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Phase three: the conflict shifts from Yorkists vs Lancastrians, to Tudors vs RoyalsĮdward IV’s death, on 9 April 1483, took everyone by surprise. He was succeeded by his 12-year-old son, Edward V. Edward then had Henry VI quietly done away with and ruled unchallenged as Edward IV until his early death in 1483. In 1471, the exiled Edward returned to England and brought his enemies to battle separately, defeating and killing Warwick at the battle of Barnet, now in Greater London, and beating Margaret at the battle of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, where her son was killed. The following year, Warwick made an extraordinary alliance of convenience with his former foe, Margaret of Anjou, forcing Edward IV into exile and temporarily restoring Henry VI to the throne. In 1469, he rebelled, briefly taking Edward prisoner.
![graph of the war of 5 kings graph of the war of 5 kings](https://media.cheggcdn.com/media/b87/b87036f1-b09a-4c4e-bafa-34f715f45128/phpo8zpRE.png)
Warwick ‘the Kingmaker’, as he’s often known, had been a supporter of Edward IV but, following the king’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick saw his influence slip away. The second war was primarily caused by the discontent of the mighty nobleman Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Phase two: the defection of the Earl of Warwick But the crushing victory won by York’s son, Edward IV, at the battle of Towton in March 1461, effectively settled the issue in favour of the Yorkists, although occasional fighting would continue in the North East for a further three years. York was defeated and killed at the battle of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in December. However, Henry’s wife, Margaret of Anjou, refused to accept the disinheritance of her son, Edward 0f Westminster, Prince of Wales, and raised an army to fight for the Lancastrian cause. Conflict broke out again in 1459 and, the following July, York captured the Henry VI at the battle of Northampton and then later claimed the throne for himself.Įventually, a compromise was agreed, which allowed Henry VI to remain king, but with York installed as his heir. In May 1455, York and the noble Neville family attacked the royal court at St Albans, killing a number of leading Lancastrian nobles. This tense situation was exacerbated by rivalries among the country’s aristocratic families. The initial conflict was caused by the inadequacies and poor mental health of the Lancastrian Henry VI of England, and the ambitions of Richard of York, great-grandson of Edward III, a leading English magnate who demanded a top role in government. Writing for BBC History Revealed, historian and battlefields expert Julian Humphrys recounts the twists and turns in the contest for England’s throne… Wars of the Roses timeline: the three phases of fighting 12 unbelievable incidents in the Wars of the RosesĪlthough popularly seen as a long, dynastic struggle between the houses of Lancaster and York, the Wars of the Roses were in fact three separate wars, each with different causes, fought in the 15th-century.Wars of the Roses facts: 8 realities about the clashes for England’s throne.Who won the Wars of the Roses: Lancaster or York?.Why is it called the Wars of the Roses?.Wars of the Roses timeline: the three phases of fighting.