Liquidation of the Middle Ages in England.
French mercenaries
Wars of the Roses- series armed conflicts between factions English nobility in -1487 in a power struggle between supporters of the two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty.
Causes of the war
The cause of the war was the dissatisfaction of a significant part of English society with the failures in the Hundred Years' War and the policies pursued by the wife of King Henry VI, Queen Margaret and her favorites (the king himself was a weak-willed person, moreover, sometimes falling into complete unconsciousness). The opposition was led by Duke Richard of York, who first demanded a regency over the incompetent king, and later the English crown. The basis for this claim was that Henry VI was the great-grandson of John of Gaunt, the third son of King Edward III, and York was the great-grandson of Lionel, the second son of this king (according to female line, By male line he was the grandson of Edmund - the fourth son of Edward III), in addition, Henry VI's grandfather Henry IV seized the throne in, forcibly forcing King Richard II to abdicate - which made the legitimacy of the entire Lancaster dynasty questionable.
Origin of Scarlet and White Roses
The frequent statement that the Scarlet Rose was the coat of arms of Lancaster and the White Rose was the coat of arms of York is incorrect. As great-great-grandsons of Edward III, the heads of both parties had very similar coats of arms. Henry VI wore family coat of arms Plantagenet (consisting of the coats of arms of England - three leopards on a scarlet field and France - three lilies on a blue field), and the Duke of York - the same coat of arms, only with a superimposed title. The roses were not coats of arms, but distinctive badges (badges) of two warring parties. It is not known exactly who used them for the first time. If the White Rose, symbolizing the Virgin Mary, was used as a distinctive sign by the first Duke of York Edmund Langley in the 14th century, then nothing is known about the use of Scarlet by the Lancastrians before the start of the war. Perhaps it was invented to contrast with the emblem of the enemy. Shakespeare, in his chronicle Henry VI, cites a scene (probably fictional) in which the Dukes of York and Somerset, who had quarreled in London's Temple Garden, invited their supporters to pick a white and a red rose, respectively.
Main events of the war
The confrontation has reached the stage open war c, when the Yorkists celebrated victory at the First Battle of St. Albans, soon after which the English Parliament declared Richard York protector of the kingdom and heir to Henry VI. However, in the Battle of Wakefield, Richard York died. The White Rose Party was led by his son Edward, who was crowned Edward IV in London. In the same year, the Yorkists won victories at Mortimer Cross and Towton. As a result of the latter, the main forces of the Lancastrians were defeated, and King Henry VI and Queen Margaret fled the country (the king was soon caught and imprisoned in the Tower).
Active fighting resumed when the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence (the younger brother of Edward IV), who had gone over to the Lancastrian side, returned Henry VI to the throne. Edward IV and his other brother, the Duke of Gloucester, fled to Burgundy, from where they returned to. The Duke of Clarence again went over to his brother's side - and the Yorkists won victories at Barnet and Tewkesberry. In the first of these battles, the Earl of Warwick was killed, in the second, Prince Edward, the only son of Henry VI, was killed, which, together with the death (probably murder) of Henry himself that followed in the Tower that same year, became the end of the Lancastrian dynasty.
Edward IV - the first king of the York dynasty - reigned peacefully until his death, which followed unexpectedly for everyone in 1483, when the king a short time became his son Edward V. However, the royal council declared him illegitimate (the late king was a big hunter of women and, in addition to official wife, was secretly engaged to one - or more - women; in addition, Thomas More and Shakespeare mention rumors circulating in society that Edward himself was the son not of the Duke of York, but of a simple archer), and Edward IV's brother Richard of Gloucester was crowned in the same year as Richard III. His short and dramatic reign was filled with struggles against open and hidden opposition. In this fight, the king was initially favored by luck, but the number of opponents only increased. Lancastrian forces (mostly French mercenaries) led by Henry Tudor (the great-great-grandson of John of Gaunt on the female side) landed in Wales. At the Battle of Bosworth Richard III was killed and the crown passed to Henry Tudor, who was crowned Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. The Earl of Lincoln (nephew of Richard III) tried to return the crown to York, but was killed at the Battle of Stoke Field. Hugh de Lanois was also executed with abuse.
