and in the struggle for the protectorship of the young king and control of the council, Edward IV's brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who had been named by Edward IV on his deathbed as Protector of England, came to be de facto leader of the anti-Woodville faction. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death

Princes in the Tower
Princes in the Tower

With the help of William Hastings and Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, Gloucester captured the young king from the Woodvilles at Stony Stratford in Buckinghamshire. William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings (c 1431 &ndash 13 June 1483) became one of the great powers of the English realm during the reign of Edward Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham ( 4 September 1455 &ndash 2 November 1483) played a major role in Richard III of England 's Stony Stratford (often shortened to Stony) is a constituent Town of Milton Keynes and is a Civil parish operating as a Town council Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. Thereafter Edward V was kept under Gloucester's custody in the Tower of London, where he was later joined by his younger brother, the 9-year-old Richard, Duke of York. Richard of Shrewsbury 1st Duke of York and 1st Duke of Norfolk ( 17 August 1473 &ndash 1483? was the sixth child and second son of King Edward IV of Having secured the boys, Richard then alleged that Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville had been illegal and that the two boys were therefore illegitimate. Elizabeth Woodville or Wydeville ( 3 February 1437 &ndash 7 June / 8 June 1492) was the Queen consort of Parliament agreed and enacted the Titulus Regius, which officially named Gloucester as King Richard III. Titulus Regius ( the royal title in Latin) is a statute of the Parliament of England, issued in 1483, by which the title of King Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death The two imprisoned boys, known as the "Princes in the Tower", disappeared and were possibly murdered; by whom and under whose orders remains controversial. The Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England ( November 4 1470 &ndash 1483? and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury 1st Duke of York (

Since Richard was the finest general on the Yorkist side, many accepted him as a ruler better able to keep the Yorkists in power than a boy who would have had to rule through a committee of regents. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor However, many had never been reconciled to Yorkist rule, and within the Yorkist faction itself, some influential former allies of Richard turned against him. Richard himself had Lord Hastings, one of his brother Edward's closest companions and supporters, arrested and executed for treason. William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings (c 1431 &ndash 13 June 1483) became one of the great powers of the English realm during the reign of Edward This may have been intended to thwart a genuine conspiracy, but the effect was to make many nobles fear for their own safety and to distrust Richard.

One former Yorkist, the Duke of Buckingham (who himself had a distant claim to the throne), led a revolt aimed at installing the Lancastrian Henry Tudor. Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham ( 4 September 1455 &ndash 2 November 1483) played a major role in Richard III of England 's It was defeated, and Buckingham was captured and executed. This was clearly not the end of the plots against Richard, who could never again feel secure, and who also suffered the loss of his wife and infant son, putting the future of the Yorkist dynasty in doubt.

Henry Tudor

Henry VII
Henry VII

Lancastrian hopes centred on Henry Tudor, whose father, Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, had been a half-brother of Henry VI. Edmund Tudor 1st Earl of Richmond ( 1431 &ndash 1 November 1456 was the father of King Henry VII of England. However, Henry's claim to the throne was through his mother, Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of Edward III, derived from John Beaufort, a grandson of Edward III's as the son of John of Gaunt (illegitimate at birth though later legitimized by the marriage of his parents). Lady Margaret Beaufort ( May 31, 1443 &ndash June 29, 1509) of the House of Lancaster was the mother of King Henry VII of John Beaufort 1st Earl of Somerset (1373 &ndash March 16, 1410) was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster (second creation 1st Duke of Aquitaine (6 March 1340 &ndash 3 February 1399 was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third

Henry Tudor landed in Pembrokeshire in the summer of 1485 and, gathering supporters on his march through Wales, defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Geography Pembrokeshire is a maritime County, bordered by the sea on three sides by Ceredigion (Cardiganshire to the northeast and by The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field ( 22 August, 1485) was Lancastrian Henry Tudor's defeat of Yorkist Richard Richard was slain during the battle by the powerful Welsh knight Rhys ap Thomas, with a blow to the head from his pollaxe, and Henry became King Henry VII of England. Poleaxe may refer to Poleaxe A polearm weapon from medieval times Pole-Axe an event from the television series Gladiators Henry then strengthened his position by marrying Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV and the best surviving Yorkist claimant. Elizabeth of York (11 February 1466 &ndash 11 February 1503 was the Queen Consort of King Henry VII of England, whom she married in 1486 He thus reunited the two royal houses, merging the rival symbols of the red and white roses into the new emblem of the red and white Tudor Rose. The Tudor rose (sometimes called the English Rose is a traditional heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty Henry shored up his position by executing all other possible claimants whenever any excuse was offered, a policy his son, Henry VIII, continued. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of

