1. House of York: Led by Richard, Duke of York, and later by his sons, Edward, Prince of Wales, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the House of York sought to claim the English throne through descent from Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, the fourth son of King Edward III.
2. House of Lancaster: The House of Lancaster, descended from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the third son of King Edward III, was represented by King Henry VI and his supporters, including Margaret of Anjou, Henry's queen, and many influential nobles.
The conflict between these two branches of the royal family and their loyalists unfolded in a series of battles and power struggles. Ultimately, the House of York emerged victorious, culminating in the crowning of Edward of York as King Edward IV in 1461. However, the succession disputes continued, leading to further conflicts within the House of York itself and a resurgence of the House of Lancaster under the leadership of Henry Tudor.
The War of the Roses concluded in 1485 with the Battle of Bosworth Field, where Henry Tudor defeated Richard III, the last Yorkist king, and claimed the English throne as Henry VII. His victory marked the beginning of the Tudor dynasty and the end of the Plantagenet era in England.