Results of the war
The War of the Roses actually brought an end to the English Middle Ages. On the battlefields, scaffolds and in prison casemates, not only all the direct descendants of the Plantagenets perished, but also a significant part of the English lords and knighthood.
Notes
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This term has other meanings, see Civil War in England. War of the Roses Presentation of an unreliable story ... Wikipedia
War of the Scarlet and White Roses- The War of the Scarlet and White Roses... Russian spelling dictionary
War of the Scarlet and White Roses- (in England, 1455–1485) ... orthographic dictionary Russian language
War of the Scarlet and White Roses Date 1455 1485 Place England Result Victory of the Lancastrians and their minions. Liquidation of the Middle Ages in England... Wikipedia
Long-term (1455 85) internecine war feudal cliques, which took the form of a struggle for the English throne between two lines royal dynasty Plantagenets (See Plantagenets): Lancasters (See Lancasters) (scarlet rose in the coat of arms) and Yorks... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
War of the Scarlet and White Roses- (1455 1485) fight for English. the throne between two lateral lines of queens, the Plantagenet dynasty Lancaster (in the coat of arms there is a scarlet rose) and York (in the coat of arms White Rose). The confrontation between the Lancasters (the ruling dynasty) and the Yorks (the richest... ... Medieval world in terms, names and titles
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The situation in England on the eve of the war
When the end of the bloody and protracted Hundred Years' War was proclaimed, people who took part in the hostilities gradually began to return from France to their homeland, England. Ordinary soldiers were very disappointed by the defeat of the country and the situation within the state sharply heated up, and the weakened royalty had difficulty coping with the wave of riots and unrest that swept England.
Despite the fact that Henry VI of the Lancaster family sat on the throne, the country was actually ruled by his wife, the Frenchwoman Margaret of Anjou. Her origins were clearly disapproving of the Duke of York, who was the king's next of kin.
The Lancastrian coat of arms featured a scarlet rose, and the dynasty itself was a side branch of the Plantagenets, reigned from 1154 to 1399. Lancasters never acted alone, but their closest associates were the English, Irish and Welsh barons.
Allies of York, whose coat of arms featured a rose white, became merchants, middle-class nobles and wealthy feudal lords living in the more prosperous and economically developed territory of England - the southeast.
Start of the war
A conflict broke out between the Lancasters and Yorks, which went down in history as the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. The romantic name did not at all correspond to the cruelty with which the opponents treated each other. The knightly ideals of honor and decency characteristic of this era have lost relevance. Throughout the war, the vassals of both dynasties betrayed their kings without a twinge of conscience and went over to the enemy’s side. Former like-minded people instantly became enemies, and subjects betrayed their promises of loyalty for the smallest reward. Either the Lancasters or the Yorks won, and the number of victims increased with each battle. 
One of turning points was the capture of Henry VI in 1460 Lancastrian King Richard of York, who had previously defeated his opponents in battle in 1455. The monarch forced the Upper House of the English Parliament to make him protector of the state and recognize him as the only heir entitled to the throne.
Queen Margaret was forced to flee to the north of the country, where she gathered a fairly large army. Returning with a well-prepared army, Margaret defeated Richard and displayed his severed head in a paper crown above the main gates of York. Maddened by the victory, the queen also ordered the execution of all supporters who surrendered. Such a barbaric act was too brutal even for the Middle Ages.
Already in next year Edward, the eldest son, decided to take revenge for his murdered father. He enlisted the help of Richard Neville and defeated the Lancastrian army. After the deposition of King Henry VI, he and Margaret went on the run. This time in Westminster coronation took place the winner, who henceforth began to be called Edward IV.
Continuation of the war
The newly-made ruler began to mercilessly chop off the heads of everyone who was seen having connections with the Lancasters. Richard's head was removed from the gates of the city of York, and instead, as a warning to everyone, the heads of those executed were hung up. The parliamentarians unanimously recognized all Lancastrians, dead or alive, as traitors.
