2B The Wars of the Roses, 1450–1499 Part 2 Depth Study: History AQA A level Revision.

The War of the Barons, 1459–1461.

The tensions between the barons began much earlier, even before the Lancaster dynasty and the York dynasty clashed in the battle of St. Albans in 1455, in which the Yorkists won. This battle began the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485).

The War of the Barons, also known as the Wars of the Roses, between 1459 and 1461 was marked by many conflicts. The Lancaster dynasty was still dominant, but the York dynasty showed its own political authority. Both dynasties alternated between defeats and victories. At the same time, the barons often supported, for example, the House of Lancaster and then the House of York and vice versa.

The renewal of war.

Four years after the Battle of Saint Albans, the York and Lancashire dynasties entered a new conflict on October 12, 1459, in the Battle of Ludford Bridge. House Lancaster wins this battle.

The Renewal of the War: York's Flight into Exile.

After the Battle of Ludford Bridge, Richard of York fled into exile. He returns to Ireland to escape from the loyalists of the Lancaster family.

The renewal of war: the emergence of Warwick ‘the Kingmaker’.

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, better known as ‘the Kingmaker,’ was the eldest son of the Earl of Salisbury, who supported Richard of York. Like Richard of York, Neville was in conflict with the Duke of Somerset, who received land from the king that he controlled. Because of that country, Neville decided to support Richard of York in his efforts to overthrow the mentally ill King Henry VI.

Remember that King Henry VI had quite good relations with the Duke of Somerset, whom he appointed to the highest positions in the kingdom, to those previously held by Richard of York.

Did Richard Neville remain loyal to the House of York?

It's not.

Richard Neville was first on the Lancaster side. Then, when King Henry VI gave the Duke of Somerset control of the land he inherited when he married, he sided with Richard of York. He later sided with the Lancasters. This led to his participation in the overthrow of two kings, hence the nickname "The Kingmaker."

The renewal of war: the capture of Henry VI at Northampton.

The Battle of Northampton took place in July 1460. In this battle, the Yorkist army led by Richard Neville defeated House Lancaster. During this battle, King Henry VI was captured, and Richard of York wanted to take over the throne. This battle boosted Yorkist morale.

As a reminder, King Henry VI (1421-1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461, when he was captured, and again from 1470 to 1471.

The Act of Accord.

The Act of Accord was concluded after the Battle of Northampton. This treaty identifies Richard, Duke of York, and his children as the heirs of Henry VI of England. The Duke of York became Lord Protector.

In other words, Parliament did not agree to Richard of York taking the throne as long as King Henry VI was alive.

Filling the political vacuum: the rule of Richard of York as Protector of England.

After the conclusion of the Act of Accord, Richard of York became Lord Protector of England. He knew that as long as Henry VI was alive, he would not take over the throne because he did not have much support from the officials. He received land and money that belonged to the Prince of Wales, the son of King Henry VI.
Richard of York behaves like a king, which does not please many people in England who have remained loyal to the House of Lancaster.

Shifting loyalties and the Lancastrian revival: Wakefield; the death of York.

The Lancastrians wanted to show resistance to Richard of York becoming Lord Protector and repeal the Act of Accord. The wife of the captured king, Margaret of Anjou, refused to accept that the land of her son Edward Westminster, Prince of Wales, was given to Richard of York, and she called the army to help her and take revenge on the Yorkists.

This is related to the Battle of Wakefield, which was fought in December 1460, a few months after Richard of York became Lord Protector of England. In this battle, House Lancaster experienced a revival because House Lancaster won. The Yorkists not only lost, but Richard of York was also killed.

Besides Richard of York, who was killed in the Battle of Wakefield?

Next to Richard of York, the 1st Earl of Salisbury, Richard Neville's father, was killed. The severed heads of the Duke of York and the Earl of Salisbury were publicly displayed to the English population.

The second Battle of St Albans and the restoration of Henry VI.

The second battle of St. Albans took place in February 1461. The Yorkists were defeated again, and King Henry VI won and returned to the throne. This battle strengthened the morale of the Lancaster house, which now believes that it is invincible.

Edward IV.

Edward IV (1442-1483) was the son of Richard of York. Shortly after his father's death and after his defeat at the Second Battle of St. Albans, Edward proclaimed himself King Edward IV and had many loyal followers.

He assembled the forces of the Yorkists and prepared for a showdown with the Lancastrians. His wish was to avenge his father and take the throne.

Proclamation of Edward IV as King; Yorkist victory at Towton.

The Battle of Towton was fought in March 1461. In this battle, Yorkist forces defeated the Lancastrians and dethroned King Henry VI. Many Lancastrian supporters were killed and captured after this battle. Edward IV managed to take the throne and declare himself king.

King Henry VI and his wife Margaret fled to Scotland to hide.

The reign of King Edward IV?

Edward IV reigned from 1461 to October 1470 and later from April 1471 until he died in 1483.

Yorkist forces until 1461.

The strengths of the Yorkists can be reflected in the military abilities, ambitions, political education, and abilities of Richard of York. We must not ignore his wealth and allies like the Earl of Salisbury and his son Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick.
The Yorkist armies were strong and respected by the people. The Lancasters had a bad reputation because of the mentally diseased King Henry VI. The self-confidence and morale of the Yorkists had both lows and highs, which strengthened their morale.

Weaknesses of the Yorkists until 1461.

The greatest weakness was caused by defeats such as the defeat at the Battle of Ludford Bridge when Richard of York fled into exile and in the second battle at St. Albans.
The Lancastrians escaped with the support of the Scots. They had just as big ambitions as the Yorkists to win and regain the throne. When King Edward IV took over the throne, England was facing economic difficulties caused by the civil war, the War of the Roses.