How peaceful was England between 1455 and 1459

Bonville-Courtnay dispute in the south west:

• Over who should be the dominant family in Devon between Thomas Courtnay and William Bonville.

• Courtnays were traditional leading family but being challenged for dominance by William Bonville - member of the Gentry.

• Bonville provided good service to HV and HVI in France - made Lord in 1449 and married an aunt of Thomas Courtnay - angered Courtnay even more.

• Bonville aligned to Suffolk and Somerset - Courtnay naturally veered towards York - violence flares up often.

• After St Albans, Bonville sought Yorkist alliance - resulted in marriage of his grandson and heir to a daughter of the earl of Salisbury - sister of Warwick.

• Courtnays were furious - attacked Nicholas Radford (Bonville’s lawyer) and killing him - Courtnays held an inquest into the death ruling it a suicide.

• Radford’s body thrown into a pit and crushed with stones.

• Courtnays attacked and took control of Exeter, seized Powderham castle from Phillip Courtnay (Bonville supporter) and defeated the Bonvilles at Clyst St. Mary, Devon in december 1455.

• York arrested Courtnay and put him in the tower. Later granted a royal pardon and the whole family pardoned for every crime committed.

Wales:

• Summer of 1456 - hostilities broke out between Edmund Tudor and William Herbert (and Walter Devereux).

• Tudor seized Camarthen castle from York’s custody.

• Devereux managed to capture it back for York, capturing Owen Tudor who died shortly after, widowing Margaret Beaufort.

London:

• Things remained tense in London. The Yorkists wore padded jackets fearing attack.

• Margaret and Henry VI disliked London so decamped to Kenilworth in the midlands in 1456.

• 1455-59 - episodes of rioting and attacks in the city, often targeting foreign merchants from Lombardy and Venetia.

Lancastrians and Yorkists:

• Both sides equally balanced, preventing outright conflict.

• BUT - were episodes of violence - e.g. 1456 assassination attempt on Earl of Warwick by Exeter, Shrewsbury and Somerset in an attempt to avenge the deaths of their fathers in St Albans.

• HVI concerned about atmosphere in England - organised a loveday in London - March 24th 1458.