The triumph of the Yorkists, 1461–1471

WOTR

Edward’s early policies

• Truce with Scotland 1464 (The Treaty of York)

• Edward rewarded loyal supporters, such as the Neville family, the Duke of Norfolk, and William Herbert (Pembrooke), with land, titles, and offices to ensure their allegiance.

• Court of Augmentations was set up to oversee income from Crown lands, helping to increase revenue + increased customs duties on imports and exports

• Edward reinstated the Justices of the Peace (JPs), a network of local magistrates who helped enforce the law in the counties

• Act of Resumption (1465) aimed to reclaim lands and titles that had been given to nobles during the wars and reduce the power of magnates.

Marriage to Elizabeth Woodville

• Married in secret in 1464

• Alienation of the nobility e.g. Warwick as he had negotiated Edward’s marriage for foreign policy (Bona of Savoy) + seen as a breach of tradition

• Ascension of the Woodvilles + favour at court e.g. Anthony Rivers (E’s brother) made Lord Rivers replacing William Neville as Treasurer and Thomas Grey being given the title of Marquess of Dorset and married Anne Holland (wealthy Duchess of Exeter)

• Claims of illegitimacy as Edward had been promised to marry Eleanor Butler

• Shifted foreign policy towards favouring Burgundy over France due to Elizabeth’s mother (Jacquetta of Luxemburg) being linked to Burgundy

Repression of Lancastrian resistance

• Recapture of Alnwick (1463)

  • Date: 1463

  • Event: Lancastrian forces led by Henry Beaufort, briefly recaptured Alnwick Castle in Northumberland before it was recaptured quickly by Yorkist forces led by John Neville - indicative of repression of minor resistance

• Battle of Hedgeley Moor (1464)

  • Date: 25th April 1464

  • Location: Northumberland

  • Multiple castles in the North were held by Lancastrian nobles similar to Alnwick

  • Event: A decisive Yorkist victory, where Sir Ralph Percy (a Lancastrian supporter) was defeated by John Neville after the Lancastrians attempted to ambush Yorkist forces marching North to restore order

• Battle of Hexham (1464)

  • Date: 15th May 1464

  • Location: Northumberland

  • Event: A crucial Yorkist victory, where Henry Beaufort was again defeated, and several prominent Lancastrians were killed or captured e.g. Lord Hungerford + Henry Beaufort himself

  • Significance: last major Lancastrian military resistance in the north.

• Capture of Henry VI (1465)

  • Date: 1465

  • Event: Henry VI, the Lancastrian king, was captured by Yorkist forces having been left with little support after Hexham.

  • Significance: Henry’s capture was a symbolic blow to the Lancastrian cause, as it marked the definitive end to the Lancastrian attempt to regain the throne in the short term.

Law and Order

Robin of Redesdale Rebellion → Robin of Holderness (1469):

• Northern nobles, including Sir Robert Ogle and others, were aggrieved by high taxes and the growing power of the Woodville family

• Local authorities in the north, including the Yorkist officials, struggled to maintain control over the region. → minor looting + skirmishes with noble retinues

• Edward was pressured by the rebels into issuing them a pardon - weakness

• Robin of Holderness suspected of being on of Warwick’s retainers (William Conyers) lead a larger scale revolt demanding restoration of Lancastrian Henry Percy to Northumberland - stopped by John Neville.

• Many of the rebels including leaders were part of Warwick’s rebellion - Robin of Redesdale was killed at Edgecoat

Warwick’s Rebellion

Warwick and Clarence went to France - Clarence Married Isabelle Neville 1469

Battle of Edgecoat Moor 1469:

• Edward sent an army from the midlands to intercept Warwick and Clarence’s army (Which had emerged from the rebellions)

• The rebels were outnumbered dramatically but defeated Pembrooke’s army (because Edward’s main forces were not present) and executed him

• Warwick had Edward captured in the aftermath and attempted to rule himself

Edward’s release:

• Warwick’s ultimate aim was to control the throne rather than kill Edward.

• Warwick had no legitimate claim to the throne

• Edward still had loyalty from many nobles e.g. Duke of Norfolk, Lord Hastings, Mayor of London

• May have wanted to maintain Yorkist unity or at least the illusion of it

• Clarence may have been reluctant to imprison his own brother → influenced Warwick’s decision to release him

Battle of Losecoat Field:

• (March 1470): Warwick and Clarence instigated another rebellion, while pretending to support the King, supporting rebels led by Sir Robert Welles.

• Edward IV’s forces decisively defeated Welles' rebels near Stamford, Lincolnshire. Welles was captured and executed. Evidence (Clarence’s banners + letters from the two) from the battle implicated Warwick and Clarence in the rebellion.

• Both fled to France and began discourse with Margaret of Anjou

Lancastrian Invasion

• Early 1470 Warwick and Margaret of Anjou began to prepare for an invasion of England to restore Henry VI. Warwick secured military and financial support from Louis XI of France, who was eager to weaken the English crown and support the Lancastrian cause.

• September 1470, Warwick and his forces landed in Devon and began to march through southern England. Many Yorkist nobles and Ex-Lancastrians, including some of Edward IV’s key supporters, defected to Warwick’s side - William Stanley (previously Yorkist) + Oxford (historically Lancastrian) + Marquis of Montague (formerly Northumberland/ Yorkist)

• Edward IV was forced to flee to Flanders (modern-day Belgium) in October 1470, seeking refuge with the Duke of Burgundy

• Henry VI was officially restored as king, but he was a weak ruler, and the real authority was held by Warwick and Margaret.- Much of the North remained loyal to Yorkists (Northumberland (as Henry Percy was grateful for his restoration to the title) + Richard of Gloucester)

Battle of Barnet

• Edward IV, exiled in Burgundy, gathered the king’s support to reclaim the throne, landing in Yorkshire, claiming to be reclaiming his rightful land of York (March 1471)

• Gained support from former Yorkist strongholds in the North such as Doncaster and Wakefield and secured loyalty from London due to merchant alliances and Woodville presence + was rejoined by Clarence who was disillusioned with Warwick’s regime

• Marched to fight Warwick and the traitor (Marquis of Montagu (who’s lands had been given to Henry Percy in 1470)) before his army could meet with Margaret's

• Due to Foggy weathers hindering artillery (friendly fire) and outmanoeuvring on the battlefield, Warwick’s troops were routed

• Both Warwick and Montagu were killed

Battle of Tewksbury

• Margaret and her son landed at Weymouth on the very day Warwick was defeated at Barnet. Unaware of the defeat, they pressed north to rally support.

• Edward moved to intercept them meeting with Jasper Tudor’s forces

• Edward was outnumbered (6/7,000 vs 5/6,000) however, his army was experienced and his two brothers commanded key divisions

• Somerset failed a flanking manoeuvre and was counter attacked - Edward of Westminster was killed (Either in battle or after) and Somerset was executed + Margaret was captured and later ransomed to Louis XI

Impact of Baronial Wars on England by 1471

• Damaged credibility of the royalty and reduced centralised control

• Rampant factionalism as feuds had been exacerbated by opposing sides in the Wars e.g. Nevilles and Percys

• Death of prominent noble families - Beauforts, Nevilles, Courtenays - weakened nobility

• Disruptions in agriculture and crown finance

• High taxation, localised violence and requisitioning of supplies had harmed peasant population

• Decline of Feudal retinue system + overmighty nobles which had causes the Wars

• Normalisation of political violence

• Domestic stability was achieved after Tewksbury - Edward could begin to restore Law and Order

• Relative peace with France and strong alliance with Burgundy

• Country was in need of Edward’s reforms but not in a fragile position