WOTRs - all units key dates/facts

Unit 1

Treaty of Troyes (HV got French throne, Catherine of Valois)

1420

Unit 1

King Henry VI’s first rule

1422-1461

Unit 1

Burgundy changes allegiance and allies with France

1435

Unit 1

Henry's endowments of Eton then King's College

1440 and 1443

Unit 1

York as lieutenant in France → factionalism.

Somerset lead a campaign in France (1442) - failed

1440-1443

Unit 1

Suffolk involved in negotiation of the Treaty of Tours:

• Peace w/ France

• Lost land

• Marriage b/w HVI + M of A → no dowery/political/financial benefits → divisive to nobility

1444

Unit 1

Suffolk lied, denying any secret deals in marriage agreement

1445

Unit 1

Suffolk appointed Lord Chamberlain (made enemies bcs was a lesser noble)

1447

Unit 1/2

Duke of Somerset took York’s position as Lieutenant in France

1448

Unit 1

Suffolk protected William Tailboys from prosecution for murder

1448

Unit 1

English seizure of Fougéres broke truce -> French attack Normandy

March 1449

Unit 1

Battle of Rouen - French victory

October 1449

Unit 1

parliament blamed Suffolk for losses in France and demanded his arrest

November 1449

Unit 1

Crown owed £370,000 (including £38,000 to Duke of York)

by 1450

Unit 1

Bishop of Chichester killed

January 1450

Unit 1

Suffolk charged with treason and committed to the Tower of London (blamed for financial and government corruption and mistakes in France)

January 1450

Unit 1

Acts of Resumption (parliament took back the crown's land that Henry gave out)

1450

Unit 1

Suffolk killed by pirates on way to exile

May 1450

Unit 1

Bishop of Salisbury killed

June 1450

Unit 1

Cade's rebellion begun in Kent (led to deaths of Lord Say and Crowmer)

June 1450

Unit 1

Suffolk's small clique within gov had been murdered

by July 1450

Unit 1/3

Battle of Castillon Final defeat for English (loss of Normandy, Formigny, Cherbourg)

17 July 1453

Unit 1

Lancastrian dynasty virtually bankrupt

by 1455

Unit 1

Clear Henry VI wasn't up to task of government

1455

Unit 2

King’s household spending £24,000

1450

Unit 2

York’s loans have still not been repaid (owed £38,000) and not paid wages as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, he must resort to selling his land and stuff

by 1450

Unit 2

Some see York as a possible replacement for HVI

1450

Unit 2

Somerset returns to be HVI’s chief councillor

Early 1450

Unit 2

York returns to England w/o permission and goes through Welsh marches to London

September 1450

Unit 2

Somerset’s house was attacked

1st December 1450

Unit 2

York turns down King’s offer to join the council at Coventry, instead deciding to use force to impose his wishes on the king

September 1451

Unit 2 - York’s 1st attempted Coup

York reached Dartford in Kent and found the king with a strong army – York submits to the king, providing him w/ a list of complaints

2nd March 1452

Unit 2

HVI catatonic stupor starts

August 1453

Unit 2

Neville dispute – Percy followers attack Nevilles, no conclusive result – Nevilles turned to York, giving him the support he needed after 1452

August 1453

Unit 2

Prince Ed born – solved succession issue, but not who should govern

13th Oct 1453

Unit 2

Somerset imprisoned under claims of treason from the duke of Norfolk

23 November 1453

Unit 2

York becomes protectorate + elects his own men to take high up roles

27 March 1454

Unit 2

Exeter joined a rebellion w/ the Percy’s – York gathered an army, headed north to deal w/ trouble. Exeter fled to London and was later captured

May 1454

Unit 2

Battle of Stamford Bridge – the Percy’s were defeated and their leaders captured

November 1454

Unit 2

HVI starts to recover

Christmas day 1454

Unit 2

York reduces King’s household spending to £5,193 during his protectorate

1455

Unit 2

HVI is well enough to start ruling again, York’s protectorate ends

January 1455

Unit 2

York’s changes begin to be overturned by HVI’s old council coming back

Early 1455

Unit 3

No open warfare b/w Yorkists + Lancastrians -> both wanted to stabilise + didn’t have power to decisively defeat other

Hostilities = localised family conflicts, focused in the SW (Courtenay/Bonville over dominant family in Devon – both aligned w/ York)

B/w 1456-9

Unit 3

First Battle of St Albans: Yorkist victory - Earl of Northumberland, Lord Clifford and D of Somerset killed, Henry VI captured

22 May 1455

Unit 3

Main business of parliament was to put the blame on the D of Somerset and to pardon the Yorkists

