War of the Roses is the name of a series of battles that took place between 1455 and 1487 in England between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, both descendants of KingEdward III and who claimed the English throne. The denomination War of the Two Roses it occurred because both sides of the dispute used shields with roses in representation of their dynasties. The Lancasters wore a red rose and the York white.
In addition to common descent, the conflict was justified by the economic deprivations experienced and loss of territory to France embittered by England after theHundred Years War .
There were three decades marked by intense violence in England in which the crown alternates between the two houses and the weakening of the nobility occurs. Among the striking points of the dispute is the fact that King Richard II died without leaving an heir. He had been deposed and murdered by Henry IV of the House of Lancaster. Eduard III also sired the descendants of the House of York.
Causes
King Edward III (1312 - 1377) had four children:Edward the Black Prince (heir to the throne), Lionel of Antwerp (Duke of Clarence), John of Gaunt (Duke of Lancaster) and Edmund of Langley (Duke of York) . Edward the Black Prince died in 1376 of the Black Death and his grandson Richard became king at the age of 10. Faced with the king's inability to rule, the uncle Duke of Lancaster took control of the country.
However, Richard II grew up, rebelled against his uncle and made conflicting decisions. In 1399, John of Gaunt died and Richard II confiscated the land he had owned. John of Gaunt's son Henry raised an army and when Richard II surrendered he assumed the throne as Henry IV. Richard was arrested and died mysteriously in February 1400.
Not being the natural successor of Richard II, Henry IV faced several challenges on the throne. Through the line of succession, the crown was to pass to Edmund Earl, who was the great-grandson of Lionel Duke of Clarence. Still, Henry IV remained on the throne and died in 1413, when his son Henry V was crowned.
He invades France after an episode of conspiracy, marries the French princess under the agreement that the children would be heirs of both kingdoms. Henry V died in 1422 and his son Henry VI was crowned King of England and France. The French throne, however, was restored.
Read more about Joan of Arc
Henry VI stars in episodes of madness and his ability to govern is put to the test. He is considered weak and dominated by his wife, the French Margaret of Anjou. Due to the hiatuses of the king, the responsibilities for the government of England are in 1454 in charge of Richard, the Duke of York, who refuses to leave the power after the resumption of sanity of Henry VI in 1455, initiating the battles called “War of Two Roses.”
Battles
First Battle of St. Albans . The Duke of York leads in 1455 about 3,000 men in a march towards London and is crowned victor. At least 300 people die. The queen and son Edward flee into exile and the king is arrested.
Battle of BloreHeath , 1459 . It results from the pressure of Margaret of Anjou on King Richard III, who joins forces and decides to anticipate the attack, but loses the combat.
Battle of Ludford , 1459. York House makes another onslaught. This time, regroups advance towards Worcester, but fall when faced by the army led by Henry VI. There are significant amount of deserters between the army of House York and Richard III flees to France.
Battle of Northampton . In June 1460, another bloody battle begins with victory for the York House, which assumes the crown. The queen via to Wales, where she reassembles the army.
Battle of Wakefield , still in 1460, Richard III travels to contain the Lancaster army, but dies during the battle. His son is also captured and executed.
Battle of the Cross of Mortimor , 1461. This time Edward, Earl of March, son of Richard III, faces House Lancaster and wins.
Second Battle of St. Albans , February 17, 1461. After another battle, King Henry VI is captured.
Battle of Ferrybridge and Towton , March 28, 1461. After proclaiming himself king, Edward, who becomes known as Edward IV, once again faces House Lancaster. King Henry VI, the queen and their son flee to Scotland where they remain for nine years. Edward IV, is crowned king in Westminster and remains in power until 1483.
Battle of Hedgeley Moor , 1464. An attempt at peace departs from York, but is refused by House Lancaster and there is another bloody battle, this time in Scotland.
Battle of Hexham. The leaders of House Lancaster are executed. In 1465, Edward IV imprisons Henry VI. The facts are followed by a series of events unforeseen by House York. One of the supporters of King Edward IV, Warwick starts to claim more space and control within the kingdom, claiming that it was of fundamental importance for the consolidation of the kingdom.
Faced with the monarch's refusal, Warwick joins the King of France, Louis XI. Family arrangements and marriages also go on to strengthen House Lancaster. Among the marriages is that of Margaret York, who in 1468 marries Charles the Daredevil of France.
Battle of Edgecote Moor , 1469 . It took place after eight years of Edward IV's reign and is marked by the king's preoccupation with the alliances made by Warwick. Defeated, Edward IV watches Henry VI return to the throne.
Battle of Losecote Field , March 12, 1470. This time, after defeating Henry VI's troops, Edward IV returns to the throne, which forces Warwick to flee to France. In 1471, after the Battle of Barnet, Warwick is killed, as is Henry VI. In 1474, Edward IV allies himself with Charles the Daredevil and invades France for his protection. King Edward IV dies in 1483.
The king had two sons, Edward and Richard, but both were too young to rule, so Richard, Duke of Gloucester, ruled England. Richard is accused of sending the two princes to the Tower of London and murdering them in the summer of 1483.
Thus, Richard was crowned Richard III. He was not a popular king and faced many challenges to his place on the throne, notably from Henry Tudor, grandson of Owen Tudor.
Battle of Stoke , 1485. Henry Tudor, leading the army of House Lancaster, kills Richard III. Henry Tudor marries Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth of York, ending the War of the Roses and starting the Tudor dynasty .
See also :Henry VIII