The victory gave strength to Edward, who in 1464 set out on a campaign to the north of the country with the goal of finishing off his opponents. The campaign resulted in the capture of Henry VI, who was imprisoned in one of the Tower's cells. The hopes of the nobility and barons for the fair protection of their interests by King Edward were not justified, and many of the rich and influential aristocrats, including Warwick, defected to Henry VI. The monarch, betrayed by his subjects, fled from England, and the one released the king was restored to the throne in 1470.
Edward did not abandon his claims to the British throne and came with an army that defeated the companions of Margaret and Warwick, who died along with the Prince of Wales, the young son of King Henry VI. The monarch himself was captured, stripped of his titles and brought to London, where he soon died (most likely, was killed) in the Tower Tower. Margaret managed to escape abroad, where she was captured, from which she was ransomed by the King of France some time later.
Continuation of the struggle for power
Edward IV considered his younger brother, Richard of Gloucester, to be the closest in spirit. Despite the fact that the monarch’s relative had poor health from birth, and his left hand was practically non-working, Richard was considered one of the bravest warriors and was an excellent and fearless commander. Another of his virtues was his exceptional loyalty to his brother, which remained even in times of serious defeats.
Edward IV died in 1485, and his eldest son, Edward V, who was 12 years old at that time, was declared his heir. However, this situation did not suit Richard, who first became protector under the young king, and then convinced the public of the illegitimacy of the birth of his nephews and declared himself the only legitimate monarch - Richard III.
The fate of the sons of Edward IV, who were imprisoned in the Tower, was unenviable. For some time the boys were visible and were even sometimes seen playing in the prison yard, but then the heirs disappeared. Rumors spread among the English that the order to kill them was given personally by Richard III, who in no way tried to justify himself or stop all speculation. The king was busy rebuilding the country, devastated by the war, but his political and economic transformation caused discontent among wealthy feudal lords.
End of the war
In France, Henry Tudor lived in exile, bearing the title of Earl of Rimond. The nobility united around him, wanting to overthrow Richard III. Having gathered an army, in 1485 supporters of York and Lancaster landed on one of the coasts of Britain. The reigning king with people loyal to the throne came out to meet Henry. The opponents clashed at the Battle of Bosworth, but at the last moment Richard's allies betrayed him and the king was defeated. On the battlefield he was dealt mortal wound in the head and him the crown was immediately placed on Tudor.
This historical moment considered the last episode of the War of the Roses, which lasted 30 years with short-lived truces. As a result of battles and executions, the country was destroyed most of aristocracy and representatives of noble families y. Became the sole ruler of England Henry VII
, who became the founder of the Tudor dynasty and reigned on the throne until 1603. 
The monarch strived in every possible way for peace and unification, so he entered into a politically advantageous marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV, and made a coat of arms depicting two roses - scarlet and white - his official symbol. To strengthen his power, Henry tried in every possible way to discredit his predecessor, attributing to him many crimes, including the murder of his young nephews, the story of whose disappearance still remains unsolved. The war between York and Lancaster was reflected in literature, including Shakespeare's Richard III and Henry VI. Created based on events computer game, and the confrontation between the two dynasties formed the basis of J. Martin’s novel “A Song of Ice and Fire,” on which the famous TV series “Game of Thrones” was based.
Confrontation between the Scarlet and White Roses.
In the middle of the 15th century, a difficult time came in the life of Britain. Difficulties economic situation worsened by defeat in the Hundred Years' War. In addition, the number of people dissatisfied with the king in the lower strata of society increased. What led to peasant uprising in 1450 - 1451. These reasons served as the reason for the start of internecine bloody war, which lasted another 30 years.
