Battle of Stoke Field, Nottinghamshire, between the Yorkists on behalf of “Edward VI” and the Tudor government troops. On the Yorkist side, John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln, a nephew of both Edward IV and Richard III, was killed. He had been considered heir to the throne of Richard III after the death of Edward of Middleham. It is not quite clear who “Edward VI” actually claimed to be. According to Tudor sources he was said to pretend to be Edward, the son of George, Duke of Clarence. As the real Edward was locked up in the Tower, this was impossible. There is no surviving evidence who his own supporters said he was.
Bibliography: Smith, G, ‘Lambert Simnel and the King from Dublin’. The Ricardian, Vol. X, No.135 (December 1996) , pp. 498-536. You can read the article here.
Tags: Battles, Yorkists
When considering which could be my next Ricardian Place in Hertfordshire, the recent 555th anniversary of the First Battle of St Albans (22 May 1455) offered the obvious answer. During our life in England St Albans was a popular haunt for us, for shopping, eating out or just soaking up the atmosphere. I also happened to have a number of private students there – hello to Tony and Jacky, should you read this.
There have been settlements in the St Albans area for a long time. The first that we know of was by the Celtic Catuvellauni tribe, who called it ‘Verlamion’. During the Roman period it became ‘Verulanium’, the second largest town in England after Londinium, situated on Watling Street heading north.[1] Most of the remains of the Roman town are today covered by Verulanium Park, but some parts have been excavated and can be visited. For instance the Hypocaust (including an in situ mosaic); the Roman Theatre of Verulamium; and the remains of the Roman city walls and London gate.[2] Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Battles, Hertfordshire, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
First Battle of St Albans, Hertfordshire, between the Yorkist forces under Richard, 3rd Duke of York, and the Lancastrian forces of Henry VI under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who falls in the battle. Henry VI is captured. Won by the Yorkists. This is the first battle in what became known as the Wars of the Roses, with the white rose standing for York and the red for Lancaster (Henry VI). This battle is unique among all the battles of the Wars of the Roses in that it was entirely fought in the streets of the town and not in a field. One can’t help wondering what the town’s citizens made of this.
Illustration: War of the Roses © Andrew Jamieson, www.medieval-arts.co.uk
Tags: Battles, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
Battle of Hedgeley Moor, Northumberland. The Yorkist forces were led by John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu (brother of Richard Neville ‘The Kingmaker’), the Lancastrians by the Duke of Somerset, supported by Sir Ralph Percy, Lords Roos and Hungerford, and Sir Ralph Grey. The Lancastrian force soon gave way and fled, except for Sir Ralph Percy, who died in the battle.
Tags: Battles, Lancastrians, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
Skirmish at Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, in the lead-up to the Battle of Towton. Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (‘The Kingmaker”), received an arrow wound to the leg. John, Lord Clifford, (believed to be responsible for the death of Edward IV’s brother Edmund, Earl of Rutland) falls on the Lancastrian side.
Tags: Lancastrians, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
‘Love Day’ at St Paul’s. An attempt at reconciliation between the opposing Yorkists and Lancastrians, loyal to Henry VI, to resolve the feud resulting from the 1st Battle of St Albans (22 May 1455). Then, on Lady Day (25 March), the King led a “love day” procession to St. Paul’s Cathedral, with Lancastrian and Yorkist nobles following him, hand in hand, among them Richard, Duke of York, with Queen Margaret of Anjou.
Tags: Henry VI, House of York, Margaret of Anjou, Richard Duke of York, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
Battle of Losecoat Field, at Tickencote Warren near Empingham, Rutland. The Yorkists were led by Edward IV against Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, and his men who had sided with Richard Neville, Duke of Warwick (‘The Kingmaker’). Fast victory for the Yorkists. A popular myth is that as they fled Welles’ men quickly left their coats behind to avoid identification, which gave the battle its name.
Tags: Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
Second Battle of St Albans between the Lancastrian forces under Margaret of Anjou (Henry VI’s queen) and the Yorkist forces under Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (‘The Kingmaker”), won by the Lancastrian forces. Henry VI was reunited with his wife and son. After the battle Sir Thomas Kyriel and his son, who had cared for Henry VI, were summarily executed by a vengeful Margaret of Anjou, spurred on by her son, but against Henry VI’s protest.
Tags: Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
Battle of Mortimer’s Cross, Herefordshire. The Yorkists were led by 18-year-old Edward, Earl of March (later Edward IV) against Lancastrian forces led by Owen Tudor and his son Jasper. Owen Tudor was killed. The Lancastrians outnumbered the Yorkists considerably and were better mounted and armed. The Yorkists were encouraged by a parhelion, a meteorological phenomenon in which three suns appear. This is the origin of Edward’s badge ‘The Sun in Splendour’.
Tags: Edward IV, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
Posted by: Dorothea Preis in News
I recently read about a board game called Richard III: Wars of the Roses, which sounded intriguing. Two players are fighting out the Wars of the Roses between York and Lancaster. Will Henry VI and his Queen Margaret keep the throne or will the Duke of York recover it for the Plantagenets. Other characters include Edward IV, Richard III, Henry Tudor, and Warwick, the notorious “Kingmaker”. The object of play is to eliminate all five enemy heirs and/or win control of the powerful nobles of England. The Lancastrians start the game holding the throne, and the Yorkists are ready to take them on. Kingship can be won or lost several times during the game. Will Richard III emerge triumphant, or will he perish in battle as he did historically?
I read several reviews of this game which all seemed to be very favourable. I know what I want for my next birthday!
You can find more information here or read a review.
Tags: Richard III, Wars of the Roses, Yorkists