9 July 1455

Unit 3

Courtenay-Bonville dispute: both sides ended up aligned with York, tension over who the dominant family in Devon should be

October 1455

Unit 3

Courtenay’s murder Bonville lawyer (Nicholas Radford)

November 1455

Unit 3

York made Lord Protector again: when King's health declined again (Henry VI injured at St Albans)

reduced Crown’s expenditure to please tax payers (eg: Margaret’s expenditure limited to 10,000 marks/year)

November 1455

Unit 3

Courtenay-Bonville dispute:

Courtenays attacked/took control of Exeter and Powderham Castle, and defeated the Bonvilles at Clyst - granted royal pardon for all offenses

December 1455

Unit 3

Margaret moved to W Midlands bcs disliked in London

B/w 1455-9

Unit 3

Wales:

Hostilities broke out b/w Edmund Tudor (HVI's half-brother) + two of York's men → Tudor seized castle, but it was recaptured along w/ Tudor → He died soon after → Margaret Beaufort = widow

1456

Unit 3

York’s 2nd protectorate ends

(faced opposition from: Margaret throughout, + nobles questioning his actions -> some feared he would pass an Act of Resumption on behalf of the crown)

February 1456

Unit 3

Margaret began to build her own powerbase for the Lancastrian party, surrounding herself w/ nobles she could trust - joined by D of Exeter and Earl of Devon (enemies of York, sons of those killed at St Albans)

April 1456

Unit 3

The Queen could exert control over the King:

Took command of royal appointments + replaced York's men w/ her supporters

August 1456

Unit 3

Margaret persuaded the Earls of Shrewsbury + Pembroke to switch to Lancastrians:

• BUT she’s not to blame for development of conflict, her powerbase remained narrow + if people didn’t want revenge, wouldn’t have sided

August 1456

Unit 3

The Queen could exert control over the King:

She made her private chancellor Keeper of the Privy Seal

September 1456

Unit 3

York thought he could decisively defeat Lancastrians + had Neville’s complete military support

1458

Unit 3

'Loveday'

• Leading members of each faction walked through street arm in arm – York + Margaret, Warwick + Somerset, etc

• Religious ceremony at St Paul’s cathedral – London packed w/ 1000s of armed men representing each faction

24 March 1458

Unit 3

Warwick's rebellion, in refusing to answer charges of piracy - pushed key neutral nobles (eg: Duke of Buckingham) to side w/ Queen

October 1458

Unit 3

Flight of the Yorkists: Henry VI and Margaret send letters summoning their forces to meet them in Leicester

May 1459

Unit 3

Flight of the Yorkists: council summoned to meet at Coventry

• Those that failed to come were indicted

June 1459

Unit 3

Yorkists sending messages to King justifying actions + explaining grievances - pardon offered to those that put down weapons - not taken

June 1459

Unit 3

York made plans for meeting at Ludlow in Welsh Marches

June 1459

Unit 3

Prior to Battle of Blore Health, Salisbury had received urgent orders from York to join him at Ludlow Castle, as well as orders to Warwick ordering a garrison from Calais

September 1459

Unit 3

Battle of Blore Health: Yorkist victory

• Lancastrians - Lord Audley. Yorkists - Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury. Lord Audley killed (command fell to Lord Dudley - who was captured)

• 2,000 Lancastrians + 200 Yorkists killed

23 September 1459

Unit 3

Flight of the Yorkists: Salisbury intercepted at Blore Health - managed to defeat + kill Lord Audley.

23 September 1459

Unit 3

Flight of the Yorkists: Warwick arrived from Calais + went to Ludlow

September 1459

Unit 3

Flight of the Yorkists: two sides met at Ludford Bridge

Yorkists outnumbered 3 to 1, Calais men switched to King’s side, Yorkists fled during night -> York to Ireland, Edward (future EIV) went to Calais w/ Warwick + Salisbury

12 October 1459

Unit 3

Parliament of Devils (Acts of Attainder): Margaret attains 27 Yorkist leaders for treason and sentences them to death, as well as disinheriting the heirs of Yorkist leaders. thought too extreme of a punishment - felt Margaret had gone to far.

