14652 m145

Henry VII, first Tudor monarch of England, who reigned 1485-1509. A descendant of Edward III, he restored the central power of the throne, enforced the rule of law, and organised an efficient tax system. (Yictoria & Albert Museum)

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In August 1453 there was a major clash atl Stamlord Bridge between the Percies and thel Nevilles, and in the same month Henry VI had an attack of insanity which was to last 16 months. J

Margaret’s position was strengthened by the birth’ of her only son in Octobcr, securing the descent of the crown in the Lancastrian linę, yet at the same| time this event probably increased the jealousy of her rivals.

Somerset’s position was again attacked violently® in the Parliament of 1453-54 ^and York was declared Protector of the Realm once the king’s«^ madness could no longer be hidden. Somerset and^B the Duke of Exeter were imprisoned by York, but when Henry VI recovered his wits in December® 1454 York had to surrender his position andi^ Somerset was able to recover control of the king.

York retired to Ludlow Castle and summoned hisl retainers from the Welsh Marches. He was joined at¹ Ludlow by his brother-in-law the Earl ofSalisbury^ and by Warwick, with their retainers.

rebellion aiming to overthrow the court party and to end corruption and the oppression of the king’s officials. The rebellion was put down without the rival magnates resorting to war with each other; but Richard, Duke of York, heir to the claims of the house of Mortimer, now emerged to place himself at the head of the opposition.

York had distinguished himself in the French wars as Lieutenant of France, and was the first prince of the royal blood sińce the death of Gloucester. He had been replaced in France by Beaufort and banished as Lieutenant of Ireland, with orders not to re-enter the kingdom.

However, in 1450 York did return to England, to impeach Somerset. He was supported by the powerful Neville family; Richard, Earl of Salisbury, and his son Richard, Earl of Warwick. Twice during the next two years York called out his followers to give an armed demonstration in support of his policy, and in 1452 he was arrested. He agreed to abandon his protests and support his opponents in the recovery of Guienne; but in July 1453, at Castillon, the last great battle of the Hundred Years’ War was fought, and lost. For the next 30 years England’s battles would be fought on her own soil.

1455-1464

First St. Albans, Northampton, Wakefield, Mortimer’s Cross, Second St. Albans,

Towton and Hexham

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In May 1455 the queen and Somerset summoned a^ Council, to which no prominent Yorkist was^^ imited, and ordered a gathering of the peers at®

Leicester to take steps for the king’s safety. York marched south to securć a fair hearing from the^g king, while the court moved towards Leicester,® escorted by a large number of nobles and their

retainers. The king and Somerset did not learn ofgg

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York’s actions until they were en route to Leicester They tried to assemble an army, but there was

insufficient time; at nightfall on 21 May, when th

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two sides camped only 20 miles apart, the king’s ‘army’ still consisted of just his escort and their retainers.

Both sides decided to advance against their^ adversary during the night, and these marche^^ became a race for the chief town of the area, St® Albans. The king’s army arrived there at 7am, and

York halted at Key Fields, east of the town, at abouteg the same time. There followed a pause of thret^