Subsequently, this war began to be called the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. This name was due to the symbolism of the main opposing forces, originating from one royal dynasty, the Plantagenets. Ruling dynasty The Lancastrians, led by Henry VI, whose coat of arms featured a scarlet rose, competed with another noble English dynasty - the Yorks. The coat of arms of this dynasty was a white rose. Henry VI and the Lancastrian dynasty were mainly supported by Wales, Ireland and many barons of northern Britain. The York dynasty, on the other hand, enlisted the support of the feudal lords of the richer southeastern part of England.
During the reign of the Red Rose Dynasty, the Dukes of Suffolk and Somerset had great power. Duke Richard of York, who was the brother of King Henry VI, returned from exile in 1450. Seeing the state of affairs, he tries to weaken the influence of these dukes with the help of parliament. But the king dissolves parliament. Taking advantage of Henry VI's temporary clouding of mind, in 1453 Richard became the de facto ruler of England, receiving the title of Protector. After a while, the king regains his sanity. Not wanting to give up power, Duke Richard enlists the support of the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury.
Soon the rivalry between the scarlet and white roses develops into open confrontation. In May 1455 the first battle of St. Albans took place. The king's troops were outnumbered and defeated. In 1459-1460, several more battles took place, in which the initiative passed either to Lancastrian supporters or to York supporters. In the summer of 1460, the Battle of Northampton took place, in which the Yorks were again victorious. As a result of the battle, King Henry VI was captured, and Richard became his heir and protector of the throne. Not wanting to put up with this, the king's wife Margaret of Anjou gathers supporters loyal to the crown and six months later defeats the troops of the White Rose in the Battle of Wakefield. In this battle, Richard dies and his son Edward takes his place.
After several small battles at Mortimers Cross, St. Albans, Ferrybridge, the most major battle for the entire War of the Roses. At Tauton on March 24, 1461, between 30 and 40 thousand people converged on each side. Edward of York struck crushing defeat the army of the scarlet rose, defeating most of the Lancastrian army. Some time later he was crowned, proclaiming King of England Edward IV. Margaret of Anjou and her husband retreated to Scotland. But after several defeats, Henry VI was captured again.
In 1470, active hostilities resumed. The king's younger brother Duke of Clarence and his former ally The Earl of Warwick rebels against Edward. After spending a short time in captivity, Edward IV fled to Burgundy, under the protection of his son-in-law Charles the Bold. The Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick, with the assistance of King Louis XI of France, return the crown to Henry VI, swearing an oath of allegiance to him.
Returning a year later with an army hired by Charles the Bold, Edward IV enlists the support of the traitor Clarence and gains the upper hand at the battles of Barnet (March 12) and Tewkesbury (April 14). Warwick dies at Barnet, and Henry's only son, Prince Edward, at Tewkesbury. After a while, Henry VI himself dies. Thus ends the Lancaster family.
The reign of Edward IV remains calm and the fighting subsides. But after his death in 1483, brother Richard Gloucester, having convicted his son Edward of illegitimacy, usurps the throne, taking the name Richard III. Soon, Henry Tudor, a distant relative of the Lancaster dynasty, landed in 1485 with an army of French mercenaries on the shores of Britain in the region of Wales. Having suffered defeat from Henry Tudor, Richard III himself dies in battle. And Henry is proclaimed the ruler of England, Henry VII. Another attempt by York to retake the throne ends in defeat at the Battle of Stoke Field. This event ended the War of the Scarlet and White Roses.
IN late XVII century, the English throne was seized by Henry Tudor from the Lancaster family - the founder of a new royal dynasty that remained in power for a century. This was preceded by a bloody dynastic conflict between the descendants of two branches of the ancient royal family of the Plantagenets - Lancaster and York, which went down in history as the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, briefly historical description which is the topic of this article.
Symbols of the warring parties
There is a misconception that the war owes its name to roses, supposedly depicted on the coats of arms of these opposing aristocratic families. In reality they weren't there. The reason lies in the fact that, going into battle, supporters of one and the other party as distinctive sign attached a symbolic rose to their armor - the Lancasters - white, and their opponents the Yorks - red. Elegant and royal.