20 November 1459

Unit 3

Salisbury, Warwick and Edward Earl of March arrived in Kent and marched to London - greeted like heroes. Built up reinforcements then headed to Northampton.

spring 1460

Unit 3

Battle of Northampton: Yorkist victory

• propaganda distributed before

• after attempted negotiations w/ Buckingham, Yorkists attacked

• Lord Grey defected to Yorkist side

• Lancastrian soldiers fled and major nobles (eg: Buckingham) killed

• 500 L killed, 100 Y killed

• Margaret fled to Wales w/ Prince Edward

10 July 1460

Unit 3

Yorkists re-entered London taking HVI w/ them, continuing to proclaim loyalty. Warwick took over running gov on HVI’s behalf, + his actions validated supporters from the SE

July 1460

Unit 3

York returned (marching under the royal banner) placed his hand on the throne at Westminster (not received well)

September 1460

Unit 3

Act of Accord: made Richard, Duke of York, Henry VI's heir - lords judgement

24 October 1460

Unit 3

Battle of Wakefield:

• Yorkists in Sandal Castles – surrounded by Margaret’s army

• Yorkists foraging party attacked by Lancastrians – York + Sailsbury rode out, but captured + York = beheaded

30 December 1460

Unit 3

Battle of Mortimer's Cross: Yorkist victory

• EIV led Yorkist forces

• Lancastrian forces led by Jasper Tudor

• Yorkists saw three suns (parhelion)

• 2000 Lancastrians died, including Owen Tudor.

2 February 1461

Unit 3

Second Battle of St Albans: Lancastrian victory

• surprised Warwick + attacked rear of Yorkist army, HVI returned to Lancastrians

• 500 Lancastrians dead + 2000 Yorkists

17 February 1461

Unit 3

EIV arrived in London, warm reception

• council (including Archbishop of Canterbury, Norfolk, and Warwick) decide EIV should be king

3 March 1461

Unit 4 - Usurpation

HVI’s weaknesses:

1. Poor spending (endowments of Eton, King’s college)

2. Catatonic stupor

1. 1440, 1443

2. Started August 1453

Unit 4 - Usurpation

York’s ambitions/actions :

• Act of Accord → made claim to throne legal

24 Oct 1460

Unit 4 - Usurpation

Lancastrian’s mistakes:

• Parliament of Devils

• Northern Host post Wakefield

1. Nov 1459

2. Wakefield = 30th Dec 1460

Unit 4 - Usurpation

EIV’s strengths:

• Strong military leader - defeated L’s in Battle of Towton

28/29 March 1461

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Policy of Conciliation - especially important before HVI was captured + put in Tower of London

Conciliation: 1461

HVI captured: 1465

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Royal order

• Went N + personally dealt w/ law + order

1461, soon after his coronation

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Poor harvest - increased discontent

1460s

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Battle of Hexam:

• Somerset = captured + killed

• Margaret of Anjou flees w/ Prince Edward

• Lancastrian nobles captured

• Maintained control for EIV

1464

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

EIV + Elizabeth Woodville marriage + so turned down Warwick’s arrangement to marry Bona of Savoy (related to Louis XIII of Fr)

1464

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Lord Rivers (Elizabeth Woodville’s father) made Treasurer

1466

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Treaty w/ Burgundy:

• Marriage b/w Charles the Bold + Margaret of York

• Made wool trade agreement → seen as favouring Burgundy

• BUT cloth exports doubled

1467

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Act on Retaining:

• Limited retainers to legal state advisors, estate officers, and servants, reducing power of overmighty nobles

• BUT loophole → could say you’re retainer isn’t a soldier, but still is

1468

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

EIV pocketed taxes for war vs France

1468

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Yorkshire Rebellion (Robin of Redesdale + Holderness) → Lord Montagu pacified

1468

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Clarence + Isabel Neville get married w/o EIV’s consent, and after he told them they couldn’t bcs he was scared of the power it would give Clarence

1469

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Battle of Edgecote:

• Warwick clashed w/ Earl of Pembroke over Wales

• Captures EIV and imprisons him in Warwick Castle + rules on his behalf

July 1469

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Warwick releases after imprisoning him at Edgecote EIV to deal w/ the law + order issues

Late 1469

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Battle of Losecoat Field:

• Warwick secretly encouraged another rebellion under Sir Robert Wells

• Quickly defeated by EIV

• Wells = captured + executed

March 1470

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Louis XI:

• Arranged alliance b/w Margaret + Warwick (gave credible alternative to throne, marriage b/w Prince Ed + Anne Neville, + Warwick ruling for HVI until Ed old enough

July 1470

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

EIV gives a Percy child the Northumberland title, and demotes Montagu to Marquis after Humphrey Neville tries to take land in the North → Montagu switches sides + goes against EIV

Sept 1470

Unit 4 - 1st Rule

Yorkshire Rebellion (Robin of Redesdale + Holderness) → Lord Montagu allowed to go on bcs angry w/ his demotion

• EIV flees to Burgundy w/ Lord Rivers + (future) RIII

Sept 1470