Many historians consider the accession of Henry VII to mark the end of the Wars of the Roses. Others argue that the Wars of the Roses concluded only with the Battle of Stoke in 1487, which arose from the appearance of a pretender to the throne, a boy named Lambert Simnel who bore a close physical resemblance to the young Earl of Warwick, the best surviving male claimant of the House of York. The Battle of Stoke Field took place in England on 16 June, 1487. Lambert Simnel (c 1477 &ndash c 1525 was a child Pretender to the throne of England. Edward Plantagenet 17th Earl of Warwick and 7th Earl of Salisbury ( 25 February 1475 &ndash 28 November 1499) was the son of George Duke The pretender's plan was doomed from the start, because the young earl was still alive and in King Henry's custody. At Stoke, Henry defeated forces led by John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, who had been named by Richard III as his heir but had been reconciled with Henry after Bosworth, thus effectively removing the remaining Yorkist opposition. John de la Pole Earl of Lincoln (1462/1464 &ndash 16 June 1487) was the eldest son of John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk and Elizabeth of York Simnel was pardoned for his part in the rebellion and was sent to work in the royal kitchens. Henry's throne was again challenged with the appearance of the pretender Perkin Warbeck who in 1491 claimed to be Richard, Duke of York (the younger of the two Princes in the Tower). Perkin Warbeck (1474 &ndash 23 November 1499) was a Pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England Henry consolidated his power in 1499 with the capture and execution of Warbeck.

Aftermath

Tudor Rose
Tudor Rose

Although historians still debate the true extent of the conflict's impact on medieval English life, there is little doubt that the Wars of the Roses resulted in political upheaval and changes to the established balance of power. The Tudor rose (sometimes called the English Rose is a traditional heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty The most obvious effect was the collapse of the Plantagenet dynasty and its replacement with the new Tudor rulers who changed England dramatically over the following years. The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was an English royal Dynasty that lasted 118 years from 1485 to 1603 a period known as the Tudor period In the following Henrician and post-Henrician times, the remnant Plantagenet factions with no direct line to the throne were disabused of their independent positions, as monarchs continually played them against each other.

With their heavy casualties among the nobility coupled with the effects of the Black Death, the wars are thought to have ushered in a period of great social upheaval in feudal England, including a weakening of the feudal power of the nobles and a corresponding strengthening of the merchant classes, and the growth of a strong, centralized monarchy under the Tudors. Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia It heralded the end of the medieval period in England and the movement towards the Renaissance. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere

On the other hand, it has also been suggested that the traumatic impact of the wars was exaggerated by Henry VII to magnify his achievement in quelling them and bringing peace. Certainly, the effect of the wars on the merchant and labouring classes was far less than in the long drawn-out wars of siege and pillage in France and elsewhere in Europe, carried out by mercenaries who profited from the prolonging of the war. Although there were some lengthy sieges, such as at Harlech Castle and Bamburgh Castle, these were in comparatively remote and sparsely-inhabited regions. Harlech Castle, located in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Concentric castle, constructed atop a cliff close to the Irish Sea. Bamburgh Castle is an imposing Castle located on the coast at Bamburgh in Northumberland, England ( In the populated areas, both factions had much to lose by the ruin of the country and sought quick resolution of the conflict by pitched battle.

The war was disastrous for England's already declining influence in France, and by the end of the struggle few of the gains made over the course of the Hundred Years' War remained, apart from Calais which eventually fell during the reign of Queen Mary. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior Although later English rulers continued to campaign on the continent, England's territories were never reclaimed. Indeed, various duchies and kingdoms in Europe played a pivotal role in the outcome of the war; in particular the kings of France and the dukes of Burgundy played the two factions off each other, pledging military and financial aid and offering asylum to defeated nobles to prevent a strong and unified England making war on them.

The post-war period was also the death knell for the large standing baronial armies, which had helped fuel the conflict. Henry, wary of any further fighting, kept the barons on a very tight leash, removing their right to raise, arm, and supply armies of retainers so that they could not make war on each other or the king. England did not have another standing army until Cromwell's New Model Army. The New Model Army was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War. As a result the military power of individual barons declined, and the Tudor court became a place where baronial squabbles were decided with the influence of the monarch.

In fiction

Shakespeare's plays on Henry VI, parts 1, 2, and 3, and his Richard III cover the period of the wars. William Shakespeare ( baptised The First Part of King Henry the Sixth is history play by William Shakespeare, believed written in approximately 1588–1590 The Second Part of King Henry the Sixth, or Henry VI Part 2, is a history play by William Shakespeare believed written in approximately 1590-91 Henry the Sixth Part 3, is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed written in approximately 1590 and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591 Henry VI, Part 1 includes a scene in the Temple church where the dispute between the two houses begins, giving the conflict its modern name:

"And here I prophesy: this brawl today,
Grown to this faction in the Temple garden,
Shall send, between the Red Rose and the White,
A thousand souls to death and deadly night. The First Part of King Henry the Sixth is history play by William Shakespeare, believed written in approximately 1588–1590 "
  — Warwick, Henry VI, Part One

Key figures

A simplified family tree including members of the English royal family
A simplified family tree including members of the English royal family

Battles

See also

References

External links


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