The reasons that led to bloodshed -
It is known that the War of the Scarlet and White Roses began due to the political instability that developed in England in the middle of the 15th century. Most of society expressed dissatisfaction and demanded radical changes in government. This situation was aggravated by the incapacity of the weak-minded and often completely unconscious King Henry VI of Lancaster, under whom actual power was in the hands of his wife, Queen Margaret, and her many favorites.
Start of hostilities
The leader of the opposition was Duke Richard of York. A descendant of the Plantagenets, he had, according to him own conviction, certain rights to the crown. With the active participation of this representative of the White Rose Party political confrontation soon developed into bloody clashes, in one of which, which took place in 1455 near the city of St. Albans, the Duke's supporters completely defeated the royal troops. Thus began the War of the Scarlet and White Roses, which lasted thirty-two years and was described in the works of Thomas More and Shakespeare. Summary their works paint us a picture of those events.
Luck is on the side of the opposition
Such a brilliant victory of Richard of York over legitimate authority convinced members of parliament that it was better not to irritate this thug, and they declared him protector of the state, and in the event of the death of the king, heir to the throne. It is difficult to say whether the Duke would have hastened this demise or not, but in the next battle with the troops of the party opposing him, he was killed.
After the death of the instigator of the war, the opposition was led by his son, who fulfilled his father’s long-standing dream, crowned in 1461 under the name of Edward IV. Soon his troops finally crushed the Lancastrian resistance, Once again defeating them at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross.
The betrayals that the War of the Roses knew
Summary historical work T. Mora conveys the depth of despair of the deposed Henry VI and his frivolous wife. They tried to escape, and if Margaret managed to hide abroad, then her unlucky husband was captured and imprisoned in the Tower. However, it was too early for the newly made king to celebrate victory. Intrigues began in his party, caused by the ambitious claims of the aristocrats closest to him, each of whom sought to get the largest piece in the division of honors and awards.
The wounded pride and envy of some deprived Yorkers pushed them to betrayal, as a result of which the younger brother of the new king, the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick, having violated all laws of honor, went over to the side of the enemy. Having gathered a sizeable army, they rescued the unfortunate Henry VI from the Tower and returned him to the throne. It was the turn of Edward IV, who had missed the throne, to flee. He and his younger brother Gloucester safely reached Burgundy, where they were popular and had numerous supporters.
New plot twist
The War of the Roses, briefly described by the great Shakespeare, prepared an unpleasant surprise for the Lancastrians this time. The king's brother Clarence, who had so shamefully compromised himself by betrayal and returned the throne to Henry, having learned with what strong army his relative was returning to London, realized that he was in a hurry. Find yourself on the gallows - yourself suitable place for traitors - he clearly didn’t want to, and he, appearing at Edward’s camp, convinced him of his deep repentance.
Reunited, the brothers and their numerous supporters from the York party twice defeated the Lancastrians at Barnet and Tewkesberry. In the first battle, Warwick died, the same one who committed treason along with Clarence, but, unlike the latter, did not have time to return to his former owner. The second battle proved fatal for the crown prince. Thus, the Lancastrian dynastic line was interrupted by the War of the Scarlet and White Roses that captured England. Read on for a summary of subsequent events.
What does history tell us about the following events?
Having won, Edward IV again sent the king he had overthrown to the Tower. He returned to his familiar and previously lived-in cell, but did not stay in it for long. In the same year, his death was announced with deep sorrow. It is difficult to say whether it was natural, or whether the new overlord simply decided to save himself from possible troubles, but since then the ashes of Henry VI, abandoned during his lifetime by both his wife and his subjects, rested in a dungeon. What can you do, the royal throne can sometimes be very shaky.
Having gotten rid of his predecessor and potential rival, Edward IV ruled until 1483, when he suddenly died of unknown causes. For a short time, his son Edward took the throne, but was soon removed from power by the royal council, as doubts arose about the legitimacy of his birth. By the way, there were witnesses who claimed that his late father was not born from the Duke of York, but was the fruit of the secret love of the mother duchess and the handsome archer.
