How the Wars of the Roses began...
King Edward III had four sons who survived to adulthood.
The 1st son (Edward the Black Prince) died before his father. When the king died, the Black Prince’s son, Richard II inherits.
What about the three other sons? The 3rd son (John of Gaunt) had a son of his own (Henry Bolingbroke) who deposed his cousin, Richard II, and became King Henry IV.
But there were two other sons of King Edward. The 2nd son Lionel had a daughter (Phillippa) while the 4th son had no children. Things seemed pretty stable with Henry IV and his son Henry V on the throne, probably in part due to the Hundred Years War being fought with France. But then Henry VI inherited from his father and the big dispute began. Inheriting the crown as a baby, England was governed by his council. When he reached his majority and was crowned, he rewarded many of these men and their families with titles and power. But he had catatonic bouts that placed the old council, with members such as Richard Plantagenet, back into power. When he would come back out of this state, he would place his inner circle back into prominence.
Many saw Henry VI as weak so Plantagenet made the argument he should be king, because he came from the line of the 2nd son through Phillippa, his great grandmother. While King Henry VI was from the line of the 4th son. And so, the fight for the crown raged.
The 1st son (Edward the Black Prince) died before his father. When the king died, the Black Prince’s son, Richard II inherits.
What about the three other sons? The 3rd son (John of Gaunt) had a son of his own (Henry Bolingbroke) who deposed his cousin, Richard II, and became King Henry IV.
But there were two other sons of King Edward. The 2nd son Lionel had a daughter (Phillippa) while the 4th son had no children. Things seemed pretty stable with Henry IV and his son Henry V on the throne, probably in part due to the Hundred Years War being fought with France. But then Henry VI inherited from his father and the big dispute began. Inheriting the crown as a baby, England was governed by his council. When he reached his majority and was crowned, he rewarded many of these men and their families with titles and power. But he had catatonic bouts that placed the old council, with members such as Richard Plantagenet, back into power. When he would come back out of this state, he would place his inner circle back into prominence.
Many saw Henry VI as weak so Plantagenet made the argument he should be king, because he came from the line of the 2nd son through Phillippa, his great grandmother. While King Henry VI was from the line of the 4th son. And so, the fight for the crown raged.
Lancastrian Supporters
King Henry VI
Queen Margaret of Anjou
Prince Edward
Sir John Courtenay, 15th Earl of Devon (1435 – May 4, 1471)
Edmund Beaufort (1438 – May 6, 1471), styled 4th Duke of Somerset, 6th Earl of Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, 3rd Earl of Dorset
Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset (January 26, 1436 – May 15, 1464)
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland, (July 25, 1421 – March 29, 1461)
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 6th Earl of Stafford, 7th Baron Stafford, (December 1402 – July 10, 1460)
Sir Ralph Percy (August 11, 1425 – April 25, 1464) - Governor of Bamburgh Castle
Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and 8th Baron Welles (died March 19, 1470),
John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford (April 23, 1408 – February 26, 1462)
John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford (September 8, 1442 – March 10, 1513)
Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter, 3rd Earl of Huntington (June 27, 1430 – September 1475)
Plantagenet Supporters
Richard Plantagenet
King Edward
Richard III (October 2, 1452 – August 22, 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from June 26, 1483 until his death in 1485
John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (September 27, 1442 – May 21, 1492)
William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings (1431 – June 1483)
Hundred Years' War
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, 1st Earl of Waterford, 7th Baron Talbot, (1387 – July 17, 1453)
John Talbot, 1st Baron Lisle and 1st Viscount Lisle (1426 – 17 July 1453)
Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick (January 25 or 28, 1382 – April 30, 1439)
King Charles VII France
Arch Bishop of Canterbury
William Hatteclyffe - royal physician
Lord Alder - legendary jouster
Sir Samual of Calaise - legendary jouster
Sir Reginald Bray - Henry's second
Sir David Camden - King Edward's favored knight
George Lumley, 3rd Baron Lumley (1445–1509)
Jasper Tudor
Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy
Lord Say
Lord Cromwell
Traitors
John Wenlock, 1st Baron Wenlock (1400/04 – May 4, 1471)
Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles (1428–1470),
Thomas Stanley, 1st earl of Derby (1459–85) 2nd Baron Stanley, (born 1435—died July 29, 1504
Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent (October 26, 1416 – May 22, 1490), - Margaret's vanguard
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (November 22, 1428 – April 14, 1471)
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu (1431 – April 14, 1471) - commands Lancastrian army - Warwick's brother
George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (October 21, 1449 – February 18, 1478),
Battles
22 May 1455
1st St Albans
York
23 September 1459
Blore Heath
York
12 October 1459
Ludford Bridge
Lancaster
10 July 1460
Northampton
York
30 December 1460
Wakefield
Lancaster
2 February 1461
Mortimer’s Cross
York
17 February 1461
2nd St Albans
Lancaster
28 March 1461
Ferrybridge
York
29 March 1461
Towton
York
25 April 1464
Hedgeley Moor
York
15 May 1464
Hexham
York
26 July 1469
Edgecote
(sometimes called Banbury)
Warwick/Lancaster
12 March 1470
Losecote Field
York
14 April 1471
Barnet
York
4 May 1471
Tewkesbury
York
22 August 1485
Bosworth
Tudor
16 June 1487
Stoke
Tudor
1st St Albans
York
23 September 1459
Blore Heath
York
12 October 1459
Ludford Bridge
Lancaster
10 July 1460
Northampton
York
30 December 1460
Wakefield
Lancaster
2 February 1461
Mortimer’s Cross
York
17 February 1461
2nd St Albans
Lancaster
28 March 1461
Ferrybridge
York
29 March 1461
Towton
York
25 April 1464
Hedgeley Moor
York
15 May 1464
Hexham
York
26 July 1469
Edgecote
(sometimes called Banbury)
Warwick/Lancaster
12 March 1470
Losecote Field
York
14 April 1471
Barnet
York
4 May 1471
Tewkesbury
York
22 August 1485
Bosworth
Tudor
16 June 1487
Stoke
Tudor