Whether it really happened or not, they didn’t bother to get to the bottom of it, but just in case, the throne young heir was taken away, and the brother of the late king Richard of Gloucester, crowned under the name Richard III, was elevated to it. Fate didn't have it in store for him either. for long years calm reign. Very soon, an open and secret opposition formed around the throne, poisoning the life of the monarch with all its might.
Return of the Scarlet Rose
Historical archives of the 15th century tell how the further war Scarlet and White Rose. A brief summary of the documents stored in them indicates that the leading representatives of the Lancastrian party were able to assemble a significant army on the continent, consisting mainly of French mercenaries. Led by Henry Tudor, it landed on the coast of Britain in 1486 and began its victorious journey to London. King Richard III personally led the army that went out to meet the enemy, but died in the Battle of Bosworth.
End of the European Middle Ages
The War of the Roses in England was nearing its end. A summary of Shakespeare's account of these events recreates the picture of how, having reached the British capital without much trouble, Tudor was crowned under the name. From that time on, the Lancaster dynasty was firmly entrenched on the throne, and their reign lasted one hundred and seventeen years. The only serious attempt to overthrow the king was made in 1487 by the Earl of Lincoln, nephew of Richard III, who rebelled but was killed in the ensuing battle.
It is generally accepted that the War of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455-1487) is the final link European Middle Ages. During this period, not only all direct descendants were destroyed ancient family Plantagenets, but most of the English chivalry. The main disasters fell on the shoulders of common people, who in all centuries has become a hostage to other people's political ambitions.
THE LONG AND BLOODY ENMOMOUS OF THE TWO NOBLE ENGLISH Families, WHICH WENT INTO HISTORY UNDER THE CALL “WAR OF THE SCARLET AND WHITE ROSE”, BROUGHT TO THE THRONE A NEW ROYAL DYNASTY - THE TUDORS. THE WAR OBLIGATED ITS ROMANTIC NAME TO THE fact that NOT THE COAT OF ARMS OF ONE OF THE RIVAL PARTIES - THE YORKS - WAS DEEPICTED A WHITE ROSE, BUT ON THE COAT OF ARMS OF THEIR OPPONENTS - THE LANCASTERS - A SCARLET.
In the middle of the 15th century. England survived Hard times. Having been defeated in Hundred Years' War, the English nobility, deprived of the opportunity to periodically plunder French lands, plunged into finding out internal relations. King Henry VI Lancaster was unable to stop the feuds of the aristocracy. Sick (Henry suffered from bouts of madness) and weak-willed, he almost completely handed over the reins of power to the Dukes of Somerset and Suffolk. The signal that foreshadowed the approach of serious unrest was Jack Cad's rebellion, which broke out in Kent in 1451. The royal troops, however, managed to defeat the rebels, but anarchy in the country was growing.
WHITE STARTS BUT DOESN'T WIN.
Richard, Duke of York, decided to take advantage of the situation. In 1451, he tried to increase his influence by opposing the king's all-powerful favorite, the Duke of Somerset. Members of parliament who supported Richard York even dared to proclaim him heir to the throne. However, Henry VI unexpectedly showed firmness and dissolved the rebellious parliament.
In 1453, Henry VI lost his mind as a result of a strong shock. This is the opportunity for Richard to achieve the most important position - protector of the state. But the Disease receded, and the king again ousted his ambitious brother. Not wanting to give up his dreams of the throne, Richard began to gather supporters for a decisive battle. Having concluded an alliance with the Earl of Salisbury and Warwick, who had strong armies, in the spring of 1455 he opposed the king. The war of the two roses has begun.
The first battle took place in the small town of St. Albans. Earl Warwick and his detachment entered through the gardens from the rear and struck the royal troops. This decided the outcome of the battle. Many of the king's supporters, including Sommerset, died, and Henry VI himself was captured.
However, Richard's triumph did not last long. Queen Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, who stood at the head of the supporters of the Scarlet Rose, managed to remove York from power. Richard again rebelled and defeated the Lancastrians in the battle of Blore Heath (September 23, 1459) and Northampton (July 10, 1460), and in last battle King Henry was captured again. But Margaret of Anjou, who remained free, unexpectedly attacked Richard and defeated his troops at the Battle of Wakefill (December 30, 1460). Richard himself fell on the battlefield, and his head, wearing a paper crown, was displayed for all to see on the wall of York.
WHITE WIN, BUT NOT FOR LONG.
However, the war was still far from over. Having learned about the death of his father, Richard's son Edward, Earl of March, forms the Yorks in the Welsh possessions new army. Forces are gathering in the Wigmore and Ledlo area. On February 3, 1461, the two armies met in a decisive battle at Mortimer's Cross (Herefordshire). The supporters of the White Rose won an undoubted victory. The Lancastrians left the battlefield with 3,000 casualties.
Meanwhile, Queen Margaret of Anjou, with Henry VI's only heir, Prince Edward, and a huge army, rushed to the rescue of her husband. Having unexpectedly attacked the enemy, in February of the same year she defeated the White Rose supporter Earl of Warwick in St. Albans and freed her husband.
Inspired by the victory, Margarita decides to unite with the army of Jasper Tudor and march on London. And the Earl of March and Warwick head towards the Allied camp in the Cotswolds. Only by a miracle did the Scarlet and White manage to avoid a meeting, which would have been extremely undesirable primarily for the Yorks. Entering London, the queen's army began to loot and terrorize the townspeople. Eventually, riots began in the city, and when March and Warwick approached the capital, Londoners joyfully opened the gates to them. On 4 March 1461, Edward March was proclaimed King Edward IV, and on 29 March he dealt a crushing blow to the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton. The deposed king and his wife are forced to flee to Scotland.
Backed by France, Henry VI still had supporters in the north of England, but they were defeated in 1464 and the king was imprisoned again.
WHITE WINS.
At this moment, strife begins in the White Rose camp. The Earl of Warwick, who leads the Neville clan, teams up with Edward's brother Duke of Clarence and raises a rebellion against the newly enthroned king. They defeat the troops of Edward IV, and he himself is captured. But, flattered by tempting promises, Warwick releases the king. Edward does not keep his promises, and enmity breaks out between former like-minded people. new strength. July 26, 1469, at Edgecote, Warwick defeats royal army, commanded by the Earl of Pembroke, and executes the latter along with his brother Sir Richard Herbert. Now Warwick, through the mediation of King Louis XI of France, goes over to the side of the Lancastrians, but just a year later he is defeated and dies at the Battle of Barnet.
Margaret of Anjou returns home from France just on the day of defeat. The news from London shocked the queen, but her determination did not leave her. Having gathered an army, Margaret leads it to the Welsh border to join the army of Jasper Tudor. But Edward IV overtakes the Scarlets and defeats them in the battle of Tewksbury. Margarita is captured; the only heir, Henry VI, fell on the battlefield; the latter died (or was killed) in captivity that same year. Edward IV RETURNED TO LONDON, AND THE COUNTRY WAS RELATIVELY CALM UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1483.
WHITE AND SCARLET ROSES ON ONE COAT OF ARMS
A new drama unfolds with the death of the king. Edward's brother, Richard Gloucester, joins the struggle for power. According to the law, the throne had to pass to the son of the deceased monarch - the young Edward V. Lord Rivers, the queen's brother, sought to speed up the coronation. However, Richard managed to intercept Rivers with the young heir and his younger brother on the way to London. Rivers was beheaded and the princes were taken to the Tower. Later, the uncle apparently ordered the murder of his nephews. He himself takes possession of the crown under the name of Richard III. This act makes him so unpopular that the Lancasters regain hope. Together with the offended Yorks, they unite around Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, a distant relative of the Lancastrians who lived in France.
In August 1485, Henry Tudor landed at Milford Haven, passed through Wales unmolested and joined forces with his followers. Richard III was defeated by their united army at the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485. The usurper king was killed in this battle. Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty, ascended the English throne. Having married Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth, the heiress of York, he combined scarlet and white roses in his coat of arms.